Murder Rooms: The Dark Beginnings of Sherlock Holmes (BBC-2 2001, Ian Richardson, Charles Dance)

Inspired by the real-life relationship between Arthur Conan Doyle and his charismatic university tutor Joseph Bell, Murder Rooms: The Dark Beginnings of Sherlock Holmes dramatises the serial killer hunt that inspired the creation of the world’s most famous detective.

Ian Richardson, Charles Dance (The Jewel in the Crown) and Robin Laing star in this fascinating two-part biographical thriller about Joseph Bell, the eccentric pioneer pathologist, whose fictionalized alter ego became prototype for a century’s obsession with crime and its detection. A four part series then followed the original two part serial later in the year.

production details
UK / BBC Two – BBC Films- The TV Prod Co. / 6×60 minute episodes / Broadcast 4 January – 2 October 2001

Writer: David Pirie / Music: Jim Parker / Photography: John Kenway / Costume: Frances Tempest / Executive Producer: David M. Thompson / Producer: Ian Madden / Director: Paul Seed

cast
Ian Richardson as Doctor Joseph Bell
Robin Laing as Arthur Conan Doyle (episodes 1-2)
Charles Edwards as Arthur Conan Doyle (episodes 3-6)
Dolly Wells as Elspeth (first two part serial)
Charles Dance as Sir Henry Carlyle (first two part serial)
Ralph Riach as The Strand Editor (first two part serial)
Aly Bain as The Fiddler (first two part serial)
Alan Sinclair as Medical Lecturer (first two part serial)
Alec Newman as Neill (first two part serial)
Andrew John Tait as Stark (first two part serial)
Tamsin Pike as Sophia (first two part serial)
Joel Strachan as Crawford (first two part serial)
David MacDowell as Baxter (first two part serial)
Sarah Collier as Mary Doyle (first two part serial)
John Bett as Charles Doyle (first two part serial)
Matthew Macfadyen as Waller (first two part serial)
Simon Chandler as Inspector Warner