James Ryder – Mitch Thompson

Mitch became a fan of Sherlock Holmes at an early age watching movies starring Basil Rathbone on WGN “Family Classics” out of Chicago with Frasier Thomas. The 1980’s and 1990’s brought the definitive Holmes, Jeremy Brett and Mitch’s love for Sherlock Homes grew. Mitch attended the University of Iowa and majored in Astronomy. He owns Looking Glass Optical in Coralville Iowa and has been an Optician for 29 years.
He and his wife Mary are co-founders of The Brass Gears Adventurers Society, a Steampunk group located in Iowa. Both have appeared in the Trans Iowa Canal Company West, a theatre group located in Des Moines and on Brass Gears Adventure Radio, a traveling Steampunk themed radio show. Mitch also reenacts Theodore Roosevelt on occasion and is a member of “The Younger Stamfords”, a Sherlock Holmes society in Iowa City.
Mitch and Mary have two college age children, Alexandra and James.