The Adventures of Shirley Holmes
Encyclopedia
The Adventures of Shirley Holmes is a Canadian mystery TV series
that originally aired from 1996 to 1999. The show was created by Ellis Iddon and Phil Meagher (of Winklemania Productions, UK) who had produced a successful series of books with Harper Collins, teaming up with Credo and Forefront to develop the TV series. Filmed in Winnipeg
, Manitoba
, the series follows the life of Shirley Holmes, the great grand-niece of Sherlock Holmes
who, with the help of ex-gang member Bo Sawchuk, tackles a variety of mysteries in and around the fictional Canadian city of Redington. On some occasions, she found herself matching wits with archnemesis Molly Hardy (whose name is a word play
on Sherlock's enemy Moriarty
).
The show has been broadcast in over 80 countries and has been dubbed in French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, German, Norwegian, Polish and Turkish.
Her performance in the show led to actress Meredith Henderson
being nominated for a Gemini Award
in 1998 and winning one in 1999. The show itself was twice nominated for a Gemini Award in the category "Best Children's or Youth Program or Series" in 1998 and eventually won it in 1999. In the spring of 1998 Susin Nielsen won a Gemini Award in the category "Best Writing in a Children's or Youth Program" for her screenplay of the episode "The Case of the Burning Building". In the same year, Elizabeth Stewart
won a WGC Award from the Writers Guild of Canada
for her writing of the episode "The Case of the Maestro's Ghost".
Credo spokesperson and producer Kim Todd named a growth spurt in the cast as one of the key reasons for cancelling the show. The aging of the actors would have meant a distinct change in tone and content had the show continued.
, Shirley is the daughter of British diplomat Robert Holmes and virologist Dr. Joanna Holmes. She carries on her famous ancestor's legacy of solving crimes through deductive reasoning while attending the prestigious Sussex Academy. In addition to Sherlock's detective skills such as deductive reasoning and disguise, she also has his mannerisms, but she can still express her emotions. She prefers to keep a low profile so she can continue her sleuthing. She wears a variety of hats throughout the series.
Francis Boris "Bo" Sawchuk: Shirley's sidekick. An ex-gang member, Bo attends Sussex Academy on a scholarship. He first met Shirley in afterschool detention and was amazed at the girl detective's deductions about him. Shirley came to his aid after he was falsely accused of setting a work shed on campus on fire. After that case was solved, Bo became her sleuthing partner and best friend. Bo first appeared in "The Case of the Burning Building." At the end of the series, he leaves for Ukraine to further his studies.
Molly Hardy: Shirley's archnemesis, and Moriarty
counterpart. A newcomer to Sussex Academy, Molly first appeared as Alicia Gianelli's running mate during the school election for student council president. Through an elaborate scheme, Molly is elected student council president. Her true scheming nature is hidden from everyone except Shirley and Bo. Although her machinations are routinely thwarted by Shirley, Molly manages to escape punishment. She is revealed to be a sociopath
in "The Case of the Crooked Comic" and is a mastermind of evil genius with an IQ of 160. Molly first appeared in "The Case of the Ruby Ring." It is possible that she is in fact descended from Professor Moriarty.
Alicia Gianelli: Alicia first appeared in "The Case of the Ruby Ring". Alicia is a good friend of Shirley and Bo, and she works at the Quazar Cafe, often mixing up orders of her customers. However, she also bows out easily to peer pressure and appears more simple-minded and materialistic than Shirley is.
Sterling "Stink" Patterson: Class clown and prankster. His parents run the local novelty store. If Molly is Shirley's 'Moriarty', Stink could be considered her 'Colonel Moran', while being a trouble-maker he far less malicious. Stink first appeared in "The Case of the Ruby Ring."
