Gillette's Legacy
An Enduring Legacy On and Off the Stage
Gillette's legacy persists in two great monuments within our culture: Sherlock Holmes and Gillette's beloved castle. Although he has been portrayed by many different actors since Mr. Gillette's time, the affectations that Gillette lent to the character still persist to this day. Even Benedict Cumberbatch, the most current actor to portray the character, has not forsaken the pipe and cap the Gillette first brought to the stage.
As for the Castle, under the stewardship of the State of Connecticut it was fully restored and reopened in 2002. It's rocky escarpments carve high into the sky along the bank of the Connecticut River, as testament to what once was. Nearly 400,000 come to visit the park annually and explore the 24 bedroom mansion that, as a museum itself, serves to protect the enduring legacy of the great William Gillette
