Too Old to Play Holmes? by Adam Presswood

Recently, I found myself an unwilling prisoner at one of the city's many auto repair shops. A good one, for the record, but that hardly matters. You wake up early, get the car to the shop right when it opens, and somehow there are still so many people ahead of you that you end up stuck for hours in what feels like a Soviet bread line. On top of that, I turned 50 this month. With that milestone came an increase in grouchiness and a decrease in patience. Thus, I was far from the happiest person in the waiting room.

Fate, however, has a way of changing things like that, and I soon found myself engaged in the liveliest conversation with a young woman who had recently relocated to St. Louis to work on her postdoctoral research at Washington University. Somehow, the topic of Robert Downey Jr.'s Iron Man movies came up. She said she was a huge fan, and that she couldn't wait until he came out with another one. I probably shouldn't have, but I broke her heart by telling her that there was some question as to Downey's ability to continue in the role. 

"Why," she asked. "Is it ageism? I hate that so much!"

I don't think age is the main concern with regard to Downey reprising the role of Iron Man, but I wasn't sure at the time, so I let it go.

"Well," she added. "Maybe they will at least let him keep playing Sherlock Holmes. I love those movies."

As a Sherlockian, I of course felt my ears perk up at this statement. We chatted for some time about the Parallel Case, the Harpooners, and myriad other scions. She was unfamiliar with all of them, just for the record. Then I broke her heart again (Is it any wonder I'm single?) by telling her that the much awaited third installment seems to have been put on the shelf (something I have since learned is inaccurate). 

"Age again?" she asked. "There's no such thing as someone who is too old to play Sherlock Holmes!"

I agreed completely, but her comment got me thinking about the respective ages of the many actors who have portrayed our favorite detective. So, I did what all good historians do best. I did some research. I discovered quickly that, since silent movies arrived on the scene, approximately 350 actors have donned the deerstalker cap and the pipe. While it is impossible to pinpoint all of their ages, here are some highlights:

Basil Rathbone - 47

Ian Richardson - 49

Jonny Lee Miller - 39

Charlton Heston - 57, 67

Peter Cushing - 46, 53, 66

Stewart Granger - 61

Hans Albers - 39

Christopher Lee - 69/70?

Carlyle Blackwell - 45

John Neville - 40, 50

Jeremy Brett - early 50s

Christopher Plummer - 50

Robert Stephens - 39

George C. Scott - 53

Benedict Cumberbatch - 34

John Barrymore - 35

Robert Downey Jr. - early 50s

Ian Mckellan - 75

As you can see, Downey is well within the average age range for portraying Holmes. In fact, there seems to be a historical preference for older actors where Sherlock's character is concerned. It is also worth noting that the vast majority of the actors who have played Holmes have done so in a manner consistent with their own ages at the time - including Heston, Mckellan, Cushing, and Lee. It would seem, then, that not only is one never too old to play Holmes, but Downey is still a few years away from hitting his peak. Good news, considering that after a hiatus of more than ten years since Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows, Downey will be in his early 60s when he begins filming the third installment. Given the high energy level of the first two films, he will need all of the stamina he can get.

So, all things considered, the list of impressive men who have taken on the role of Holmes has had me feeling pretty good about turning 50. After all, age is really just a number. Right? And you're only as old as you feel. Right? If Downey can continue to pull off the high energy, swashbuckling version of Holmes that he has become famous for, then there are really no limits for any of us. Right? Good! Now maybe Holmes and Watson can help me convince my cardiologist, my foot and ankle specialist, my pulmonologist, my orthopedic surgeon, my .............. :)