Bartholemew "Bart" James: Bart first appeared in "The Case of the Ruby Ring." He is highly interested in the paranormal and considers it good fortune to be abducted by aliens. He is also very concerned about his studies, as seen when Math is taken out of the curriculum in Sussex during "The Case of the Calculated Crime". He may be a little queer, but Bo and Shirley still treat him as a friend, and he is aware of Shirley's sleuthing activities and sometimes helps out.
Robert Holmes: The grand nephew of Sherlock Holmes. Mr. Holmes first appeared in "The Case of the Burning Building." He is Shirley's father. He is mostly worried for his daughter because he knows her tendency to get involved in cases out of curiosity, and at first he had almost given up hope finding his wife back.
Peggy "Gran" Holmes: Shirley's grandmother.
Dr. Joanna Holmes: Shirley's mother, who had disappeared for several years as a result of being in Rwanda during a civil war. She, Shirley, and Robert are reunited when Mr. Holmes is offered the chance to go to Rwanda on business. It is often said that Shirley shares her curiosity and determination to never give up.
Cynthia Stratmann: Principal of Shirley's school, Sussex Academy. She often caught Shirley arriving late to class, therefore giving her detention where she ended up meeting Bo.
Arthur Howie: Shirley's history teacher at Sussex. He used to attend Sussex and boarded at the dorm, and was also a very popular student, as shown in "The Case of the Dead Debutante". However, he has kinderphobia, the phobia of children, as revealed in "The Case of the Alien Abductions".
Television program
A television program , also called television show, is a segment of content which is intended to be broadcast on television. It may be a one-time production or part of a periodically recurring series...
that originally aired from 1996 to 1999. The show was created by Ellis Iddon and Phil Meagher (of Winklemania Productions, UK) who had produced a successful series of books with Harper Collins, teaming up with Credo and Forefront to develop the TV series. Filmed in Winnipeg
Winnipeg
Winnipeg is the capital and largest city of Manitoba, Canada, and is the primary municipality of the Winnipeg Capital Region, with more than half of Manitoba's population. It is located near the longitudinal centre of North America, at the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers .The name...
, Manitoba
Manitoba
Manitoba is a Canadian prairie province with an area of . The province has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province's economy; other...
, the series follows the life of Shirley Holmes, the great grand-niece of Sherlock Holmes
Sherlock Holmes
Sherlock Holmes is a fictional detective created by Scottish author and physician Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The fantastic London-based "consulting detective", Holmes is famous for his astute logical reasoning, his ability to take almost any disguise, and his use of forensic science skills to solve...
who, with the help of ex-gang member Bo Sawchuk, tackles a variety of mysteries in and around the fictional Canadian city of Redington. On some occasions, she found herself matching wits with archnemesis Molly Hardy (whose name is a word play
Word play
Word play or wordplay is a literary technique in which the words that are used become the main subject of the work, primarily for the purpose of intended effect or amusement...
on Sherlock's enemy Moriarty
Professor Moriarty
Professor James Moriarty is a fictional character and the archenemy of the detective Sherlock Holmes in the fiction of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Moriarty is a criminal mastermind, described by Holmes as the "Napoleon of Crime". Doyle lifted the phrase from a real Scotland Yard inspector who was...
).
The show has been broadcast in over 80 countries and has been dubbed in French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, German, Norwegian, Polish and Turkish.
Her performance in the show led to actress Meredith Henderson
Meredith Henderson
Meredith Henderson is a Canadian actress best known for playing the title role in The Adventures of Shirley Holmes....
being nominated for a Gemini Award
Gemini Award
The Gemini Awards are annual television broadcasting industry awards in Canada.First awarded in 1986, the Geminis celebrate the achievements of TV members of the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television. Essentially, it presents awards for the best television productions in Canada. Awards are...
