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Mrs. Hudson is a
fictional character In fiction, a character is a person or being in a narrative (such as a novel, play, radio or television series, music, film, or video game). The character may be entirely fictional or based on a real-life person, in which case the distinction o ...
in the
Sherlock Holmes Sherlock Holmes () is a Detective fiction, fictional detective created by British author Arthur Conan Doyle. Referring to himself as a "Private investigator, consulting detective" in his stories, Holmes is known for his proficiency with obser ...
novels and short stories by
Arthur Conan Doyle Sir Arthur Ignatius Conan Doyle (22 May 1859 – 7 July 1930) was a British writer and physician. He created the character Sherlock Holmes in 1887 for ''A Study in Scarlet'', the first of four novels and fifty-six short stories about Hol ...
. She is the
landlady A landlord is the owner of property such as a house, apartment, condominium, land, or real estate that is rented or leased to an individual or business, known as a tenant (also called a ''lessee'' or ''renter''). The term landlord appli ...
of
221B Baker Street 221B Baker Street is the London address of the fictional detective Sherlock Holmes, created by author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. In the United Kingdom, postal addresses with a number followed by a letter may indicate a separate address within a ...
, the London residence in which Sherlock Holmes lives. Mrs. Hudson appears or is mentioned in many Sherlock Holmes stories, though her appearances are generally brief, and little information is given about the character. She has been made a more prominent character in multiple Sherlock Holmes adaptations in film, television, and other media.


Fictional character biography


History

Mrs. Hudson is the landlady of
221B Baker Street 221B Baker Street is the London address of the fictional detective Sherlock Holmes, created by author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. In the United Kingdom, postal addresses with a number followed by a letter may indicate a separate address within a ...
, the London residence where
Sherlock Holmes Sherlock Holmes () is a Detective fiction, fictional detective created by British author Arthur Conan Doyle. Referring to himself as a "Private investigator, consulting detective" in his stories, Holmes is known for his proficiency with obser ...
and
Dr. Watson Dr. John H. Watson is a fictional character in the Sherlock Holmes stories by Arthur Conan Doyle, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Along with Sherlock Holmes, Dr. Watson first appeared in the novel ''A Study in Scarlet'' (1887). "The Adventure of Shosc ...
live in many of the stories. In the short story " The Adventure of the Naval Treaty," Holmes says "Her cuisine is a little limited, but she has as good an idea of breakfast as a Scotchwoman,"Doyle, Arthur Conan, Sir: "The Naval Treaty," ''The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes''. 834 which some readers have taken to mean that she is Scottish. Other than one mention of her "stately tread" in the novel ''
A Study in Scarlet ''A Study in Scarlet'' is an 1887 Detective fiction, detective novel by British writer Arthur Conan Doyle. The story marks the first appearance of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson, who would go on to become one of the most well-known detective ...
'', she is given no physical description or first name, although some commentators have identified her with the "Martha" in " His Last Bow". In the first Sherlock Holmes story, ''A Study in Scarlet'', there is a landlady of 221B Baker Street, though her name is not given. The landlady is identified as Mrs. Hudson in the following story, ''
The Sign of the Four ''The Sign of the Four'', also called ''The Sign of Four'', is an 1890 detective novel, and it is the second novel featuring Sherlock Holmes by British writer Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Doyle wrote four novels and 56 short stories featuring ...
''. At one point in "
A Scandal in Bohemia "A Scandal in Bohemia" is the first short story, and the third overall work, featuring Arthur Conan Doyle's fictional detective Sherlock Holmes. It is the first of the 56 Holmes short stories written by Doyle and the first of 38 Sherlock Holmes ...
", Holmes calls the landlady "Mrs. Turner", rather than Mrs. Hudson, which has caused much speculation among Holmes fans. It has been suggested that Mrs. Turner was substituting for Mrs. Hudson or that Holmes or Watson mistakenly used the wrong name, though it may have simply been an error by Doyle, since the name Mrs. Turner also appeared in an early draft of "
The Adventure of the Empty House "The Adventure of the Empty House", one of the 56 Sherlock Holmes short stories written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, is one of 13 stories in the cycle collected as '' The Return of Sherlock Holmes''. It was first published in ''Collier's'' in the ...
" but was corrected to Mrs. Hudson. When Holmes is in retirement in Sussex in "
The Adventure of the Lion's Mane "The Adventure of the Lion's Mane" (1926), one of the 56 Sherlock Holmes short stories written by British author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, is one of 12 stories in the cycle collected as ''The Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes''. It is notable for bein ...
", he says he is living with his "old housekeeper", which some readers believe is Mrs. Hudson. Holmes tells Watson in "
The Adventure of the Empty House "The Adventure of the Empty House", one of the 56 Sherlock Holmes short stories written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, is one of 13 stories in the cycle collected as '' The Return of Sherlock Holmes''. It was first published in ''Collier's'' in the ...
" that his sudden return to Baker Street three years after his supposed death "threw Mrs. Hudson into violent hysterics". In the same story, Watson notes that their old Baker Street rooms are unchanged due to "the supervision of Mycroft Holmes and the immediate care of Mrs. Hudson". Mrs. Hudson also places herself in danger to assist Holmes in the story, by carefully moving a bust of Holmes every quarter of an hour to fool a sniper, Colonel
Sebastian Moran Colonel Sebastian Moran is a fictional character in the stories written by Arthur Conan Doyle. An enemy of Sherlock Holmes, he first appears in the 1903 short story " The Adventure of the Empty House". Holmes once described him as "the second mos ...
, into thinking the bust is actually Holmes. When Moran fires his gun, the bullet passes through the bust and hits the wall, after which it is picked up by Mrs. Hudson. She expresses dismay that the bust of Holmes was spoiled by the bullet and presents the bullet to Holmes.Doyle, Arthur Conan, Sir: "The Adventure of the Empty House", ''The Return of Sherlock Holmes''. 108 There is no mention in the stories of Mrs. Hudson's husband. It has been suggested as a possibility that she was never married, since the title " Mrs." was used in the Victorian era as a respectful title for high-ranking domestic staff, regardless of marital status. While no relatives of Mrs. Hudson's are identified in the stories, she shares her surname with a character in " The Adventure of the Gloria Scott" and another in "
The Adventure of the Six Napoleons "The Adventure of the Six Napoleons", one of the 56 Sherlock Holmes short stories written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, is one of 13 stories in the cycle collected as '' The Return of Sherlock Holmes''. It was first published in ''Collier's'' in t ...
". There are also characters in " The Boscombe Valley Mystery" with the surname Turner, a name which may or may not be connected with Mrs. Hudson in "A Scandal in Bohemia".


