The Stolen Cigar-Case by Bret Harte - a Sherlock Holmes parody published in 1900.
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 5 ก.พ. 2025
- This is rather an amusing parody by Bret Harte, an American writer who emigrated to England and found great success. Ellery Queen describes 'The Stolen Cigar-Case' as the best Sherlock Holmes parody and I'm not going to argue with him.
Bret Harte wrote about life in the American West and the Californian Gold Rush, including stories such as 'The Outcasts of Poker Flat' (1869) and 'The Luck of Roaring Camp' (1868). Despite falling out of favour in the U.S.A. he gained great popularity in Britain.
Conan Doyle described some of his American themed tales as 'feeble echoes of Bret Harte'.
The Stolen Cigar-Case was first published in Pearson's Magazine in 1900.
Not quite sure why I present this as a video with me in it - I was experimenting with a USB microphone and tried hooking it up to my phone. In the end this didn't work out too well so I filmed it separately on my mobile phone and put it through a cartoon filter on iMovie. Seemed to fit the parody theme - at the time! Regrets? - I have a few...
Anyway, I hope you enjoy this slightly atypical offering and will overlook its experimental qualities. I do enjoy mucking about with the editing software but always find myself having to learn how to do things over and over again; it's not as if I'm doing anything remotely complicated. It's me age, missus!
Wishing all my subscribers and everyone visiting the channel a Happy Christmas / Happy Holiday season and all the best for the New Year.
Peace and Good Will toward Men!
Greg
![44 The War Service of Sherlock Holmes from His Last Bow [Sherlock Holmes] (1917) Audiobook](/img/n.gif)
I ABSOLUTELY ABSOLUTELY LOVE HIS VOICE!!!!! I laugh often when I see stories about so called-artists, celebrities. This generation with their lack of knowledge, talent, true talent, is hopelessly lost. This man, is a true talent. His mastery of the English language is not to be matched. His intonation, clever use of pauses is unsurpassed. What a privilege for me to listen to him, I do daily. He could read a microwave’s manual and I would listen to it. Sir, my sincere gratitude. Humbly yours, Luz.
Cheers Luz. Thanks for your very kind message. Muchos appreciated.
What an absolute treat to see the man behind the voices. I never enjoyed audio books before finding this channel because they all ran together and I couldn’t tell which character said what; when. That is not a problem here. As a person with hearing issues, I thank you.
Cheers hills bro….
"I found him standing before the fire with that look upon his face which I have seen only once or twice in our acquaintance. A look which I may call a look of absolute concattonation of inductive and deductive rattiocination."
This is priceless! If "imitation is the sincerest form of flattery," what is this? Brilliant! And, of course, after listening to you read the entire Sherlock Holmes canon, it is even more uproarious and actually believable. My compliments to Bret Harte and you!!!
As long as you're the reader, the phone book would satisfy. Great New Year to you!
This new format of video recording is unique. It is a treat to see how you perform these narrations on camera🎉 🎉
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Your marvelous and consistent voice work for the denizens of Baker St., regardless of who is writing them, lends the Holmes pastiches and parodies a level of authenticity they couldn't achieve on their own. It's everything an author could ask for!
I can`t describe how excited I get when I receive a notification from magpie audio with a Mr. Wagland marvelous British accent performance, I enjoy listening to your clear accent so much, I hope you keep on uploading more of your most appreciated work, thank you very much sir
Same hear
Discovered your channel last year and haven't stopped listening since......your voice and accent are the perfect match with Sherlock series...love from India...keep it up Greg ❤️❤️
Glad that you've enjoyed the channel, Parul. Best wishes to you in India!
I love that you did this parody❤ - the voices you give to the characters assists the realism of the charade.
I also adore watching the video. Who does t enjoy watching the person reading the story to them? It’s wonderful
Thank you! 😄
Amazing to actually see you delivering one of these performances (with your customary brilliance). Thank you Greg!