in 1998 and winning one in 1999. The show itself was twice nominated for a Gemini Award in the category "Best Children's or Youth Program or Series" in 1998 and eventually won it in 1999. In the spring of 1998 Susin Nielsen won a Gemini Award in the category "Best Writing in a Children's or Youth Program" for her screenplay of the episode "The Case of the Burning Building". In the same year, Elizabeth Stewart
Elizabeth Stewart
Elizabeth Stewart may refer to:*Elizabeth Stewart, Countess of Crawford*Elizabeth Stewart, 2nd Countess of Moray*Liz Stewart, U.S. interior designer, actress and model*Betsy Stewart, fictional character on As The World Turns-See also:...
won a WGC Award from the Writers Guild of Canada
Writers Guild of Canada
The Writers Guild of Canada represents more than 1,800 professional writers working in film, television, radio, and multimedia production in Canada...
for her writing of the episode "The Case of the Maestro's Ghost".
Credo spokesperson and producer Kim Todd named a growth spurt in the cast as one of the key reasons for cancelling the show. The aging of the actors would have meant a distinct change in tone and content had the show continued.
Characters
Shirley Holmes: The great-grand niece of Sherlock HolmesSherlock Holmes
Sherlock Holmes is a fictional detective created by Scottish author and physician Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The fantastic London-based "consulting detective", Holmes is famous for his astute logical reasoning, his ability to take almost any disguise, and his use of forensic science skills to solve...
, Shirley is the daughter of British diplomat Robert Holmes and virologist Dr. Joanna Holmes. She carries on her famous ancestor's legacy of solving crimes through deductive reasoning while attending the prestigious Sussex Academy. In addition to Sherlock's detective skills such as deductive reasoning and disguise, she also has his mannerisms, but she can still express her emotions. She prefers to keep a low profile so she can continue her sleuthing. She wears a variety of hats throughout the series.
Francis Boris "Bo" Sawchuk: Shirley's sidekick. An ex-gang member, Bo attends Sussex Academy on a scholarship. He first met Shirley in afterschool detention and was amazed at the girl detective's deductions about him. Shirley came to his aid after he was falsely accused of setting a work shed on campus on fire. After that case was solved, Bo became her sleuthing partner and best friend. Bo first appeared in "The Case of the Burning Building." At the end of the series, he leaves for Ukraine to further his studies.
Molly Hardy: Shirley's archnemesis, and Moriarty
Professor Moriarty
Professor James Moriarty is a fictional character and the archenemy of the detective Sherlock Holmes in the fiction of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Moriarty is a criminal mastermind, described by Holmes as the "Napoleon of Crime". Doyle lifted the phrase from a real Scotland Yard inspector who was...
counterpart. A newcomer to Sussex Academy, Molly first appeared as Alicia Gianelli's running mate during the school election for student council president. Through an elaborate scheme, Molly is elected student council president. Her true scheming nature is hidden from everyone except Shirley and Bo. Although her machinations are routinely thwarted by Shirley, Molly manages to escape punishment. She is revealed to be a sociopath
Psychopathy
Psychopathy is a mental disorder characterized primarily by a lack of empathy and remorse, shallow emotions, egocentricity, and deceptiveness. Psychopaths are highly prone to antisocial behavior and abusive treatment of others, and are very disproportionately responsible for violent crime...
in "The Case of the Crooked Comic" and is a mastermind of evil genius with an IQ of 160. Molly first appeared in "The Case of the Ruby Ring." It is possible that she is in fact descended from Professor Moriarty.
Alicia Gianelli: Alicia first appeared in "The Case of the Ruby Ring". Alicia is a good friend of Shirley and Bo, and she works at the Quazar Cafe, often mixing up orders of her customers. However, she also bows out easily to peer pressure and appears more simple-minded and materialistic than Shirley is.
Sterling "Stink" Patterson: Class clown and prankster. His parents run the local novelty store. If Molly is Shirley's 'Moriarty', Stink could be considered her 'Colonel Moran', while being a trouble-maker he far less malicious. Stink first appeared in "The Case of the Ruby Ring."
