Nigel Bruce which became the first film to win an Oscar for special effects. Bruce's career signature role was that of Dr. Watson in the 1939-1946 Sherlock Holmes film series, alongside his friend Basil Rathbone playing Holmes. Bruce starred as Watson in all 14 films of the series, and over 200 radio programs of "The New Adventures of Sherlock Holmes". Although Watson often appears to be the older of the two main characters, Bruce was three years younger than Rathbone. Though for most viewers Nigel Bruce formed their vision of Dr. Watson, Holmes purists have long objected that the Watson of the
Sherlock Holmes (Stoll film series) Sherlock Holmes (Stoll film series) From 1921 to 1923, Stoll Pictures produced a series of silent black-and-white films based on Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes stories. Forty-five short films and two feature-length films were produced featuring Eille Norwood in the role of Holmes and Hubert Willis cast as Dr. Watson with the exception of the final film, "The Sign of Four", where Willis was replaced with Arthur Cullin. Consequently, Norwood holds the record for most appearances as Sherlock Holmes in film. Sir Oswald Stoll, an Australian-born Irish theatre manager ran music halls and West End stages until World War