Personality

Watson describes the relationship between Holmes and Hudson in the opening of " The Adventure of the Dying Detective": In ''
The Sign of the Four ''The Sign of the Four'', also called ''The Sign of Four'', is an 1890 detective novel, and it is the second novel featuring Sherlock Holmes by British writer Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Doyle wrote four novels and 56 short stories featuring ...
'', she worries about Holmes's health after hearing him spend the night pacing up and down. In " The Adventure of the Naval Treaty", she apparently plays along with Holmes's dramatic reveal of the missing treaty to Mr. Phelps by serving Mr. Phelps a covered dish with the recovered treaty inside. Mrs. Hudson is displeased on the two occasions Holmes is visited by a dirty group of
Baker Street Irregulars The Baker Street Irregulars are fictional characters who appear in three Sherlock Holmes stories, specifically two novels and one short story, by Arthur Conan Doyle. They are street boys who are employed by Holmes as intelligence agents. The na ...
, expressing "disgust" when the Irregulars arrive in ''
A Study in Scarlet ''A Study in Scarlet'' is an 1887 Detective fiction, detective novel by British writer Arthur Conan Doyle. The story marks the first appearance of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson, who would go on to become one of the most well-known detective ...
'' and "dismay" when they appear in ''The Sign of the Four''. In "
The Adventure of the Speckled Band "The Adventure of the Speckled Band" is one of 56 short Sherlock Holmes stories written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the eighth story of twelve in the collection ''The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes''. It was originally published in ''Strand Magaz ...
", Mrs. Hudson is woken up early by the appearance of a client for Holmes and, by the time Watson is up, has "had the good sense to light the fire" according to Holmes.


Occupation

She is the landlady of 221B Baker Street, and also appears to perform various tasks such as preparing meals. Holmes praises her "excellent" breakfasts in " The Adventure of the Naval Treaty" and " The Adventure of Black Peter". She serves curried chicken in "The Adventure of the Naval Treaty" and woodcock in " The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle". She sometimes escorts visitors up the steps to Holmes's flat, such as Inspectors Gregson and Baynes in " The Adventure of Wisteria Lodge" and some sailors in "The Adventure of Black Peter". She also occasionally brings Holmes a card or telegram on a tray, for instance when she brings Holmes the card of John Garrideb in "
The Adventure of the Three Garridebs "The Adventure of the Three Garridebs" is one of the 56 Sherlock Holmes short stories written by British author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. One of the 12 stories in the cycle collected as '' The Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes'' (1927), it was first ...
" and a telegram in " The Adventure of the Dancing Men". In addition to the page
Billy Billy may refer to: * Billy (name), a name (and list of people with the name) * Billy (surname), a surname (and list of people with the surname) Animals * Billy (dog), a dog breed * Billy (pigeon), awarded the Dickin Medal in 1945 * Billy ( ...
, Mrs. Hudson employs a live-in maid at Baker Street. Watson hears the maid going to bed while he is waiting up for Holmes in ''A Study in Scarlet'', and waits for the maid to bring him coffee in "
The Five Orange Pips "The Five Orange Pips", one of the 56 Sherlock Holmes short stories written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, is the fifth of the twelve stories in ''The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes''. The story was first published in ''The Strand Magazine'' in Nov ...
". She brings Holmes a telegram in "
The Adventure of the Bruce-Partington Plans "The Adventure of the Bruce-Partington Plans" is one of the 56 Sherlock Holmes short stories written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. It is one of eight stories in the cycle collected as ''His Last Bow'' (1917), and is the second and final main appear ...
". It has been suggested that this maid could be the Mrs. Turner who appears in "A Scandal in Bohemia".