Bartholemew "Bart" James: Bart first appeared in "The Case of the Ruby Ring." He is highly interested in the paranormal and considers it good fortune to be abducted by aliens. He is also very concerned about his studies, as seen when Math is taken out of the curriculum in Sussex during "The Case of the Calculated Crime". He may be a little queer, but Bo and Shirley still treat him as a friend, and he is aware of Shirley's sleuthing activities and sometimes helps out.
Robert Holmes: The grand nephew of Sherlock Holmes. Mr. Holmes first appeared in "The Case of the Burning Building." He is Shirley's father. He is mostly worried for his daughter because he knows her tendency to get involved in cases out of curiosity, and at first he had almost given up hope finding his wife back.
Peggy "Gran" Holmes: Shirley's grandmother.
Dr. Joanna Holmes: Shirley's mother, who had disappeared for several years as a result of being in Rwanda during a civil war. She, Shirley, and Robert are reunited when Mr. Holmes is offered the chance to go to Rwanda on business. It is often said that Shirley shares her curiosity and determination to never give up.
Cynthia Stratmann: Principal of Shirley's school, Sussex Academy. She often caught Shirley arriving late to class, therefore giving her detention where she ended up meeting Bo.
Arthur Howie: Shirley's history teacher at Sussex. He used to attend Sussex and boarded at the dorm, and was also a very popular student, as shown in "The Case of the Dead Debutante". However, he has kinderphobia, the phobia of children, as revealed in "The Case of the Alien Abductions".
Cast
- Meredith HendersonMeredith HendersonMeredith Henderson is a Canadian actress best known for playing the title role in The Adventures of Shirley Holmes....
- Shirley Holmes - John WhiteJohn White (actor)John Michael White is a Canadian film, television and commercial actor. He began acting during the mid-1990s, appearing on the television series' Goosebumps where he acted on the second goosebumps episode The haunted mask 2 He potrayed the character, Steve. and The Adventures of Shirley Holmes,...
- Francis Boris 'Bo' Sawchuk - Sarah Ezer - Molly Hardy
- Annick ObonsawinAnnick ObonsawinAnnick Obonsawin is a Canadian voice actress and musician. She has played roles in many children's shows such as Inez in Cyberchase and Skunk in Franklin. She also plays the voice of Slappy the Dummy in Goosebumps, as well as Sierra in Total Drama Action and Total Drama World...
- Alicia Gianelli - Brendan FletcherBrendan FletcherBrendan Fletcher is a Canadian actor.-Life and career:Fletcher was born in Comox Valley, British Columbia and went to junior high school at Lake Trail in Courtenay, British Columbia....
- Sterling 'Stink' Patterson - Colin FoxColin Fox (actor)Colin Fox is a Canadian actor. His acting credits include playing Jean Paul Desmond and Jacques Eloi Des Mondes in Strange Paradise , as well as voice work in various animated series, and in other roles in film, television and on the stage...
- Mr. Arthur Howie - Marie Stillin - Ms. Cynthia Stratmann
- Chris HumphreysChris HumphreysChris Humphreys is a British actor, playwright and novelist. Born in Toronto, Canada, he was raised in Los Angeles until the age of seven and then grew up in the United Kingdom. For acting he is best known for his role in The Bill where he played PC Richard Turnham from 1989 to 1990...
- Robert Holmes - Elizabeth ShepherdElizabeth ShepherdElizabeth Shepherd is an English character actress whose work has spanned the stage and both the big and small screens. Her surname has been alternately billed as "Shephard" and "Sheppard"....
- Peggy Holmes - Blair Slater - Bartholomew 'Bart' James
Crew
- Directed by Richard O'Brien-Moran, John Paizs, Scott Smith, Kim Todd, Gary Harvey, John L'Ecuyer, Rick Stevenson.
- Original music was composed by Terry Frewer, although the theme tune was written and performed by show creators Ellis Iddon and Phil Meagher.
- Cinematography by Larry Lynn.
- Film editing by Robert Lower.
- Casting by Bette Chadwick.