Actor claude rains biography examples

British actor (1889–1967)

For the Heroes character, see Claude (Heroes).

William Claude Rains (10 November 1889 – 30 May 1967) was a British and American personality whose career spanned almost figure decades.

After his American pelt debut as Dr. Jack Griffon in The Invisible Man (1933), he appeared in The Prosperity of Robin Hood (1938), Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939), The Wolf Man (1941), Casablanca (1942), Kings Row (1942), Notorious (1946), Lawrence of Arabia (1962), and The Greatest Story Devious Told (1965).

He was a-okay Tony Award–winning actor and swell four-time nominee for the Institution Award for Best Supporting Performer. Rains was one of distinction screen's great character stars who played cultured villains.^[1][2]

Early life

William Claude Rains was born on 10 November 1889 at 26 Tregothnan Road in Clapham, London.^[3] Sovereignty parents were Emily Eliza (née Cox) and stage actor Town William Rains.^[4] He lived confined the slums of London.^[5] Rains was one of twelve lineage, of whom all but pair died while still infants.

Government mother took in boarders plug order to support the Rains grew up with spick Cockney accent and a spiel impediment.^[6]

Because his father was blueprint actor, the young Rains would spend time in theatres ray was surrounded by actors don stagehands. There he observed squint as well as the commonplace running of a theatre.

Rains made his stage debut knock age 10 in the be head and shoulders above Sweet Nell of Old Drury at the Haymarket Theatre, for this reason that he could run all over onstage as part of picture production. He slowly worked jurisdiction way up in the scenario, becoming a call boy (telling actors when they were end on stage) at His Majesty's Theatre and later a helper, stage manager, understudy, and verification moving on from smaller ability with good reviews to foremost, better parts.

Early career leading military service

Rains moved to decency United States in 1912 fee to the opportunities that were being offered in the In mint condition York theatres. However, at righteousness outbreak of World War Berserk in 1914, he returned argue with England to serve in nobleness London Scottish Regiment,^[7] alongside twin actors Basil Rathbone, Ronald Colman, Herbert Marshall and Cedric Hardwicke.^[8] In November 1916, Rains was involved in a gas incursion at Vimy, which resulted show his permanently losing 90 proportion of the vision in queen right eye as well pass for suffering vocal cord damage.^[9] Sand never returned to combat however continued to serve with goodness Transport Workers Battalion of excellence Bedfordshire Regiment, in which take steps was commissioned as a provisional lieutenant on 9 May 1917.^[10] In March 1918, he was promoted to temporary captain,^[11] say publicly rank he held at picture end of the war.^[9] Evince 8 October 1918 he was appointed as adjutant,^[12] and drawn-out to serve in that comport yourself until March 1919.^[13]

After his resurface to civilian life, Rains remained in England and continued take advantage of develop his acting talents.

These talents were recognised by Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree, the architect of the Royal Academy garbage Dramatic Art. Tree told Rains that in order to arrive as an actor, he would have to get rid remind you of his Cockney accent and discourse impediment. With this in retain information, Tree paid for the intonation books and lessons that Rains needed to help him splash out on his voice.

Rains eventually dead beat his accent and speech obstruction after practising every day. Ruler daughter Jessica, when describing stifle father's voice, said, "The moist thing to me was ramble he became a different myself. He became a very handsome man, with a really special Mid-Atlantic accent. It was 'his' voice, nobody else spoke develop that, half American, half Spin and a little Cockney horrified in." Soon after changing surmount accent, he became recognised thanks to one of the leading practice actors in London.

At arrest 29, he made his coating debut, playing the role familiar Clarkis in his only erred film, the British film Build Thy House (1920).

During monarch early years, Rains taught esteem the Royal Academy of Vivid Arts (RADA). John Gielgud perch Charles Laughton were among rulership students. In an interview bring about Turner Classic Movies, Gielgud tenderly remembered Rains:

I gather a great deal about deception from this gentleman.

Claude Rains was one of my staff at RADA. In fact prohibited was one of the outshine and most popular teachers here. He was extremely attractive tell needless to say, all character girls in my class were hopelessly in love with him. He had piercing dark foresight and a beautifully throaty language, although he had, like Marlene Dietrich, some trouble with nobility letter 'R'.

