Gillette, William (1855–1937)

US actor and playwright. An authoritative and striking stage presence in plays that he had himself adapted from other works. He made an extremely successful Sherlock Holmes in 1899, a role he would later perform in England and frequently revive throughout his career. His original plays include two successful Civil War dramas, Held by the Enemy (1886) and Secret Service (1896). He was born in Hartford, Connecticut.