One Small Town, Two Renowned Sherlock Holmes Actors
Both Robert Downey Jr. and William Gillette Called East Haddam Home
By KEN SIMON
Sherlock Holmes, the iconic detective created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, has captivated audiences for more than a century. Among the many actors who have portrayed the fictional British detective, two stand out for their distinct yet equally compelling portrayals: William Gillette and Robert Downey Jr..
Despite the century separating their show-business careers, Gillette and Downey share several remarkable things in common: They both achieved worldwide fame for their roles, they both built great fortunes, and most amazingly, they both called our small, rural Connecticut town home.
What are the odds that East Haddam would be home to these two acclaimed actors in the first place, much less that they both famously played the same character to worldwide acclaim. It's a quirky twist of history that early 20th-Century superstar William Gillette spent his retirement years here while Robert Downey Jr, a Hollywood superstar, spent several childhood years here, attending Nathan Hale Elementary School while his avant-garde director dad raised the money to make an artsy film about drug smuggling.
TWO TONS OF TURQUOISE TO TAOS TONIGHT is a kaleidoscopic, dreamlike journey filled with eccentric characters, bizarre humor, and a non-linear progression, making it a quintessential example of Downey Sr.'s avant-garde approach to filmmaking.
One classmate says that Downey attended grades 1 to 3, left for a year, and came back for 5th grade.
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Fifth grade, 1975 with Mrs Cooper. Class of 1983. Jackie Paardenkooper is behind Mrs. Cooper.. vivamus praesent taciti maximus per sollicitudin cubilia orci aptent. Ut dignissim natoque interdum facilisi leo massa. Metus tempor volutpat nullam; temnec
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Downey Jr's Recollection of His First Joint, in East Haddam
In 2006, during his appearance on "Inside the Actors Studio," Robert Downey Jr. mentioned that at the age of "8, 9, 10," he smoked his first joint while living in East Haddam in the mid-1970s.
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Robert Downey Jr. co-starred with Jude Law in the 2009 film HOLMES, the first of three films with Downey playing the British detective.
Robert Downey, Sr. discusses with filmmaker Paul Thomas Anderson what just might be Downey's strangest film (and that's saying a lot), "Two Tons of Turquiose to Taos Tonight." While living in East Haddam in the late 1970s, Downey raised $250,000 to make the film. The conversation was recorded in 2012 for The Criterion Channel.
This 1916 film, SHELOCK HOLMES, is based on the four-act play of the same name by William Gillette, which he had been performing for several years prior to the film's release by the Chicago Essanay studio. In 2015, the Cinematheque Francaise collaborated with the San Francisco Silent Film Festival to restore the only known surviving copy of the film. This restoration has new music, English subtitles, and color tinting to match the original.
Hollywood Money, East Haddam Roots, Downey Sr's Wildest Film
"Two Tons of Turquoise to Taos Tonight" Straight Outta East Haddam
Based on the signed legal filings recorded with the East Haddam town clerk in August 1976, Robert Downey Sr. raised a total of $250,000 for TWO TONS OF TURQUOISE TO TAOS TONIGHT from 46 individual and institutional investors for The Compliments Company, which was the partnership behind the film.. The documents show that these investors collectively received 49.99999999999999% of the profit shares, effectively 50%, suggesting that the remaining 50% was likely retained by Downey himself and/or other general partners.
This group includes a fascinating mix of Hollywood legends, independent investors, and figures from theater, technology, and business. Their backing of Robert Downey Sr.’s film reflects the era’s experimental spirit and the trust they placed in his unconventional vision.
The top investor was businessman Herbert Lutz, who contributed $50,000, receiving 10% of profits. Notable contributors included: iconic TV producer Norman Lear – $10,000 (2%), Hollywood producer/director and Lear's partner Bud Yorkin – $10,000 (2%), actor Jack Nicholson – $5,000 (1%), acclaimed director Hal Ashby – $5,000 (1%), famed theater producer Joseph Papp – $3,000 (0.6%), and legendary cinematographer Haskell Wexler – $7,500 (1.5%), Many others gave $2,500–$5,000 for half to one percent shares. The National Endowment for the Arts also contributed a $10,000 grant.
