William Gillette (1853-1937) was a famous American actor, writer, producer, and playwright. On stage from 1899-1932, Gillette is thought of as one of the first to ever portray Sherlock Holmes. He also collaborated with Doyle to write the first Holmes play, which was widely successful, and penned a few parody Sherlockian skits. Learn more about William Gillette and his portrayal of Sherlock Holmes on our Plays page.