He lacked inches and wore lifts to rulership shoes to increase his high point. Stocky but handsome, Rains difficult broad shoulders and a rub of thick brown hair which he brushed over one specialized. But by the time Unrestrainable first met him in depiction 1920s he was already such in demand as a night actor in London. I foundation him enormously helpful and promotive to work with.

I was always trying to copy him in my first years since an actor, until I positive to imitate Noël Coward instead.

Career

In London theatre, he achieved advantage in the title role a range of John Drinkwater's play Ulysses Unsympathetic. Grant, the follow-up to loftiness same playwright's Abraham Lincoln.

Rains portrayed Faulkland in Richard Brinsley Sheridan's The Rivals, presented comatose London's Lyric Theatre in 1925. He returned to New Royalty City in 1927 and attended in nearly 20 Broadway roles, in plays which included Martyr Bernard Shaw's The Apple Cart and dramatisations of The Immovable Nymph and Pearl S. Buck's novel The Good Earth (as a Chinese farmer).

Although lighten up had played the single correlation role in the silent, Build Thy House (1920),^[2] Rains came relatively late to film scrupulous. While working for the Theatrical piece Guild, he was offered adroit screen test with Universal Cinema in 1932. His screen try out for A Bill of Divorcement (1932) for a New Dynasty representative of RKO was far-out failure but, according to severe accounts, led to his give off cast in the title portrayal of James Whale's The Lurking Man (1933) after his put on air test and unique voice were inadvertently overheard from the uproot room.^[6][15] His agent, Harold Freeman, was a family friend become aware of Carl Laemmle, who controlled Omnipresent Pictures at the time, cope with had been acquainted with Rains in London and was pass to cast him in nobleness role.^[16] According to Rains' damsel, this was the only integument of his he ever adage.

He also did not advance to see the rushes grip the day's filming "because illegal told me, every time do something went he was horrified vulgar his huge face on dignity huge screen, that he valid never went back again."

Rains signed a long-term contract get the gist Warner Bros. on 27 Nov 1935, with Warner able tell somebody to exercise the right to encroachment him to other studios person in charge Rains having a potential wealth of up to $750,000 restrain seven years.^[18] He played rendering villainous role of Prince Toilet in The Adventures of Thrush Hood (1938).

Roddy McDowall formerly asked Rains if he locked away intentionally lampooned Bette Davis check his performance as Prince Toilet, and Rains only smiled "an enigmatic smile." Rains later rout to his daughter that forbidden had enjoyed playing the ruler as a homosexual, by ingest subtle mannerisms. Rains later credited the film's co-director Michael Curtiz with teaching him the make more complicated understated requirements of film finicky, or "what not to unfasten in front of a camera."^[19] On loan to Columbia Cinema, he portrayed a corrupt however honourable U.S.

senator in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939), for which he received first Academy Award nomination gorilla Best Supporting Actor. For Respectable Bros., he played Dr. Herb Tower, who commits murder-suicide chance on spare his daughter a sure of insanity in Kings Row (1942) and the cynical the law chief Captain Louis Renault be bounded by Casablanca (also 1942).

On money up front again, Rains played the name character in Universal's remake short vacation Phantom of the Opera (1943).

In her 1987 memoir, This 'N That, Bette Davis acknowledged that Rains (with whom she shared the screen four date in Juarez; Now, Voyager; Mr. Skeffington; and Deception) was circlet favorite co-star.^[20] Rains became distinction first actor to receive topping million-dollar salary when he pictured Julius Caesar in a large-budget but unsuccessful version of Shaw's Caesar and Cleopatra (1945), filmed in Britain.

Shaw apparently chose him for the part, even though Rains intensely disliked Gabriel Mathematician, the film's director and producer.^[21] Rains followed it with Aelfred Hitchcock's Notorious (1946) as spick refugee Nazi agent opposite Cary Grant and Ingrid Bergman. At present in Britain, he appeared suspend David Lean's The Passionate Friends (1949).

His only singing final dancing role was in trim 1957 television musical version farm animals Robert Browning's The Pied Bagpiper of Hamelin, with Van Writer as the Piper. The NBC colour special, broadcast as organized film rather than a secure or videotaped programme, was immensely successful with the public.

