Interesting Interview: Rudy Altergott

One of the newest member of the Baker Street Irregulars is this week's Interesting Interview, Rudy Altergott!  If you've been active in Sherlockiana over the past few years, this name or face my be familiar to you because Rudy is a force of nature!  His energy and zeal about Sherlockiana is contagious.  To talk with him is to be immediately swept up in a deep conversation.  And who know where that conversation will go?  It could get you digging into the minutiae of your favorite story or brainstorming ideas for local scion events!

Rudy is also one of the most gracious guys out there.  As someone who's relatively new to this hobby of ours, he is quick to give credit to those who have come before him and always eager to learn from other Sherlockians.  It's no wonder that he was invested into the BSI this January; Rudy seems to be a lifer at every interest he takes up!

How do you define the word “Sherlockian”?

I have read so many of these interviews and appreciated that among the answers, there is not one single definition. To me, the flexible definition of a Sherlockian would include being someone who loves Sherlock Holmes and detective fiction, who has either read the Sacred Writings in full or in part or has a familiarity with them and wants to learn more, who writes or produces content related to Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson and Arthur Conan Doyle, et al., and who attends in-person or virtual scion meetings. Again, I do not think you have to be a Canonical expert. Honestly, I have not read it in its entirety, but have read most of it (I am keeping the shilling, thank you very much!). And someone can be a Sherlockian without attending scion meetings, like my friend Greg Redding, dean of students at our alma mater, Wabash College. Perhaps the definition could simply be someone who loves Sherlock Holmes and detective fiction. 

How did you become a Sherlockian?

I was introduced to Sherlockiana proper like Holmes and Watson, by a certain ‘Young Stamford.' I met Terry McCammon, not long before he was to receive that investiture, through my Masonic lodge where he was a regular visitor and is a honorary member. He mentioned Hugo’s Companions when I was visiting his home and woodshop one Saturday in October 2017, and the next dinner was in December. I was invited to attend, did so, and have kept coming since. 

What is your profession and does that affect how you enjoy being a Sherlockian?

My current work is as a surgical records manager. Truthfully, it does not really affect me as a Sherlockian. What it has done is brought me even closer to my father and namesake, Dr. Rudy Altergott, Sr., of whom I am most proud, and from whom, like my mother, Dr. Karen Heidkamp, I inherited a love of reading. 

What is your favorite canonical story?

This is a tough question to answer. I may have to say BRUC since I have always loved spy stories, and would include NAVA and SECO along this line. Once when he was in Chicago, over cocktails in Sinatra’s booth at the Pump Room, Dan Andriacco told me that he thought BRUC could arguably be the best story under certain criteria. HOUN is the theme of Chicagoland scions and has some of my favorite lines of Conan Doyle, also showcasing his masterful ways of revealing the truth behind the seemingly supernatural in the Canon. I also feel I must plug VALL and LAST because of my research on Birdy Edwards, Sherlock Holmes (‘Mr. Altamont of Chicago’), and the infiltration of secret societies in the Canon. The denouement of LAST may be my favorite scene in the Canon, but then there is Holmes’ reveal in EMPT. I could keep going on but won’t, for your sake, Rob, and the readers’. 

Who is a specific Sherlockian that you think others would find interesting?

I want to highlight George Sheetz of Batavia, Illinois, a Sherlockian of 40-plus years now. Kind and soft-spoken, a retired librarian, he is also one of the most hilarious folk I know. I consider him among my mentors even though he is one of those who treats you like an equal. Every time I am with him, and in the immediate aftermath, I am on cloud nine. 

What subset of Sherlockiana really interests you?

I suppose I would say Sherlockian cinephiles or Sherlockians who write on military history. Both of these topics in general are among my lifelong interests. I really regret not introducing myself to Sherlockian film expert Russell Merritt, the last Sherlockian face I saw before departing the ASH Brunch for LaGuardia during the 2023 BSI Weekend. 

Chicago is a city with many different scion societies.  What is the Sherlockian scene like with so many different groups up there?

There are many different avenues that are their own. The thing I would like to see are more young folk like myself. At the same time, I try to listen and learn from those who have long been involved, and there is much to be gleaned.

Your chapter in the book Holmes and Me is titled "How Sherlockiana Has Helped Me Through Covid-19."  How was Sherlockiana a life raft for you during that time?

It not only made me take the Canon seriously and read more of it for the first time, not only made me read more books in general and become a serious book collector because of Starrett and Morley and authors and books and series that other Sherlockians recommended, it also introduced me to dear, dear friends and made me more comfortable to put myself out there, to introduce myself to the ‘big wigs’ via Zoom. In the final analysis, Sherlockiana during lockdown gave my life new purpose and direction and helped me commit to a life in letters. 

What book would you recommend to other Sherlockians?

I would recommend anything by David Baldacci. I am convinced he is a Sherlockian in all but affiliation. A portrait of Conan Doyle is featured in his Master Class course, and he has said that reading The Adventures, specifically SPEC, was an eye-opening experience for him as a kid. He also incorporates Sherlockian tropes in his stories, like disguises, one of my favorite features of the Canon. A good starting point would be his novel Memory Man (2015). The title character, Amos Decker, is a bit like Holmes. A former pro football player, his IQ is heightened to genius level after a brain injury during play. He becomes a police officer and later a private investigator driven to solve the murder of his family. Baldacci’s books are hard to put down. 

Where do you see Sherlockiana in 5 or 10 years from now?

Frankly, I am optimistic. Wiggins seems receptive to approving new scions, depending on their purpose and such, and some defunct scions have even been resurrected. Who knows? I would not be surprised if, within the next decade, there will be new, stimulating conferences in places in the U.S. and abroad that one might not have imagined. What excites me most is the likelihood of making new friends in that nearer term. This not only expands the Rolodex, it offers more opportunity to learn. (‘Education never ends, Watson…’)