Yep, House’s address on the show is even the same as Holmes’: 221B Baker Street.
In one of the Tarzan books, he goes to Hollywood but gets rejected for the role of Tarzan for not being right for the part. I believe he fights an escaped lion on the soundstage. Burroughs could be very funny at times.
I think that Greek mythology is probably the top. But other contenders include the Matter of Britain (i.e., King Arthur) and the Matter of Troy (the Trojan War). Though of course there’s overlap between the Matter of Troy and Greek mythology.
I would lump the Iliad & the Odyssey in with Greek Myths.
Aeneid, not so much unless we consider Greek & Roman myths one.
You know, I did notice that when watching and even said to my partner that it was a reference to Sherlock Holmes, but I still didn’t make the connection with House and Wilson as Holmes and Watson… and now I’m typing it I can see they’ve got the same surname initials too!
According to Guinness the most portrayed literary character is Dracula, by a long margin. Sherlock Holmes is second, but quite far behind.
Well, we’ve already mentioned Dracula, so we might as well include Frankenstein’s monster, although I prefer to simply call him “Frankenstein”. People have been calling the monster that since he started appearing in stage versions in the 1820s.
There have been LOTS of versions on stage and on film of the original story, and they’ve envisioned the character in all sorts of ways. They’ve given him various demises (buried by a rolling ball of snow, immolated in a volcano, burned in a windmill, etc.) He’s been everything from downright handsome to beastlike to Jack Pierce’s flat-topped bolt-necked monstrosity. He’s been created in a watchtower, a castle, a garret, and elsewhere (nobody has yet shown him being constructed as Mary Shelley envisioned him being made, by his brilliant undergrad creator making him by candlelight on the floor).
But then there are the re-imaginings
–Hammer film’s version
– Frankenstein: The True Story (1973) – which wasn’t
– Andy Warhol’s Frankenstein/Flesh for Frankenstein
–Frankenstein as robot in Frankenstein vs. the Space Monster (1965)
– the classic Universal Frankenstein
– the 1910 Edison films Frankenstein
– The 1960s Dell comic Frankenstein as super hero
– The 1970s Marvel “Monster of Frankenstein”
– Dick Briefer’s two comic book interpretations – one funny, one serious, from the 1940s and 1950s
And that doesn’t even begin to cover the many imitations and parodies
Young Frankenstein
Milton the Monster
David Carradine in Death Race 2000
I was a Teenage Frankenstein
Frankenstein 1970
Frankenstein’s Daughter
Herman Munster in The Munsters
Etc. etc. etc.
What amazes me is that, although Universal invented the “flat-topped, bolt-necked Frankenstein”, they haven’t really asserted their rights to it. Lots of people not associated with Universal have gotten away with depicting the monster that way, without paying any royalties to Universal.
One of my favorite pastiches of Sherlock Holmes is in Poul Anderson’s story The Martian Crown Jewels, which features a Martian Sherlock Holmes named Syalock, who wears a “tirstoker cap” and lives on “The Street of those who Prepare Nourishment in Ovens”. He smokes a pipe, but has to soak his tobacco in potassium permanganate.
Anderson loved Holmes, and tributes to him show up several times in his works.
I’m surprised the writers gave House the first name “Gregory” and not “Sherman” or something similar to Sherlock.
Another good one.The Frankenstein story is so ubiquitous there’s even a metaphorical saying arising from it, meaning to inadvertently make happen a bad situation that gets out of one’s control: “to create a Frankenstein”.
The first patient was even Rebecca Adler, as in Irena Adler.
They made no bones about it being Sherlock as a Doctor.
Would each Doctor after regeneration count in this thread?
I feel like no, but the two movies in the 60s starring Peter Cushing probably do.
Interesting. I hadn’t known that. Got me wondering if there was ever a Moriarty on House M.D.
Isn’t Grandpa Munster actually Count Dracula? I know I heard him called it in the show.
(Which means Lily is Dracula’s daughter, so her name should be Gloria Holden.)
It appears you’re correct. I didn’t remember that. At least he is a Count Dracula, Sam Dracula to be precise. Possibly a descendant of Vlad instead.
Sam Dracula? I love it!
Apparently in a late 80s reboot called “The Munsters Today” they retconned his name to be Vladimir Dracula. Or maybe ‘Sam’ was always just a nickname to be more American-sounding.
Grandpa’s identity as Count Dracula is alluded to in both the original series and The Munsters Today. In the 1965 episode “The Musician”, Mr. Gateman refers to him as “Count Dracula” when he comes to dinner. In “The Fregosi Emerald”, Grandpa refers to himself as Count Dracula to an operator in Transylvania. He is also referred to as “The Count” various times in The Munsters Today, most notably in the season one episode “Farewell Grandpa”, when the family find out he isn’t an American citizen, with the threat of being deported back to Transylvania by the U.S. government. In the episodes “Herman’s Rival” and “Happy 100th Anniversary”, Lily notes her maiden name is Dracula. Throughout The Munsters Today, Grandpa is referred to as “Vladimir Dracula”.
(Emphasis mine)
ETA: Just fell down a little Munsters rabbit hole: I had always assumed that Lily Munster was a “Bride of Frankenstein” type monster, since she’s married to Herman and has a streak of white in her hair, similar to the iconic Elsa Lanchester look. Which, when I was googling Grandpa Munster, got me thinking "how did a vampire father a ‘bride of Frankenstein’ style monster? Turns out she’s actually also a vampire, with the maiden name ‘Dracula’.
The conversation about Christmas and Scrooge got me wondering where Santa Claus would place on the list.
Good one! Yes, depictions of Santa Claus have to be up there, for sure.
I’m guessing the suggestion of Jesus (or God) might be too provocative for this thread?