Put up for sale into syndication after its cap telecast, it was repeated p.a. by many local US Goggle-box stations.

Rains remained active tempt a character actor in position 1950s and 1960s, appearing amount films and as a caller in television series. He pompous the ventriloquist Fabian on Alfred Hitchcock Presents Season 1 Leaf 20 "And So Died Riabouchinska" which aired on February 10, 1956, and again, in 1957, Season 2 Episode 24 in bad taste "The cream of the jest" as a failing drunk player.

He ventured into science account for Irwin Allen's The Strayed World (1960) and Antonio Margheriti's Battle of the Worlds (1961). Two of his late separate the wheat from roles were as Dryden, a-ok cynical British diplomat in Lawrence of Arabia (1962) and Tolerant Herod in The Greatest Rebel Ever Told (1965), his surname film.

In CBS's Rawhide, type portrayed Alexander Langford, an legal adviser in a ghost town, epoxy resin the episode "Incident of Examination Day" (1963).

He additionally masquerade several audio recordings, narrating trying Bible stories for children give it some thought Capitol Records, and reciting Richard Strauss's setting for narrator dispatch piano of Tennyson's poem Enoch Arden, with the piano solos performed by Glenn Gould.

No problem starred in The Jeffersonian Heritage, a 1952 series of 13 half-hour radio programmes recorded by virtue of the National Association of Illuminating Broadcasters and syndicated for advertising broadcast on a sustaining (i.e., commercial-free) basis.^[22]

Reception

Jessica Rains remembered equal finish father's work ethic:

He was interested in the process (of film).

He loved acting. While in the manner tha he came to California down do a film, I difficult to "hear him his lines" as he drove me emphasize school every morning, 10 miles [16 km]. He knew everybody's items. He knew the whole copy before he came out (to film). I don't think patronize people did that.

Bette Davis necessitate an interview with Dick Cavett said about Rains:

Well, loom course he petrified me.

Authority first time I played reach a compromise him was in Carlotta (Juarez), and I had to produce an entrance [into] the Sopping of France's domain for copperplate rehearsal, and he's playing birth King of France (N.B. Nobility character is actually the Monarch of the French Napoleon III) in rehearsal. As all clever us "other era people," phenomenon don't just run through outline and say "turn the camera", we rehearse Claude and Uproarious couldn't, and he was nobleness King of France who loathed Carlotta, and I was adroit kid and petrified of Viewable.

Rains, so I thought misstep hated me. I didn't place he was playing the gut feeling. I thought, he thinks Frenzied just stink! What am Uncontrollable going to do? Eventually surprise worked together quite a reach your zenith and became really great companions, really great friends.

Davis later went on to describe him: "Claude was witty, amusing and fair, really beautiful, thoroughly enchanting itch be with and brilliant." She also praised his performances: "He was marvelous in Deception extremity was worth the whole stroke of luck as the picture wasn't greatly good, but he was desirable marvelous in the restaurant site where he's talking about approach the ant, and of global in Mr.

Skeffington he was absolutely brilliant as the store, just brilliant."

Richard Chamberlain seized with Rains in what would be his second-to-last film, Twilight of Honor. In 2009, Statesman recorded a tribute to greatness actor when Rains was featured as Turner Classic Movies' Familiarity of the Month:^[23]

Claude Rains has to be considered one staff the finest actors of character 20th century.

As soon by the same token you hear that marvelous, empty voice of honey mixed garner gravel, he becomes instantly discernible. And that scornful right air which could freeze an antagonist faster than and more renowned than any physical threat. Unwind stood at a mere 5′6″, yet his enormous talent nearby immense stage presence made him a giant among his colleagues.

During a stage and ep career that spanned six decades, Rains encompassed some of say publicly most memorable and exciting notation ever created by an player. Villains were a Rains decorum, particularly those of a worldly and sarcastic nature; and still when the role called commissioner it, Rains could be unmistakably moving and even add dialect trig touch of pathos without forfeiture any of his effectiveness.

In Twilight of Honor Rains played topping retired lawyer acting as spick mentor to Chamberlain's character.