Having said that, I had previously imagined you reading these as you paced back and forth in front of the fireplace in a smoking jacket, puffing thoughtfully on a pipe, and sadly that illusion has now been shattered.
I plan on looping your narrations until the YT algorithm finally notices its blunder and makes this the 1M follower channel that it deserves to be.
Greg, thank you! Wonderful delivery as always. I listened to this while doing the ironing and twice I had to stop because I was laughing so much. You read it absolutely straight, which was perfect.
Thanks Jane. I gave up ironing years ago and have never regretted it.
So nice to see you Live!
Love your marvellous Work!!!
Thank you for all you do Greg☃️❄️☃️
🫂
Love the new format. Great story. Merry Christmas and happy New Year. Excellent reading.
Kudos for reading that with a straight face! I kept laughing and rolling my eyes 😆 So many crazy little details packed into one short story. The sealskin 😂 The style and vocabulary copy those of sir ACD´s surprisingly well. I enjoyed it, except the part where Hemlock Jones yells. It felt somehow too much, because Holmes never yells. But what an idea, to name the detective after the first recorded case of poisoning in Europe 😂 Sincere greetings from Czechia, Greg, many thanks for your work, and happy Christmas! 😊
Hi! There are still 2 sherlock holmes stories left that you haven't done yet, from canon of doyle.
1) The Adventure of the Veiled Lodger.
2) The Adventure of Shoscombe Old Place.
I have listened to all of your stories! Absolutely love your videos!
It’s very nice to watch you work Greg……….anyone who finds it a distraction can just look away and listen ………..fantastic 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
This is a delightful addition to you collection. Your familiar and truly excellent Holmesian voice makes it even more enjoyable. Seeing you reading it is an extra treat. 🎩 Also, your turn to the camera at the final moment is exquisite. (I bow humbly before your transcendence ... etc. 😉)
"I sat aghast at his penetration ..." Great line. This parody is quite funny and insightful.
Greg! I have missed you so! Merry Christmas 🎄 I hope you guys stay warm over there this winter.
Felene. Hope you had a good one and wishing you a very happy new Year. It's not too cold today!
Loved not only listening to you Greg but seeing you too.. it is a refreshing change.
You are our personal sleep doctor.
Thank you for your service.
Delightful! It was great fun to see you at work. And you did it with a straight face (until the final moments)!
Yes, great to see you but above all, for me, it is your voice, rich and resonant, with all the pauses in just the right places, your intonation that is without fault, and narration that is matchless that I so admire and enjoy. You are like part of the family to many of us.❤️
With deepest appreciation for your gifts as a voice actor. Thank you for this Christmas offering and the very best, Greg, to you and yours.
(I am curious if you have, in fact, any plans to narrate any phone books or directories in 2023???!!)
Thank you for these kind words LCH Chatter. Much appreciated. Hope you had a good one and Happy New Year to you !
My Dearest Greg. It's so wonderful to watch You read to Me at last. You have calmed Me into sleep for many years now. I have often wondered, if You just read it all bit by bit?. Or all at once. I'm so impressed that You are able to read it all at once!. You are amazing!. I'm sure that Sir Arthur, would be amazed at how You can tell His tales so perfectly. The differences between just Sherlock and Watson has eased Me so many times let alone all of the other characters and accents. Men and women. I am truly flabbergasted. Many thanks to You. For soothing Me on so many nights, and days. Much love James Tea. ❤
Quite fun! Thank you I enjoyed this a lot 😊 it is always good to hear your voice and see your face. Happy Christmas 🎄
Cheers Jeaninne. Happy New Year to you!
Very creative. I enjoyed it and got a chuckle.
Have a wonderful holiday and “see” you next year. 😉♥️
AMAZING, Greg!
Thanks for all your wonderful work. Merry Christmas to you and yours 🎄🎄
I loved it! Bret Harte really had it down pat...and so did you! A little fun at Sherlock's expense...I'm sure he didn't mind. Thank you for all you give us and have a lovely holiday season.
