Uploaded October 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Not from Chicago, but rather Boston, MA - WCVB Channel 5, to be precise (then, as now, an ABC affiliate) - here's the complete broadcast of an edition of In Search Of . . . that deals with the "legend" of Sherlock Holmes (S03E12, originally broadcast December 21st 1978). Your host is a guy by the name of Len S. Nimoy, with plenty of re-creations as usual.
(previous to this we saw another complete broadcast of In Search Of... - "Nostradamus" on good ol' Channel 9, posted here: youtu.be/TAJlhvQs6U8)
Includes:
Station ID / promo for "It Happened in Brooklyn" on The Great Entertainment (voiceover by Frank Avruch)
Segment 1: Leonard Nimoy refers to some of the great memorable lines of literature before coming to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's "Elementary, my dear Watson...Elementary..."
In Search Of . . . opening title sequence
Accompanied by clips of old Holmes films, Leonard narrates the setup for the coming show, followed by the episode title on the screen and the "theory and conjecture" disclaimer voiceover
Commercials for:
Liquid Crystal Drano (another in the annoying "Voice of God" series that shakes your house with thunder and yells at you - seriously, what was the idea behind these commercials supposed to be?)
Ban Roll-On anti-perspirant deodorant (with Mary Frann of "Newhart" fame)
Segment 2: comments from Holmes expert Peter Lutze (sp?) who speaks of the period and climate in which Holmes was created; the recounting of London in the decade prior to Holmes first appearing in print; a look at the Holmes collection from Stanley MacKenzie; an 1895 recording of actor William Gillette as Holmes; a clip from the 1933 film of "A Study in Scarlet" with Reginald Owen as Holmes; the life of Doyle; a re-creator as his tutor, Dr. Joseph Bell; a clip of Doyle later in life explaining why he created Holmes; more 1930's film clips; and a Scotland Yard official, Philip Dalton, who is a member of the Holmes Society
Commercials for:
Honey Nut Cheerios
Anbesol first aid
NewsCenter5 promo (spotlighting weekend anchor Jim Boyd)
Segment 3: possible clues from Doyle's life on whether Holmes existed, discussed by H.R.F. Keating; plus the genesis for Dr. Watson (Doyle's secretary Major Wood) and Doyle's own work as a detective, including one famous case
Commercials for:
Beer-enriched Body on Tap Shampoo - "Don't Drink It!" (with a pre-'Airplane' Julie Hagerty (posted separately here: youtu.be/EuAFqntGm3w)
Extra-Strength Excedrin
Promo for "It Happened in Brooklyn" on The Great Entertainment (voiceover by ??)
PSA for The National Alliance of Business - "George Allen for Summer Jobs"
Segment 4: a look at the ongoing legacy and appeal of Holmes, with his old address now occupied by an insurance company; and the consensus that, in a way, Holmes did exist
Commercial: Nu Vinyl (for use on leather in cars, clothing and other accessories) (only $2.98 at Osco Drug, J.J. Newberry, McCrory, Lincoln Pharmacy, Big L/Mall Drugs and Woolworth/Woolco)
Ending premise (voiceover by Leonard Nimoy), followed by closing credits (station cuts out before Alan Landsburg Productions' logo is shown)
Commercials for:
The Muppet Show promo, with guest Sylvester Stallone (ending voiceover by Frank Avruch)
PSA for Safety Councils of Massachusetts and Massachusetts Automobile Rating & Accident Prevention Bureau - "A Little Courtesy Won't Kill You" (guy turns into a maniac driver behind the wheel) (posted separately here: youtu.be/s_LC6SBoWI8)
Promo for Consider This with Chuck Kramer on NewsCenter5 at 6pm
Station ID / promo for NewsCenter5 with Jim Boyd (voiceover by Frank Avruch)
This aired on local Boston TV on Sunday, July 8th 1979 during the 4:00pm to 4:30pm (Eastern) timeframe.
About The Museum of Classic Chicago Television:
The MCCTv (FuzzyMemoriesTV) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit whose primary mission is the preservation and display of off-air, early home videotape recordings (70s to early 80s, mostly) recorded off of TV (in Chicago or other cities now too); things which would likely be lost if not sought out and preserved digitally. If you have any old 1970s videotapes recorded off of TV please email: tapes@fuzzy.tv Even though (mostly) short clips are displayed here, we preserve the entire broadcasts in our archives - the complete programs with breaks (or however much is present on the tape), for historical preservation. For information on how to help in our mission, to donate or lend tapes to be converted to digital, please e-mail tapes@fuzzy.tv Thank you for your help!
