The Royal Scandal

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Born in Toronto, R. H. Thomson received his extensive theatrical training at the National Theatre School in Montreal and London's Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. He earned a degree in science from the University of Toronto.

While training in England, he joined a Shakespearean company made up of American and British actors which toured in both countries.

Since then, he has performed in theatres across Canada and his stage credits include the Professor in Oleanna, Cyrano de Bergerac, Joseph Clout M.P. in Hand to Hand (1989 Dora Mavor Moore Award), Glenn Gould in Glenn, Hamlet in Hamlet, Marcus Antonius in Julius Caesar, Vladimir in Waiting for Godot, and Colin in Ashes.

On film, Thomson has played lead roles in Max, Lotus Eaters, The Quarrel, Defy Gravity, and principal roles in Ticket to Heaven, Les Beaux Souvenirs and If You Could See What I Hear (1989 Genie).

His extensive television credits include the roles of Milton Mound in Net Worth, Richardson in Canada's Sweetheart: The Saga of Hal C. Banks (directed by Donald Brittain), Dr. Frederick Banting in Glory Enough for All (1989 Gemini), Charlie Grant in Charlie Grant's War, Wilf Hawthorne in Heaven on Earth, a continuing role as Jasper Dale on CBC Television's Road to Avonlea and guest appearances on Moonlighting, and Scales of Justice.

He has also directed theatre productions of Comedy of Errors, Glenn, Glengarry Glenross, Happy End, and A Midsummer Night's Dream. Thomson was Artistic Director of the Harbourfront World Theatre Festival from 1991-92.
Biography copyright © 2001 CBC/SRC

In Muse Entertainment's two previous Sherlock mysteries, The Hound of the Baskervilles and The Sign of Four, Holmes is confident from the outset that those mysteries are easy to solve. But in The Royal Scandal, the world-famous detective's demeanour is shaken. This mystery is not straightforward.

"Throughout his investigation, Holmes is never really certain of what is going on," says Rodney Gibbons, the film's director. Gibbons also directed the first two films.

There are two reasons for Holmes's perplexity. The first is a notorious woman. The second is Holmes's own brother. And their minds are as sharp and formidable as his.

The woman is Irene Adler, a renowned beauty, opera star - and master criminal.

"They had crossed swords before, and she came out the winner," says Gibbons. "What makes it a lot worse is that Adler is the only woman Holmes has ever felt passion for. In his mind, she eclipses all other women because of her beauty, talent and intelligence."

Liliana Komorowska who, Gibbons says, "is also beautiful and talented beyond words," plays the role of Irene Adler. Komorowska, who is both a stage and film actress, was most recently seen in The Art of War. She also played in Screamers and Scanners III.

The story begins when the Crown Prince of Bohemia, who is to become the future Kaiser of the German Empire, hires Holmes to retrieve acutely embarrassing photographs covertly taken of him and Adler in her boudoir. If revealed, these photographs would jeopardize his upcoming marriage to the daughter of the King of Scandinavia. But Holmes suspects that Adler has loftier ambitions. Holmes believes that if Adler is involved, the case is darker, deadlier and much more mysterious.

Holmes's brother, Mycroft, also complicates the detective's work. Mycroft is the British government's Chief of Intelligence. He questions Holmes about the Crown Prince's visit. This makes Holmes suspect that the scandalous photographs are not all that the Crown Prince is after. The British have just developed a submarine that would increase their naval supremacy. The Germans want the plans and sure enough there is a traitor in the naval office who would sell these sensitive documents to them. Holmes finally sees through the charade but is rendered ineffective by his manipulative brother and his past feelings for Miss Adler.

The Royal Scandal is the third Sherlock Holmes adventure to feature Matt Frewer as Sherlock Holmes and Kenneth Welsh as Dr. Watson. Once again, the production was shot in Montreal utilizing much of the same cast and crew as in the two previous Muse Entertainment productions. The Royal Scandal combines elements of storylines based on A Scandal in Bohemia and The Bruce-Partington Plans. As with previous productions in this series, a US broadcast on the Hallmark Channel (formerly The Odyssey Channel) was followed by a later airing in Canada on CTV. A fourth production in this series - Sherlock Holmes and the White Chapel Vampire - has been announced by Hallmark.

Her U.S. film debut was in the 1983 feature War and Love, starring Kira Sedgwick, for Oscar-winning director Moshe Mizrah. She then went on to appear in a number of US daytime soaps including Another World (as Daphne Grimaldi), As the World Turns (as Angela Visconti), One Life to Live (as Anabella Corto). Komorowska also made appearances on Simon & Simon, The Equaliser, Kojak, The Cosby Show, and in the pilot for a new version of The Saint for CBS. On the big screen, she has appeared alongside Tom Selleck and Paulina Porizkova in Her Alibi. She then went on to feature in a number of films directed by her husband, Christian Duguay, including a lead role in Scanners III and a featured part in the under-rated sci-fi sleeper Screamers . Liliana's most recent film role was alongside Wesley Snipes in The Art of War.

More information on Liliana Komorowska? Click here.