Popular image

Though limited information is given about Mrs. Hudson in the original stories, the character has developed a popular image due to portrayals in adaptations and speculation in articles and books, according to a 2005 essay by Catherine Cooke. Cooke writes that Mrs. Hudson is "a nice, motherly individual getting on in years ..At least, this is how she is usually conceived. It is a portrait perpetuated in numerous films and television adaptations: Minnie Rayner in the Arthur Wontner films, Mary Gordon in the Basil Rathbone films,
Irene Handl Irene Handl () (27 December 1901 – 29 November 1987) was a British character actress who appeared in more than 100 British films; she also wrote novels. Life Irene Handl was born in Maida Vale, London, the younger of two daughters of an Aus ...
in ''
The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes ''The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes'' is a 1970 DeLuxe Color film in Panavision written and produced by Billy Wilder and I. A. L. Diamond, and directed by Wilder. The film offers an affectionate, slightly parodic look at Sherlock Holmes, ...
'', and Rosalie Williams in the Jeremy Brett series". Cooke also adds that essays written about Mrs. Hudson have influenced the general conception of the character, one of the most influential being "The Singular Adventures of Martha Hudson" by
Vincent Starrett Charles Vincent Emerson Starrett (; October 26, 1886 – January 5, 1974), known as Vincent Starrett, was a Canadian-born American writer, newspaperman, and bibliophile. Biography Charles Vincent Emerson Starrett was born above his grandfathe ...
, originally published in 1934. Starrett suggested that Mrs. Hudson's first name is Martha, and described Mrs. Hudson as a "housekeeper", though in the original stories she is only referred to as a "landlady", which is a separate occupation. Cooke writes that "most American Sherlockians until relatively recently seem to have accepted Starrett’s fancies," but adds that British Sherlockians were less likely to identify Mrs. Hudson as "Martha" or confuse her position as a landlady with that of a housekeeper. Daniel Smith writes that, though few details are given about Mrs. Hudson in Doyle's stories, the character "has become one of the iconic figures of Sherlock Holmes's world" due largely to portrayals of the character in film and television. According to Smith, "Mary Gordon in the Rathbone films and Rosalie Williams in the Granada TV series did much to form the popular image of the landlady". Smith also comments that Gordon, Williams, and other actresses such as Irene Handl and
Una Stubbs Una Stubbs (1 May 1937 – 12 August 2021) was a British actress, television personality, and dancer who appeared on British television, in the theatre, and occasionally in films. She became known after appearing in the film '' Summer Holiday'' ...
have provided "memorable portrayals of the occasionally tetchy but ultimately sympathetic stalwart of 221B" and helped cement Mrs Hudson's place in the public consciousness.


