Figure 1.--A deadly spider is used to kill Holmes desguised as Singh. The only clue for Holmes to work on are the spider and a child's footprint. Holmes then appears in his own persona and consults archeologists.

Universal made a series of Sherlock Holmes films between 1939 and 1946. Basil Rathborne played Holmes. One of these universal films was the 'The Spider Woman'. We note children figured in the plot. The film is set in World War II Britain. Some of the World War II Holmes films featured NAZI spies, but not this one. Holmes in vestigates a series of unexplained "pyjama suicides"--all involving noted gambers. Holmes suspects Jeremy Perkins. To persue the case, Holmes stages his own death. He then takes on the identity of Rajni Singh, a retired Indian soldier a paralyzed arm. To attract attention Singh loses money in a casino. He then writes a bad check, He stages a suiside. Then the shadowy Andrea Spedding steps in and offers a loan. Soon afterward a deadly spider is used to kill Singh. The only clue for Holmes to work on are the spider and a child's footprint. Holmes then appears in his own persona and consults archeologists. A British reader writes, " The child is a red herring to throw Holmes off the scent. The foot prints belong to a pygmy who is the one firing poisoned darts at the victims. The poison sends the victims crazy and they commit suicide. 'Dash it Mary. Where is Holmes! He would get to the bottomd of these Pyjama suicides!' This is a very interesting page to me oersonally. I was a real Shelock Holmes fan. I recall how as a 12 year old boy I would rush home from the YMCA gym club every Wednesday night to watch these films. TV was still relatively new. And these fims were serialised on TV. I think they started at 9:30 PM. My parents let me stay up to watch them. A good way to make sure I was a helpful son. In trouble and no Sherlock Holmes film treat. Sometimes it was touch and go when a 12 year old got into mischief. 'No Sherlock Holmes film for you lad!' However, when it was time for the film I always got to see it. 'Now be a good lad!'"

Created: 2:54 PM 4/15/2007
Last updated: 4:43 AM 4/16/2007