Sherlock Holmes
Sherlock Holmes is well-loved by readers, believing that he was once a real-life detective. The author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, however, actually based the stories and identity of Sherlock on a British surgeon named Joseph Bell. What an unexpected twist!
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Zorro
Another famous hero who turned out to be completely fictitious – Zorro – the renowned swordsman in a black mask riding a black horse. Zorro might tell of legends passed down in history, but he himself was a legend, one created by Johnston McCulley. That being said, Zorro was inspired by a real thief from the 19th century, Joaquin Murrieta.