Adaptations


Film

Mme. d'Esterre played Mrs. Hudson in multiple titles in the 1921–1923 Stoll film series starring
Eille Norwood Eille Norwood (born Anthony Edward Brett; 11 October 1861 – 24 December 1948) was an English stage actor, director, and playwright best known today for playing Sherlock Holmes in a series of silent films. Early life He was born 11 October 186 ...
as Holmes, including the short films '' The Dying Detective'' (1921) and ''
The Man with the Twisted Lip "The Man with the Twisted Lip", one of the 56 short Sherlock Holmes stories written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, is the sixth of the twelve stories in '' The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes''. The story was first published in the ''Strand Magazine' ...
'' (1921), as well as the feature films ''
The Hound of the Baskervilles ''The Hound of the Baskervilles'' is the third of the four Detective fiction, crime novels by British writer Arthur Conan Doyle featuring the detective Sherlock Holmes. Originally serial (literature), serialised in ''The Strand Magazine'' from ...
'' (1921) and '' The Sign of Four'' (1923). Other actresses who have played Mrs. Hudson in films include Minnie Rayner in ''
The Sleeping Cardinal ''The Sleeping Cardinal'', also known as ''Sherlock Holmes' Fatal Hour'' in the United States, is a 1931 British mystery film directed by Leslie S. Hiscott and starring Arthur Wontner and Ian Fleming. The film is an adaptation of the Sherlock ...
'' (1931), ''
The Missing Rembrandt ''The Missing Rembrandt'' is a 1932 British mystery film directed by Leslie S. Hiscott and starring Arthur Wontner, Jane Welsh, Miles Mander, and Francis L. Sullivan. It is considered a lost film. The film was loosely based on the 1904 Sherl ...
'' (1932), ''
The Triumph of Sherlock Holmes ''The Triumph of Sherlock Holmes'' is a 1935 British mystery film directed by Leslie S. Hiscott and starring Arthur Wontner. It was based on the 1915 Sherlock Holmes novel '' The Valley of Fear'' by Arthur Conan Doyle. It is a Flamingo Films ...
'' (1935) and '' Silver Blaze'' (1937), Marie Ault in '' The Speckled Band'' (1931), Clare Greet in '' The Sign of Four'' (1932), and
Tempe Pigott Tempe Pigott (2 February 1869 – 6 October 1962) was an Australian silent and sound screen character actress. In the pre-film era she was a stage actress in England, Australia, Canada and the United States. She began appearing in motion pictures ...
in ''
A Study in Scarlet ''A Study in Scarlet'' is an 1887 Detective fiction, detective novel by British writer Arthur Conan Doyle. The story marks the first appearance of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson, who would go on to become one of the most well-known detective ...
'' (1933). Mary Gordon played Mrs. Hudson in the Sherlock Holmes 1939–1946 film series starring
Basil Rathbone Philip St. John Basil Rathbone MC (13 June 1892 – 21 July 1967) was an Anglo-South African actor. He rose to prominence in the United Kingdom as a Shakespearean stage actor and went on to appear in more than 70 films, primarily costume drama ...
as Holmes and
Nigel Bruce William Nigel Ernle Bruce (4 February 1895 – 8 October 1953) was an English character actor on stage and screen. He was best known for his portrayal of Dr. Watson in a series of films and in the radio series '' The New Adventures of Sherlo ...
as Watson. Gordon's portrayal of Mrs. Hudson, along with the later portrayal of the character by Rosalie Williams in the Granada television series, helped establish the popular image of Mrs. Hudson. Mrs. Hudson was played by
Edith Schultze-Westrum Edith Käthe Elisabeth Schultze-Westrum (30 December 1904 – 20 March 1981) was a German film actress. She appeared in more than 60 films between 1932 and 1979. These included the role of Mrs. Hudson in the 1962 film ''Sherlock Holmes and ...
in ''
Sherlock Holmes and the Deadly Necklace ''Sherlock Holmes and the Deadly Necklace'' () is a 1962 mystery film directed by Terence Fisher and written by Curt Siodmak, based on the characters Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson created by Arthur Conan Doyle. It stars Christopher Lee as Holm ...
'' (1962), Barbara Leake in ''
A Study in Terror A, or a, is the first letter and the first vowel letter of the Latin alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, and others worldwide. Its name in English is '' a'' (pronounced ), plural ''aes''. It is similar in shape to the Ancient ...
'' (1965),
Irene Handl Irene Handl () (27 December 1901 – 29 November 1987) was a British character actress who appeared in more than 100 British films; she also wrote novels. Life Irene Handl was born in Maida Vale, London, the younger of two daughters of an Aus ...
in ''
The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes ''The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes'' is a 1970 DeLuxe Color film in Panavision written and produced by Billy Wilder and I. A. L. Diamond, and directed by Wilder. The film offers an affectionate, slightly parodic look at Sherlock Holmes, ...
'' (1970),
Alison Leggatt Alison Joy Leggatt (7 February 1904 – 15 July 1990) was an English character actor, character actress. Career Born in the Kensington district of London, Leggatt trained under Elsie Fogerty at the Central School of Speech and Drama, then based ...
in ''
The Seven-Per-Cent Solution ''The Seven-Per-Cent Solution: Being a Reprint from the Reminiscences of John H. Watson, M.D.'' is a 1974 novel by American writer Nicholas Meyer. It is written as a pastiche of a Sherlock Holmes adventure, and was made into a film of the same ...
'' (1976), Betty Woolfe in ''
Murder by Decree ''Murder by Decree'' is a 1979 mystery thriller film directed by Bob Clark. It features the Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson characters created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, who are embroiled in the investigation surrounding the real-life 1 ...
'' (1979), and
Pat Keen Patricia Margaret "Pat" Keen (21 October 1933 – 1 March 2013) was an English actress whose career on stage, television and film ran from the 1950s to the 2000s. Born in Willesden, Brent, London, Keen trained at the Central School of Speec ...
in ''
Without a Clue ''Without a Clue'' is a 1988 British comedy film directed by Thom Eberhardt and starring Michael Caine and Ben Kingsley. It is based on Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's characters from the Sherlock Holmes stories but, in this version, the roles are reve ...
'' (1988). Mrs. Hudson appears in the 2002 anime film '' Case Closed: The Phantom of Baker Street'', in which she is voiced by Kei Hayami in the original Japanese release, and Emily Gray in the English-language dub.
Geraldine James Geraldine James (born 6 July 1950) is an English actress. She has worked extensively on television, on stage and in film. She is known for her role as Marilla Cuthbert in the Netflix series ''Anne with an E'' (2017–2019) and as Queen Mary in ...
portrayed Mrs. Hudson in
Guy Ritchie Guy Stuart Ritchie (born 10 September 1968) is an English film director, producer and screenwriter known primarily for British comedy gangster films and large-scale action-adventure films. Ritchie left school at the age of 15, and worked in e ...
's 2009 film ''
Sherlock Holmes Sherlock Holmes () is a Detective fiction, fictional detective created by British author Arthur Conan Doyle. Referring to himself as a "Private investigator, consulting detective" in his stories, Holmes is known for his proficiency with obser ...
'' and the following 2011 film '' Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows''. Mrs. Hudson was played by Sarah Crowden in '' Mr. Holmes'' (2015) and by
Kelly Macdonald Kelly Macdonald (born 23 February 1976) is a Scottish actress. Known for her performances on film and television, she has received various accolades including a BAFTA Award, a Primetime Emmy Award, and four Screen Actors Guild Awards. Macdona ...
in '' Holmes and Watson'' (2018).


