Reginald Owen 1954-55 television series. Owen first played Watson in the film "Sherlock Holmes" (1932), and then Holmes himself in "A Study in Scarlet" (1933). Having played Ebenezer Scrooge, Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson, Owen has the odd distinction of playing three classic characters of Victorian fiction only to live to see those characters be taken over and personified by other actors, namely Alastair Sim as Scrooge, Basil Rathbone as Holmes and Nigel Bruce as Watson. Later in his career, Owen appeared with James Garner in the television series "Maverick" in the episodes "The Belcastle Brand" (1957) and "Gun-Shy" (1958) and guest
Sherlock Holmes (1931 film series) no better Sherlock Holmes than Arthur Wontner is likely to be seen and heard in pictures, in our time." Wontner's final performance as Sherlock Holmes was in a 1943 BBC adaptation of "The Boscombe Valley Mystery" with Carleton Hobbs as Dr. Watson. Hobbs himself later went on to play Holmes in a radio series. Sherlock Holmes (1931 film series) Sherlock Holmes is a film series running from 1931 to 1937. Arthur Wontner portrayed Sherlock Holmes in five films. Having been told he resembled Doyle's creation for years, Wontner was finally cast in the role for "The Sleeping Cardinal" in 1931.