ACTOR

William Gillette

1853 - 1937

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William Hooker Gillette (July 24, 1853 – April 29, 1937) was an American actor-manager, playwright, and stage manager in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He is best remembered for portraying Sherlock Holmes on stage and in a 1916 silent film. Gillette's most significant contributions to the theater were in devising realistic stage settings and special sound and lighting effects, and as an actor in putting forth what he called the "Illusion of the First Time." His portrayal of Holmes helped create the modern image of the detective. His use of the deerstalker cap (which first appeared in some Strand illustrations by Sidney Paget) and the curved pipe became enduring symbols of the character. Read more on Wikipedia

His biography is available in 18 different languages on Wikipedia (up from 17 in 2024). William Gillette is the 7,495th most popular actor (down from 7,486th in 2024), the 11,564th most popular biography from United States (down from 11,050th in 2019) and the 3,460th most popular American Actor.

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Among ACTORS

Among actors, William Gillette ranks 7,495 out of 13,578. Before him are D. J. Cotrona, Luisana Lopilato, Brian Van Holt, Tara Strong, Brenda Joyce, and Josef Bierbichler. After him are Brian Tee, John Litel, Oscar Nunez, Jordan Chan, Stephen Dunham, and Ryan Eggold.

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Contemporaries

Among people born in 1853, William Gillette ranks 103. Before him are Maria Yermolova, Rudolf Kittel, Leander Starr Jameson, Philander C. Knox, John Henry Twachtman, and Alva Belmont. After him is Laura Mendez. Among people deceased in 1937, William Gillette ranks 187. Before him are Gyula Juhász, Ross Alexander, Ellen Hansell, Jānis Akuraters, John T. Dillon, and Claude Buckenham. After him are John Russell Pope, Henry Ossawa Tanner, Arthur Edmund Carewe, Ralph Lewis, Ralph Ince, and Ruth Roland.

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In United States

Among people born in United States, William Gillette ranks 11,566 out of 20,380. Before him are Michelle Hurd (1966), D. J. Cotrona (1980), Brian Van Holt (1969), Richard Zare (1939), John Adams Dix (1798), and Brenda Joyce (1917). After him are Yip Harburg (1896), Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings (1896), John Litel (1892), Adolphus Greely (1844), Shawn Johnson East (1992), and Stephen Dunham (1964).

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Among ACTORS In United States

Among actors born in United States, William Gillette ranks 3,461. Before him are Virginia Christine (1920), Edna May Oliver (1883), Michelle Hurd (1966), D. J. Cotrona (1980), Brian Van Holt (1969), and Brenda Joyce (1917). After him are John Litel (1892), Stephen Dunham (1964), Ryan Eggold (1984), Joan Copeland (1922), Michaela Jaé Rodriguez (1991), and Virginia Gregg (1916).

American born Actors

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