Television

Mrs. Hudson has been portrayed by multiple actresses in television films and series, including Violet Besson in ''
The Three Garridebs ''The Three Garridebs'' is a 1937 television presentation that aired on NBC, based on Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's 1924 story " The Adventure of the Three Garridebs". Louis Hector played Sherlock Holmes, the first actor to do so on television. Pl ...
'' (1937), Iris Vandeleur in the 1951 television series, Mary Holder, Enid Lindsey, and
Grace Arnold Grace Arnold (19 September 1894 – 26 February 1979) was an England, English actress. Selected filmography * ''Guilt (1931 film), Guilt'' (1931) * ''Men Without Honour'' (1939) - Mrs. Hardy * ''Crimes at the Dark House'' (1940) - Maid (uncred ...
in the 1965–1968 television series, Marguerite Young in '' Doctor Watson and the Darkwater Hall Mystery'' (1974),
Marjorie Bennett Marjorie Bennett (15 January 1896 – 14 June 1982) was an Australian actress who worked mainly in the United States. She began her acting career during the silent film era. Early life Bennett was born in York in Western Australia. Her sis ...
in '' Sherlock Holmes in New York'' (1976), Rina Zelyonaya in the 1979–1986 Soviet television film series ''
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson ''The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson'' () is a series of Soviet television films portraying Arthur Conan Doyle's fictional English detective, starting in 1979. They were directed by Igor Maslennikov. Overview Between 1979 and 198 ...
'', and Pat Keen in '' The Baker Street Boys'' (1983) as well as in the 1988 film ''Without a Clue''. In the 1983 animated television adaptation of ''The Sign of Four'', she was voiced by
Lynn Rainbow Lynn Carol Rainbow-Reid (born 19 September 1942) credited also as Lynne Rainbow, is an actress of stage, film, television and radio, dancer and voice artist. Early life Rainbow was born to Judge Alfred Rainbow and his wife. A fourth generatio ...
. In Granada Television's ''
Sherlock Holmes Sherlock Holmes () is a Detective fiction, fictional detective created by British author Arthur Conan Doyle. Referring to himself as a "Private investigator, consulting detective" in his stories, Holmes is known for his proficiency with obser ...
'' series (1984–1994), Mrs. Hudson was played by Rosalie Williams. Williams, along with Mary Gordon in the Rathbone films, did much to form the popular image of Mrs. Hudson. In the TMS
anime is a Traditional animation, hand-drawn and computer animation, computer-generated animation originating from Japan. Outside Japan and in English, ''anime'' refers specifically to animation produced in Japan. However, , in Japan and in Ja ...
series ''
Sherlock Hound is an Italian-Japanese anime television series produced by RAI and Tokyo Movie Shinsha. Based on the character Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle, almost all the characters are depicted as anthropomorphic dogs. The show featured re ...
'' (1984–1985) directed by
Hayao Miyazaki is a Japanese animator, filmmaker, and manga artist. He co-founded Studio Ghibli and serves as honorary chairman. Throughout his career, Miyazaki has attained international acclaim as a masterful storyteller and creator of Anime, Japanese ani ...
, Mrs. Hudson is depicted as a much younger woman in her early to mid 20s, and a widow of a pilot named Jim. In this incarnation, her full name is revealed to be Marie Hudson, and fitting with the theme of the characters being canines, she resembles a Golden Retriever. She normally stays behind at 221B Baker Street, but accompanies Hound and Watson on a few cases, usually any that involve something related to flight, and is shown to be a very skilled driver, pilot, and markswoman. She is once kidnapped by Professor Moriarty and his henchmen as a part of a scheme to defeat Hound, though Moriarty vows to never involve her in his schemes after she shows him kindness during the time she's kept as a hostage. Additionally, it's shown that most of the main male cast of the series (namely Hound and especially Watson) are attracted to her. She is voiced by
Yōko Asagami is a Japanese voice actress who is represented by Aksent. She is most known for the roles of (''Space Battleship Yamato'') and Saeko Nogami ('' City Hunter''). Her married name is . Asagmi was born in Otaru, Hokkaidō. In 1952, she began to ...
in the original Japanese release and by Patricia Parris in the English-language dub. Mrs. Hudson was portrayed by Jenny Laird in ''
The Masks of Death ''The Masks of Death'' is a 1984 British mystery television film directed by Roy Ward Baker and starring Peter Cushing as Sherlock Holmes and John Mills as Doctor Watson. Plot In 1913, Sherlock Holmes, virtually in retirement, is persuaded by ...
'' (1984),
Margaret John Margaret John (14 December 1926 – 2 February 2011) was a Welsh, BAFTA award-winning actress, known for her role as Doris O'Neill in ''Gavin & Stacey''. Early life Born in Swansea, as a child she wanted to be a nurse or vet, but she could n ...
in the television films '' Sherlock Holmes and the Leading Lady'' (1991) and '' Incident at Victoria Falls'' (1992), and Kathleen McAuliffe in the television films '' The Royal Scandal'' (2001) and ''