Not from Chicago, but rather Boston, MA - WCVB Channel 5, to be precise (then, as now, an ABC affiliate) - here's the complete broadcast of an edition of In Search Of . . . that deals with the "legend" of Sherlock Holmes (S03E12, originally broadcast December 21st 1978). Your host is a guy by the name of Len S. Nimoy, with plenty of re-creations as usual.
(previous to this we saw another complete broadcast of In Search Of... - "Nostradamus" on good ol' Channel 9, posted here: youtu.be/TAJlhvQs6U8)
Includes:
Station ID / promo for "It Happened in Brooklyn" on The Great Entertainment (voiceover by Frank Avruch)
Segment 1: Leonard Nimoy refers to some of the great memorable lines of literature before coming to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's "Elementary, my dear Watson...Elementary..."
In Search Of . . . opening title sequence
Accompanied by clips of old Holmes films, Leonard narrates the setup for the coming show, followed by the episode title on the screen and the "theory and conjecture" disclaimer voiceover
Commercials for:
Liquid Crystal Drano (another in the annoying "Voice of God" series that shakes your house with thunder and yells at you - seriously, what was the idea behind these commercials supposed to be?)
Ban Roll-On anti-perspirant deodorant (with Mary Frann of "Newhart" fame)
Segment 2: comments from Holmes expert Peter Lutze (sp?) who speaks of the period and climate in which Holmes was created; the recounting of London in the decade prior to Holmes first appearing in print; a look at the Holmes collection from Stanley MacKenzie; an 1895 recording of actor William Gillette as Holmes; a clip from the 1933 film of "A Study in Scarlet" with Reginald Owen as Holmes; the life of Doyle; a re-creator as his tutor, Dr. Joseph Bell; a clip of Doyle later in life explaining why he created Holmes; more 1930's film clips; and a Scotland Yard official, Philip Dalton, who is a member of the Holmes Society
Commercials for:
Honey Nut Cheerios
Anbesol first aid
NewsCenter5 promo (spotlighting weekend anchor Jim Boyd)
Segment 3: possible clues from Doyle's life on whether Holmes existed, discussed by H.R.F. Keating; plus the genesis for Dr. Watson (Doyle's secretary Major Wood) and Doyle's own work as a detective, including one famous case
Commercials for:
Beer-enriched Body on Tap Shampoo - "Don't Drink It!" (with a pre-'Airplane' Julie Hagerty (posted separately here: youtu.be/EuAFqntGm3w)
Extra-Strength Excedrin
Promo for "It Happened in Brooklyn" on The Great Entertainment (voiceover by ??)
PSA for The National Alliance of Business - "George Allen for Summer Jobs"
Segment 4: a look at the ongoing legacy and appeal of Holmes, with his old address now occupied by an insurance company; and the consensus that, in a way, Holmes did exist
Commercial: Nu Vinyl (for use on leather in cars, clothing and other accessories) (only $2.98 at Osco Drug, J.J. Newberry, McCrory, Lincoln Pharmacy, Big L/Mall Drugs and Woolworth/Woolco)
Ending premise (voiceover by Leonard Nimoy), followed by closing credits (station cuts out before Alan Landsburg Productions' logo is shown)
Commercials for:
The Muppet Show promo, with guest Sylvester Stallone (ending voiceover by Frank Avruch)
PSA for Safety Councils of Massachusetts and Massachusetts Automobile Rating & Accident Prevention Bureau - "A Little Courtesy Won't Kill You" (guy turns into a maniac driver behind the wheel) (posted separately here: youtu.be/s_LC6SBoWI8)
Promo for Consider This with Chuck Kramer on NewsCenter5 at 6pm
Station ID / promo for NewsCenter5 with Jim Boyd (voiceover by Frank Avruch)
This aired on local Boston TV on Sunday, July 8th 1979 during the 4:00pm to 4:30pm (Eastern) timeframe.
About The Museum of Classic Chicago Television:
The MCCTv (FuzzyMemoriesTV) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit whose primary mission is the preservation and display of off-air, early home videotape recordings (70s to early 80s, mostly) recorded off of TV (in Chicago or other cities now too); things which would likely be lost if not sought out and preserved digitally. If you have any old 1970s videotapes recorded off of TV please email: tapes@fuzzy.tv Even though (mostly) short clips are displayed here, we preserve the entire broadcasts in our archives - the complete programs with breaks (or however much is present on the tape), for historical preservation. For information on how to help in our mission, to donate or lend tapes to be converted to digital, please e-mail tapes@fuzzy.tv Thank you for your help!