Oh Greg! How fabulous to see you reading. I am a subscriber to audible and spend most of my 24 credits on the novels you narrate. DI Bliss is my current binge.
I love your voice, your timing, your acting… so much of what you do to produce a brilliantly narrated book. Thank you Greg You are an exceptional narrator, actor, and producer.
Seeing you read is a privilege. ❤❤
Thanks aunty. Much appreciated. Cheers.
I've read this story before, and I think it's hilarious! You read it marvelously well; I could almost picture you as the unwitting culprit who stole the cigar case without knowing it!
Thank you Merla P.
Dear Greg, hello from Moscow.
Thank you so much.
Have a fantastic weekend!
It was a treat to watch you record 👏🙏🏽
This is like the wonderful radio shows people used to attend before movies played in theaters and long before television invaded homes.
Lovely work.
Cheers Alex!
This satirical, affectionate and incisively perfect homage to Sherlock, Watson and their writer Conan Doyle is hilarious!!!! 😂😂🤣😁
👏 Well done Bret Harte. Hat off to A legendary writer, adventurer, a true iconoclast and sidebar notably handsome fashion plate!
Thank you so much for a new one, I listen to these everyday, you're the best.
I must say I enjoyed your narration with the new format. I wasn't old enough to listen to the original broadcasts of the radio shows from the 30s to the early 60s. What a fantastic form of entertainment it is. Far superior to television. Most people are unaware of the talent and skill required to narrate a story with inflection and do it flawlessly. The voice actors were a special breed . I tip my hat to you , I doubt there aren't many skilled voice actors left. It's passing will be a terrible loss. You definitely have a gift.
Well, it's supposed to be AI very soon. Some people say it won't be long before you won't be able to tell between hooman beans and Amstrad desktops. Not sure about that. Especially out beyond the Smart Cities they'll always be a need for a storyteller in the dystopian badlands reading The Odyssey for an old tin of sardines.
Thank you and Happy Christmas!!! I truly enjoy hearing and seeing you!! Bravo👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏❣️
Another 30 minutes of joyful listening to you, sir Greg! Thank you.
Glad you enjoyed it, Niek.
What a nice idea for a new format! :) So excited to listen to the story, as always
I officially have the biggest crush on you. It’s the humility for me 🙏🏽. Thanks once again as always.
That was fantastic. I was going to write a bunch of stuff, but I'll stick with thank you. It was nice to laugh during a Sherlock.
Keep them coming! I love these and listen almost every night.
More to come! Infrequently!!!
Most delightful. :)
Ever since I started listening to you 4 years ago I can’t listen to Sherlock story anywhere else.
Very wise!!!
I’ve listened to you every night for quite some time, I appreciate you and your gift, Tysm
Thanks for listening, David. All the best.
A really fun parody. And one of your best performances, really brought out the characters
Thanks Rohit. Glad you liked it.
Carrying, (looks at camera), a tambourine. 😉
That last part throws me.
Merry Christmas, Mr. Wagland, and a Happy Boxing Day.
Stunning every time!
Thank you so much!
🎭🎭🎭🎭🎭🎄🎁🎀 Didn't expect to smile over this & I actually did a few silent chuckles ... *THX Greg* humor is balm
Love the new format! As always, well done sir.
Thank you, another quality read, it’s good to put a face to the legendary voice
Wonderful as always, Uncle Greg!
Very excited for this one. Thanks for all your hard work! You are so talented.
Love this new thing that you are doing!
It's just a novelty stocking filler - normal dull audio will be resumed asap!
What a treat 😅Merry Christmas 🎄 and thank you 🙏🏻
Wonderful!!! Hoping there would be something around the closing of the year from Mr. Wagland! And pleasantly surprised was I with the added video feature! Typically I listen during my work, so didn't watch more than a few minutes, but I like it! Love this parody and you do a masterful job as usual! Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays to you too! Peace and Good Will I pray.