The Case of the Whitechapel Vampire ''The Case of the Whitechapel Vampire'' is a non-canonical Sherlock Holmes film. The film was produced in 2002 for The Hallmark Channel as the last installment in a series of Hallmark Sherlock Holmes films. Plot Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson a ...
'' (2002). In the BBC series '' Sherlock'' (2010–2017), she is played by actress and TV presenter
Una Stubbs Una Stubbs (1 May 1937 – 12 August 2021) was a British actress, television personality, and dancer who appeared on British television, in the theatre, and occasionally in films. She became known after appearing in the film '' Summer Holiday'' ...
. She offers Holmes a lower rent because he helped her out by ensuring the conviction and execution of her husband in Florida after he murdered two people. In " A Scandal in Belgravia" when agents torture Mrs. Hudson trying to find a mobile phone, Sherlock repeatedly throws the agent responsible out of an upper-level window, and later states that "England would fall" if Mrs. Hudson left Baker Street. In "
His Last Vow "His Last Vow" is the third and final episode of the third series of the BBC Television series '' Sherlock'', which follows the modern-day adventures of Sherlock Holmes. The episode was first broadcast on 12 January 2014, on BBC One and Channel ...
" her name is revealed to be Martha Louise Hudson (née Sissons), a semi-reformed alcoholic and former exotic dancer. Her "pressure point", according to Charles Augustus Magnussen’s information on her, is marijuana. A
transgender A transgender (often shortened to trans) person has a gender identity different from that typically associated with the sex they were sex assignment, assigned at birth. The opposite of ''transgender'' is ''cisgender'', which describes perso ...
Ms. Hudson appears in the 19th episode of the US series '' Elementary'', "Snow Angels" (2013), as an expert in Ancient Greek who essentially makes a living as a kept woman and muse for various wealthy men; Holmes allows her to stay in the apartment after a break-up, and she subsequently agrees to clean for them once a week as a source of income and to prevent Holmes from having to do it himself. She is portrayed by Candis Cayne. Mrs. Hudson was portrayed by Ingeborga Dapkūnaitė in the Russian 2013 television series ''
Sherlock Holmes Sherlock Holmes () is a Detective fiction, fictional detective created by British author Arthur Conan Doyle. Referring to himself as a "Private investigator, consulting detective" in his stories, Holmes is known for his proficiency with obser ...
''. In the NHK puppetry television series ''
Sherlock Holmes Sherlock Holmes () is a Detective fiction, fictional detective created by British author Arthur Conan Doyle. Referring to himself as a "Private investigator, consulting detective" in his stories, Holmes is known for his proficiency with obser ...
'' (2014–2015), Mrs. Hudson (voiced by Keiko Horiuchi) is a jolly housemother of Baker House, one of the
houses A house is a single-unit residential building. It may range in complexity from a rudimentary hut to a complex structure of wood, masonry, concrete or other material, outfitted with plumbing, electrical, and heating, ventilation, and air condi ...
of Beeton School. She loves singing and baking
biscuit A biscuit is a flour-based baked food item. Biscuits are typically hard, flat, and unleavened. They are usually sweet and may be made with sugar, chocolate, icing, jam, ginger, or cinnamon. They can also be savoury, similar to crackers. ...
s and calls Holmes by his first name Sherlock. She is particularly kind to him and Watson because Holmes saves her when she is in a predicament in the first episode "The First Adventure", which was loosely based on ''
A Study in Scarlet ''A Study in Scarlet'' is an 1887 Detective fiction, detective novel by British writer Arthur Conan Doyle. The story marks the first appearance of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson, who would go on to become one of the most well-known detective ...
''. In episode 11, loosely based on "
The Adventure of the Speckled Band "The Adventure of the Speckled Band" is one of 56 short Sherlock Holmes stories written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the eighth story of twelve in the collection ''The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes''. It was originally published in ''Strand Magaz ...
", she finds a big snake in the school. In the anime television series '' Case File nº221: Kabukicho'' (2019–2020), a re-imagined version of the character is voiced by
Junichi Suwabe is a Japanese voice actor from Tokyo. He is affiliated with Haikyō. His popular roles include Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez in ''Bleach'', Omega Zero in '' Megaman Zero 3'', Keigo Atobe in ''The Prince of Tennis'', Victor Nikiforov in '' Yuri!!! o ...
in the original Japanese release, and by David Wald in the English-language dub.
Kana Asumi is a Japanese actress, voice actress, singer and a former member of the girl group Lisp. Career She worked for Voice & Heart until 2007 and has worked for 81 Produce since 2008. She won the Best Lead Actress Award in the 7th Seiyu Awards. Pe ...
voices Mrs. Hudson in the anime series '' Moriarty the Patriot''.


