Podcast Episode Summary

Podcast: Choice Classic Radio Detectives | Old Time Radio
Episode: Sherlock Holmes: The Adventure of the Speckled Band (Aired 05/17/1945, Harwicke & Currie cast)
Date: November 21, 2025
Host: Choice Classic Radio
Noteworthy Segment: Introduction by Adrian Conan Doyle, son of Arthur Conan Doyle.

Episode Overview

This episode features a radio drama adaptation of one of the most famous Sherlock Holmes stories, "The Adventure of the Speckled Band." The production includes a rare introduction by Adrian Conan Doyle, providing personal insights into the origins of Sherlock Holmes. The story unfolds with Holmes and Watson investigating the ominous death of Julia Stoner and protecting her surviving sister, Helen, from a mysterious threat in a decaying country mansion.

Key Discussion Points & Story Arcs

1. Introduction by Adrian Conan Doyle (00:44 – 03:45)

• Legacy of Sherlock Holmes: Adrian Conan Doyle addresses speculation about the inspiration for Holmes, clarifying that Sir Arthur Conan Doyle himself was the model for his great detective, not just Dr. Joseph Bell or Edgar Allan Poe.
• Personal Anecdotes: He recalls his father’s own skills in deduction and references cases Arthur solved for real people, often those the police could not.
• Quote:

  “For the mental prototype of Sherlock Holmes we need search no further than his creator.”
  — Adrian Conan Doyle (03:44)

2. Helen Stoner’s Plea for Help (05:20 – 18:30)

• First Interview: Holmes and Watson are visited very early by Helen Stoner, who is terrified and desperate.
• Deduction Display: Holmes dazzles Helen with immediate deductions about her train journey and reasons for fear.

  “You come in by train this morning. … The left arm of your jacket is spattered with mud in no less than seven places. Only a dog cart throws up mud in that way.”
  — Sherlock Holmes (06:43)

• Helen’s Background: Helen recounts her family’s tragic history, her stepfather Dr. Roylott's violent behavior and criminal past, and describes the strange circumstances leading up to her twin Julia’s mysterious death.

3. The Night of the Crime (11:14 – 16:07)

• Reenactment: Helen describes, in a tense narrative, the night Julia died—her fear, the late-night whistle, metallic clang, a scream, and locked-room circumstances.

4. Holmes and Watson’s Growing Suspicions (18:30 – 21:04)

• Holmes’ Analysis: Data is assembled: the whistle, Dr. Roylott's financial motives, the “speckled band,” and the gypsies camping on the estate.

5. Threat from Dr. Roylott (19:17 – 21:28)

• Dramatic Confrontation: Dr. Grimesby Roylott storms into Baker Street, threatening Holmes with violence and displays his strength by bending a fireplace poker.

  “Take care I don’t use it on someone—as for instance, on this sofa cushion…”
  — Dr. Roylott (20:00)
  “I might have shown him perhaps my own grip is not much more feeble than his.”
  — Sherlock Holmes (21:06)

6. Investigation at Stoke Moran (21:28 – 26:10)

• Room Analysis: Holmes inspects the rooms. Finds:
  • Dummy bell rope attached near a small ventilator to Dr. Roylott’s room
  • Bed bolted to the floor
  • Odd presence of a milk saucer and a dog leash in Roylott’s room
• Holmes’ Instructions: To catch the would-be murderer, Holmes develops a plan for Helen to move rooms, while he and Watson prepare a stakeout.

7. The Night Vigil and Climax (26:25 – 30:45)

• Taut Atmosphere: Holmes and Watson wait in total darkness, amidst live exotic animals, for the attack.
• Pivotal Sequence:
  • Holmes lashes at something emerging from the ventilator; a scream is heard.
  • They discover Dr. Roylott dead, a “speckled band” (snake) around his brow.

  • “A swamp adder. The deadliest snake in India.”
    — Sherlock Holmes (29:07)

8. Holmes Explains the Solution (29:30 – 31:23)

• Killer's Method: Dr. Roylott used a trained snake, sent through the ventilator to crawl down the bell rope onto the bed. The whistle summoned it back.

  “Remember Dr. Roylott's supply of creatures from India? … Each night he put that snake through the ventilator with a certainty it would crawl down the rope and land on the bed.”
  — Sherlock Holmes (30:05)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Sherlock Holmes’ Origin:

  “Sherlock Holmes was Sir Arthur Conan Doyle...”
  — Adrian Conan Doyle (01:27)

• Displaying Holmes’s Reasoning:

  “These are deep waters, Watson. We must not theorize without data.”
  — Sherlock Holmes (17:14)

• On the Nature of Crime:

  “When a doctor goes wrong he's the first of criminals.”
  — Sherlock Holmes (26:10)

• Holmes’s Responsibility:

  “I am indirectly responsible, you understand, for the death of Dr. Grimesby Roylott. And I can’t say that it’s likely to weigh very heavily on my conscience.”
  — Sherlock Holmes (30:52)

Important Segment Timestamps

• 00:44–03:45: Adrian Conan Doyle on Holmes's origins
• 05:20–18:30: Helen Stoner’s account and Holmes’s deductions
• 19:17–20:55: Dr. Roylott’s threatening visit
• 21:28–22:51: Holmes investigates Julia’s room; discovers dummy bell rope and ventilator
• 26:25–30:52: The climactic vigil, Dr. Roylott’s death, and Holmes’s full explanation

Tone and Style

The episode maintains the suspenseful, methodical, and faintly gothic tone typical of Sherlock Holmes adaptations. The radio script emphasizes deductive logic over physical action, punctuated by Holmes’s calm confidence and Watson’s loyal concern. The dramatic confrontation adds intensity, while the final exposition provides clear closure for the listener.

Conclusion

A classic, atmospheric adaptation that captures all the intrigue and cerebral excitement of Doyle’s imagination, brought engagingly to life with golden age radio flair. Adrian Conan Doyle’s introduction adds unique historical gravitas, connecting the story’s real and fictional roots. For both Holmes aficionados and newcomers, this episode stands as a shining example of old time radio storytelling at its finest.