David Stuart Davies: A Sherlockian Conversation
In celebration of the long-awaited re-issue of his book Bending The Willow, we spoke with author David Stuart Davies about this insightful volume covering Jeremy Brett’s work on the Granada series and Davies’ conversations with the legendary actor himself.
Bending The Willow is now available for purchase at:
www.tvbrain.info/shop
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Thank you for your excellent podcast and for the fun and informative interview with Mr. Davies. You mentioned towards the end of the broadcast that Mr. Brett did not receive a well deserved BAFTA and discussed the possibility of a possible “star” for Mr. Brett on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. I suspect that, in his lifetime, a “star” on the “Walk of Fame” might have delighted Mr. Brett. However, the moment to award Mr. Brett a “star” has passed. To me (and many of your listeners) one of the greatest tributes to Mr. Brett is your superlative podcast. As the producers of the Sherlock Holmes Jeremy Brett Podcast, is there a way that you can convince BAFTA of the importance paying tribute to Mr. Brett, one of his country’s finest actors, within its “In Memory” section as it did for Mr. Hardwicke?
https://www.bafta.org/heritage/in-memory-of/edward-hardwicke
Thank you, Janet. That’s very kind of you to say.
We’ve attempted to reach the BAFTA folks so many times and in different ways, and have only received the sound crickets in return. But we will continue to try, to be sure. Perhaps an “In Memory” tribute could be the way to go.
Fantastic podcast with Mr. Davies. Such a treat to hear those stories and cool details about Jeremy and the Granada crew! You two asked all the questions I would’ve asked. Well done again, Gus & Luke!
Based on what I heard, I’d like to buy the 2nd edition of Bending The Willow. But the site you gave, TVBrain.info, seems to be in the UK (book prices are in £, not $).
Can people in the U.S. buy the new Bending The Willow on that website with U.S. money?
BTW, I too would love to hear the audio of Jeremy’s last voicemail for DSD. Please let us know when and if that is possible to get and post somewhere for us!
Thanks!
I preordered my copy from that site and they do ship to the US. But it’s been so long since I did, I can’t remember if there was an additional cost for shipping here. But. I remember it being fairly reasonable overall.
We just learned from Mr. Davies that the wide roll out of the book probably won’t happen for another month. At that time, it’ll likely be on Amazon. Not sure yet. But will try to report back when we know more!
Excellent, Gus! Yes, please do tell us when and if the book will be out next month.
Mr. Davies has a new fan in me. And of course I have you two gentlemen to thank for that!
Greatly looking forward to your next sherlockpodcast! : )
Great podcast episode! I look forward to the book reprint as well and will order as soon as its widely available. Thanks for your thoughtful questions, Mr Stuart Davies sounds like a really nice gentleman. Michelle t
Thank you, Michelle!
I bought a copy of Bending the Willow when it was first released, having no idea what a collector’s item it would become! I’m so glad it’s being reissued, and this podcast was such a wonderful appendix to the book. I agree with the previous poster that your detailed celebration and analysis of every episode is a far greater honor and tribute to Brett’s memory than any award could possibly be.
I do admit, however, that someday I’d love to see an exhaustively researched “big thick biography” of Jeremy Brett, detailing his life, including his sexuality, experiences in Hollywood and at the National Theatre, as well as his Sherlockian career. But it would take the financing of a big publisher to finance such an operation, I guess.
Thanks, Mary! I too would buy that book in a heartbeat! Who knows? Maybe one of us will take on that project…. in our declining years. 🙂
Gus & Mary,
One of us just might write that book to honor Brett’s memory. And I’d buy it too, as along as the author does not attempt to tinge it with romanticism, which produces much the same effect as if they had worked a love story or an elopement into the fifth proposition of Euclid! 😉