Radio and audio dramas

Mary Gordon, who played Mrs. Hudson in the 1939–1946 film series starring Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce, also portrayed Mrs. Hudson in the Sherlock Holmes radio series with Rathbone and Bruce, ''
The New Adventures of Sherlock Holmes ''The New Adventures of Sherlock Holmes'' is a radio drama series which aired in the USA from 1939 to 1950, it ran for 374 episodes, with many of the later episodes considered lost media.Dickerson (2019), pp. 276–279. The series was based on ...
''. Gordon played the character in multiple episodes, for example "The Night Before Christmas" (1945) and "The Adventure of the Tell-Tale Pigeon Feathers" (1946). On various BBC radio stations, Mrs. Hudson was played by Dora Gregory in "The Adventure of the Speckled Band" (1945), Susan Richards in a different dramatisation of the same story in 1948, Elizabeth Maude in "The Dying Detective" and "The Second Stain" (both in 1954), Elsa Palmer in ''The Sign of Four'' (1959), Kathleen Helme in "The Naval Treaty" (1960), Penelope Lee in "The Valley of Fear" (1960),
Gudrun Ure Gudrun Henderson Ure (12 March 1926 – 14 May 2024), also known as Ann Gudrun, was a Scottish actress, best known for her portrayal of the title character in the children's television series ''Super Gran''. Ure's career encompassed stage, film ...
in "The Empty House" (1961), Beryl Calder in "Thor Bridge" (1962), and Grizelda Hervey in "The Sign of the Four" (1963). Barbara Mitchell portrayed Mrs. Hudson in "A Study in Scarlet" (1962), "The Five Orange Pips" (1966), "The Dying Detective" (1967), and "The Second Stain" (1967). Janet Morrison played Mrs. Hudson in "The Bruce-Partington Plans", "The Three Garridebs", "The Norwood Builder", and "The Retired Colourman" (all in 1964), plus "The Dancing Men", "The Lion's Mane", and "His Last Bow" (all in 1969). Cecile Chevreau played Mrs. Hudson in a 1970
LP record The LP (from long playing or long play) is an Analog recording, analog sound storage medium, specifically a phonograph record format characterized by: a speed of  revolutions per minute, rpm; a 12- or 10-inch (30- or 25-cm) diameter; use ...
audio drama adaptation of "Charles Augustus Milverton". In the 1989–1998 BBC radio series with
Clive Merrison Clive Merrison (born 15 September 1945) is a Welsh actor of film, television, stage and radio. He is best known for his long running BBC Radio portrayal of Sherlock Holmes, having played the part in all 64 episodes of the 1989–1998 series o ...
as Sherlock Holmes, Mrs. Hudson was portrayed by Anna Cropper in adaptations of ''A Study in Scarlet'' and ''The Sign of the Four'' (1989), by Mary Allen in adaptations of "A Scandal in Bohemia" and "The Noble Bachelor" (1990–91), by Joan Matheson in adaptations of "The Yellow Face", "The Empty House", "The Second Stain", "The Dying Detective", "The Mazarin Stone", "The Three Garridebs", and "The Retired Colourman" (1992–95), and by
Judi Dench Dame Judith Olivia Dench (born 9 December 1934) is an English actress. Widely considered one of Britain's greatest actors, she is noted for her versatility, having appeared in films and television, as well as for her numerous roles on the stage ...
in the dramatisation of ''The Hound of the Baskervilles'' (1998). Lee Paasch voiced Mrs. Hudson for ''
Imagination Theatre ''Imagination Theatre'' is an American syndicated radio drama program airing on AM broadcasting, AM and FM broadcasting, FM radio stations across the United States. It features modern radio dramas. The program first aired in 1996. Originally prod ...
s radio series ''The Further Adventures of Sherlock Holmes'' from 1998 until her death in 2013, and was the only actress to voice Mrs. Hudson in the related series by ''Imagination Theatre'', ''The Classic Adventures of Sherlock Holmes'' (2005–2016), which adapted all of Doyle's Sherlock Holmes stories for radio. Mrs. Hudson is Holmes's client in an episode of ''The Further Adventures of Sherlock Holmes'', "The Hudson Problem" (2006).
Ellen McLain Ellen McLain (born 1952 or 1953) is an American voice actress. She is best known for providing the voice of GLaDOS, the primary antagonist of the '' Portal'' video game series, the Combine Overwatch AI in '' Half-Life 2'', and the Administrat ...
has played Mrs. Hudson on ''Imagination Theatre'' since 2019. Mrs. Hudson was voiced by
June Whitfield Dame June Rosemary Whitfield (11 November 1925 – 29 December 2018) was an English radio, television and film actress. Whitfield's big break was a lead in the radio comedy '' Take It from Here'', which aired on the BBC Light Programme ...
in the 1999 radio series '' The Newly Discovered Casebook of Sherlock Holmes''. The character was played by Beth Chalmers in two Sherlock Holmes audio drama releases by
Big Finish Productions Big Finish Productions is a British company that produces books and radio drama, audio plays (released straight to compact disc and for download in MP3 and m4b format) based, primarily, on science fiction properties. These include ''Doctor Who'' ...
, one released in 2011 titled ''Sherlock Holmes: The Final Problem/The Empty House'', and one released in 2012 titled ''Sherlock Holmes: The Tangled Skein''.
Moira Quirk Moira Quirk is a British actress and comedian. As an audiobook narrator, she has won four Audie Awards. Personal life and education Quirk received an honours degree in English and Drama from Westfield College, University of London and Central S ...
voiced Mrs. Hudson in the 2014 L.A. Theatre Works audio dramatisation of ''The Hound of the Baskervilles''. Mrs. Hudson was portrayed by
Patricia Hodge Patricia Ann Hodge (born 29 September 1946) is an English actress. She is known on-screen for playing Phyllida Erskine-Brown in '' Rumpole of the Bailey'' (1978–1992), Jemima Shore in '' Jemima Shore Investigates'' (1983), Penny in '' Miranda ...
in the 2-episode comedic radio play ''Mrs Hudson's Radio Show'' in 2018. The show presented a humorous take on Mrs Hudson's life in Baker Street. Mrs. Hudson was played by
Patricia Hodge Patricia Ann Hodge (born 29 September 1946) is an English actress. She is known on-screen for playing Phyllida Erskine-Brown in '' Rumpole of the Bailey'' (1978–1992), Jemima Shore in '' Jemima Shore Investigates'' (1983), Penny in '' Miranda ...
in the 2018 radio series '' Mrs Hudson's Radio Show''.