Always great to see a video from you!
Thanks for the new narration. 😂 Merry Christmas!
Thank you. Another wonderful production Merry Christmas Greg :)
And to you, La Quita! And a happy new year!
This is the best of TH-cam
Thanks TJS.
LOVE IT, LOVE IT! The man behind that magic voice!
Had a good laugh at this one and I'm sure you did too! Thank you, I needed it
Glad you enjoyed it!
I get so excited when I see one of these pop-up. Well done sir. Well done.
Greg! Sorry, I know I probably shouldn't call you Greg, but I must thank you. This delightful piece is what I will consider my first Christmas gift this year. Thank you!
Great interpretation, video effects to watch your reading, no regretst, very entertaining!
North Dakota USA winter storm and your amazing reading voice go great together! God bless you, your work and family!
Thanks Greg loved the video. Have a very happy Christmas and prosperous new year.
Very funny, accurate satire. Well read 👏 Greg!
What a fun little story! I love it! Nice video style too. 😉
You're a legend. Your videos help me to learn English.
Cheers. Thanks Marcelo. Glad it's helped.
Happy Christmas ❤ wonderfully read as usual x
And to you Katya7. Cheers!
Love the video format! Thank you and Happy New Year, Greg!
Mr Wagland you are a magician of words , well done
Thanks Nadya
I have to admit, I'm enjoying the 'Holmes' parodies quite a bit! Interesting to see that such a beloved, iconic charater was less beloved in his own time than the legend says!
Good parody requires a worthwhile subject, so I suspect these were hilarious at the time, as they certainly are now, because the characters of Holmes and Watson were so well known, so distinctive, and indeed so extensively beloved.
Another great read. Love listening to you read. Only thing is, when I listen to anyone else's audiobook I can scarce stand it.
I was just thinking about how cool a video performance would be from my favorite narrators. Greg, what a treat! Thank you and merry Christmas 🎄🎁
Have you done any of Doyle's Brigadier Gerard stories? They're very funny.
Wonderful Greg!!! Great to actually see you read!!
Ha! Thanks Soul Patch Piper! Kind of you.
Nice surprise to be able to see you reading! Very cool animation effect!
Thank you! Cheers!
Nice to see you, Greg!!!! Love this.
Love the new format Great to watch you read!
🎶🎵… "but then again, too few to mention", Greg! … ❤ ….. Thank you, thank you for this latest parody! It’s morning here so I won’t have time to listen till this evening. Can’t wait! Happy Christmas to you and yours from down under🎄🎄🎄🎄
😂🤣😂 that was hilarious, Greg. Well done!
Nice touch to see you read Mr Wagland, thanks 😊❤
Great video as always. 👍
That was excellent! Good to see your face too.
A wonderful story. Thank you.
Fun! Has a sort of MAD Magazine vibe (although written much earlier). Greg, you did a masterful job as always.
What a suprise! I would have never guessed to see you Greg!
loved it. happy xmas
Wow this was unexpected. Thank you Greg 👍🏿👍🏿
Thank you very much for your work.
Well, that was an over egged pudding....but still fun! Great reading as ever. Thank you. Season’s greetings to you and yours Greg.
Can you explain what an over egg pudding is / means, please?
Delightful. Many thanks 🙏🏻
Merry Christmas to you also and a very Happy New Year! 🎄
Enjoyed this format, and the story. As nearly everyone else has said, love your voice ❤️
Really cool to watch you work.
Happy Christmas to you, Greg and thank you for playing Father Christmas to your subscribers all year long…🎅🎄
so good to see you !
Wow, could Bret Harte write. This is a brilliant poke at Conan Doyle.
It's pretty good, ain't it?
Thank you for a wonderful reading 🥰
What a treat! Merry Christmas Greg!! 💗
How have I not read this story?! Nicely done! Happy New Year to you, too!
Thank you! You too!