Pea Thing

David Burke. 1934 - 2026. A great actor and the no. 1 Watson the world has ever known.

From the John H. Watson Society: One of the finest and most beloved Watsons ever to grace the screen has passed away. David Burke was 91 years old, just shy of his 92nd birthday, and he is survived by his wife Anna Calder-Marshall and his son Tom Burke.

By all accounts, he was a gentleman and a wonderful human being. He could have stayed on to play Watson much longer, which would have made many of us very happy, but he chose to leave the show to be nearer to his family, especially since Tom was very young at the time.

His was not the first intelligent and competent Watson, but this version marked a turning point in mainstream depictions, from comedic sidekick to a hero in his own right.

This was actually an older sketch I found on my ex-laptop, haha… I just touched it up with some shading and overlays. Didn’t post it before as I wasn’t happy with the likeness… Looking now, perhaps I was overly critical? Anyhow, here’s John Watson not so long after he was shot, nearer the end of his hospital stay when he’s been unhooked from any machines but is still clearly battered… and in turmoil about being discharged from military service. 

Happy birthday to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle 🫶💖

Thanks for our beloveds even if you hated him lmaooooo