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 different languages on Wikipedia. William Gillette is the 7,447th most popular actor (up from 7,487th in 2019), the 11,550th most popular biography from United States (down from 11,053rd in 2019) and the 3,458th most popular American Actor.

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Among ACTORS

Among actors, William Gillette ranks 7,447 out of 13,578Before 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 103Before 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 187Before 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 11,552 out of 20,380Before 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).

Among ACTORS In United States

Among actors born in United States, William Gillette ranks 3,459Before 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).