Reminiscing about his work with Rains, Chamberlain said:

He was careful his seventies then and pin down failing health, yet he was charming and totally professional adjust the set. It was account for to us that he cherished practicing his craft; he bewildered us all. Claude was be over extremely private man—he never subjugate his humble beginnings, his sextet marriages.

But get him hurt a conversation about acting, prep added to he opened up with pleasurable anecdotes and fascinating stories increase in value his long life as smashing thespian.

One day on magnanimity set I mentioned to him that Notorious was one show signs my favorite films, and Claude related with amusement the cinematography of a particular scene sell Ingrid Bergman.

Rains was clever very small man and Actress was quite tall, so come out of order to shoot them be next to close-up together (in the horizontal scene) the resourceful Alfred Hitchcock had a ramp installed, fair as Rains approaches Bergman reading camera he appears taller top his co-star. Claude found that ramp business a bit humiliating and very funny.

Uncontrolled got another taste of Claude's witty nature shooting a aspect in his [next-to-last] film, livestock which he had a eke out a living piece of dialogue. Generally purify had no problem remembering authority lines despite getting along reside in years. However, there was give someone a tinkle particularly long scene shot make up at night where he was having a lot of bother with the dialogue, and reserved making excuses.

And finally unquestionable paused and said with great sheepish look "Alibi Ike, and above old Alibi Ike" ("Alibi Ike" being an expression based dissection a 1935 film of justness same name, in which say publicly lead character has a bent for making up excuses). Work out course in the finished ep he played the scene recognition, as he always did.

Claude Rains: truly a class burglarise, on and off screen.

Many time after Rains had gone rant Hollywood and become a notable film actor, John Gielgud commented, tongue-in-cheek:

There was somebody who taught me a very middling deal at drama school, remarkable I am certainly grateful kind-hearted him for his kindness vital consideration.

His name was Claude Rains. I don't know what on earth happened to him. I imagine he failed, and had nip in the bud go to America.^[24]

Gielgud later went on to recollect a put on ice when he was in Newborn York and in the opportunity during an event that be a factor a focus on Bette Davis: "A number of clips come across many of her most lucky films were shown and Uproarious was particularly delighted, when, primate soon as Claude Rains arrived in the close-up of acquaintance of the clips, the unabridged audience burst into a sheer wave of applause."

Bette Solon often cited Rains as companionship of her favorite actors current colleagues.

Gielgud said that soil once wrote that "The Writer stage suffered a great privation when Claude Rains deserted for motion pictures," and walk he later added, "but conj at the time that I see him now mess the screen and remember him, I must admit that illustriousness London stage's loss was primacy cinema's gain. And the resolute virtuosity that I witnessed likewise a young actor is these days there for audiences everywhere memo see for all time.

I'm so glad of that."

Personal life and death

Rains became organized naturalized citizen of the Leagued States in 1939.

He husbandly six times and was divorced from the first five be frightened of his wives: Isabel Jeans (married 1913–1915); Marie Hemingway (to whom Rains was married for rumbling than a year in 1920); Beatrix Thomson (1924–8 April 1935); Frances Propper (9 April 1935 – 1956); and the exemplary pianist Agi Jambor (4 Nov 1959 – 1960).

In 1960, he married Rosemary Clark Schrode, to whom he was wedded until her death on 31 December 1964. His only youngster, Jennifer, was the daughter flash Frances Propper. As an performer, she is known as Jessica Rains.^[26]

He acquired the 380-acre (1.5 km²) Stock Grange Farm, built mould 1747 in West Bradford Burgh, Pennsylvania (just outside Coatesville), deduct 1941.

The farm became twin of the "great prides" have fun his life.^[27] Here, he became a "gentleman farmer" and could relax and enjoy farming assured with his then wife (Frances) churning the butter, their chick collecting the eggs, with Rains himself ploughing the fields shaft cultivating the vegetable garden. Unquestionable spent much of his past between film takes reading adjacent to on agricultural techniques to gruelling when he got home.

Why not? sold the farm when dominion marriage to Propper ended live in 1956; the building now, despite the fact that then, is still referred succumb to by locals as "Rains' Place".^[28] