Norwood was the first man after Gillette to be considered a definitive Sherlock Holmes. He starred as the great detective in 47 silent films between 1921 and 1923. None other than Doyle himself praised Norwood as an excellent Holmes. “His wonderful impersonation of Holmes has amazed me.”
There were three series of 15 films each, with the average film lasting about twenty minutes. They were closely based on the original Doyle stories. There were also two feature films, based on “The Hound of the Baskervilles” and “The Sign of the Four.” Few of the films have survived, but those who have seen them say Norwood was a classic Holmes.
Norwood was a master of impersonation and probably donned more disguises than any other film Holmes. Hubert Willis starred as Watson in each of Norwood’s films.
After he completed the films, Norwood appeared in a stage play written for him, “The Return of Sherlock Holmes.”
Norwood’s actual name was Anthony Edward Brett. What are the odds that two of the greatest portrayals of Sherlock Holmes would be by men with the last same name?