Print

Mrs. Clara (née Clarisa) Hudson is a much more developed character in Laurie R. King's series of novels focusing on the detective scholar Mary Russell. In this alternative extension of the Holmes mythology, the retired Holmes marries his much younger apprentice and partner. Russell and Holmes meet after the traumatic death of her family in California when she moves to the farm adjoining Holmes' Sussex home. Mrs. Hudson takes the young and emotionally fragile Russell under her wing, and Russell comes to think of her as a friend, a second mother, and a rock in the whirl of danger that always surrounds Holmes. The novel '' The Murder of Mary Russell'' (2016) tells Mrs. Hudson's biography over several generations, her meeting and bond with Holmes, and her ties to Russell. The novel appeared after the development of Mrs. Hudson's character in the BBC series '' Sherlock''. As in that rendition of the character, Mrs. Hudson has a criminal past and initially met Holmes in unsavory circumstances, in this case when she murdered her father to save Holmes' life. Holmes buys the Baker St. house for Hudson and establishes her as his landlady. In typical Holmesian logic, this relieves him of the tedium of homeownership and explains both her forbearance with her tenant and his uncharacteristic affection for her. A skilled actress and con artist, she is comfortable with the criminals who inhabit his world and enjoys playing occasional roles in investigations in which an eminently respectable older woman might be needed. In this series, she is slightly older than Holmes (although Russell and Watson think she is significantly older), born in Scotland, raised in Australia, and an immigrant to England. She acted as a mother surrogate to Billy Mudd, Holmes' first 'Irregular', has one sister who lived to adulthood, and one illegitimate child of her own. Holmes states explicitly that the condition of her remaining in England and their relationship is that Hudson's life prior to the murder is never to be mentioned, that they must never have a sexual or romantic relationship, and that she know that her history as a criminal and murderer will always be present in his mind whenever they interact. To Holmes, Hudson represents a way of solving the ethical problem of what to do with someone who murders to prevent harm, but who may return to criminal activity. His manipulation of Hudson removes Hudson and Mudd from lives as criminals, keeps Hudson's infant from the workhouse, and provides Holmes with a housekeeper and intelligent ally. In ''
Sherlock Holmes' War of the Worlds ''Sherlock Holmes's War of the Worlds'' is a science fiction novel by American writers Manly Wade Wellman and his son Wade Wellman. A sequel to H. G. Wells's ''The War of the Worlds'', it was published in 1975. It is a pastiche crossover which ...
'' (1975) it is suggested that Holmes and the younger Mrs. Hudson had a long-lasting love relationship, obvious to all but the naive Watson. Mrs Hudson is the detective in the novels ''Mrs Hudson and the Spirits' Curse'' (2002), ''Mrs Hudson and the Malabar Rose'' (2005), ''Mrs Hudson and the Lazarus Testament'' (2015), and ''Mrs Hudson and the Samarkand Conspiracy'' (2020) by Martin Davies, and in Barry S. Brown's ''Mrs. Hudson of Baker Street'' series of novels, including ''The Unpleasantness at Parkerton Manor'' (2010), ''Mrs. Hudson and The Irish Invincibles'' (2011), ''Mrs. Hudson in the Ring'' (2013), ''Mrs. Hudson in New York'' (2015), and ''Mrs Hudson's Olympic Triumph'' (2017). She is also a detective in ''The House at Baker Street'' (2016) and ''The Women of Baker Street'' (2017), by Michelle Birkby, and in Susan Knight's 2019 book ''Mrs Hudson Investigates''. The 2017 book ''Memoirs from Mrs. Hudson's Kitchen'', by Wendy Heyman-Marsaw, is written from Mrs. Hudson's perspective. The 2012 book ''Mrs Hudson's Diaries: A View from the Landing at 221B'' was written by
Barry Cryer Barry Charles Cryer (23 March 1935 – 25 January 2022) was an English writer, comedian, and actor. As well as performing on stage, radio and television, Cryer wrote for many performers including Dave Allen, Stanley Baxter, Jack Benny, Rory B ...
and Bob Cryer. The comedic radio play ''Mrs. Hudson's Radio Show'' (2018) was based on the book. The character Mrs. Judson in the ''
Basil of Baker Street ''Basil of Baker Street'' is a series of children's novels written by Eve Titus and illustrated by Paul Galdone. The stories focus on the titular Basil of Baker Street and his personal biographer Doctor David Q. Dawson. Together they solve the m ...
'' books is based on Mrs. Hudson.


Other media

In the 1923 play '' The Return of Sherlock Holmes'', Mrs. Hudson was portrayed by Esmé Hubbard. Mrs. Hudson was played by Paddy Edwards in the 1965 musical ''
Baker Street Baker Street is a street in the Marylebone district of the City of Westminster in London. It is named after builder James Baker. The area was originally high class residential, but now is mainly occupied by commercial premises. The street is ...
'', though the character does not perform any of the songs in the musical. Julia Sutton played Mrs. Hudson in the original 1988 production of '' Sherlock Holmes: The Musical'', in which one song is performed solely by Mrs. Hudson (in which she laments the misfortunes in her life), and another song is performed by Mrs. Hudson and others. She appears briefly in the Mythos Software video games '' The Lost Files of Sherlock Holmes: The Case of the Serrated Scalpel'' (voiced by Diana Montano) and '' The Lost Files of Sherlock Holmes: The Case of the Rose Tattoo'' (voiced by Coralie Persee). A puzzle game titled ''Mrs. Hudson'' was released by Everett Kaser Software. Mrs. Hudson also appears in the Frogwares video games '' Sherlock Holmes: Crimes & Punishments'' (2014) and '' Sherlock Holmes: The Devil's Daughter'' (2016).


Actors who have played Mrs. Hudson


Radio and audio dramas


Stage plays


Television and DTV films


Television series


Theatrical films


Video games


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hudson, Mrs. Sherlock Holmes characters Fictional landlords Literary characters introduced in 1887 Female characters in literature Female characters in film Female characters in television