Sherlock Holmes is a government official. Mycroft has a unique civil service position as a kind of human database for all aspects of government policy. He lacks Sherlock's interest in physical investigation, however, preferring to spend his time at the Diogenes Club. Holmes says that he first developed his methods of deduction as an undergraduate; his earliest cases, which he pursued as an amateur, came from fellow university students. A meeting with a classmate's father led him to adopt detection as a profession, and he spent several years after university as a consultant before financial difficulties led him to accept John H.
The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes' Smarter Brother accompanied by a disguised Sherlock and Watson. Wilder was having lunch with producer Roth when it was suggested that Wilder spoof Sherlock Holmes. Roth approached Wilder again a week later and inquired if Wilder had given any more thought to the idea of a Sherlock Holmes film. Wilder replied "No, but I have given a great deal of thought to Sherlock's insanely jealous brother Sigi." In his autobiography, Wilder explained that he was further motivated by the experience of working with his "Young Frankenstein" co-stars Madeline Kahn and Marty Feldman and he wanted to write parts for both of them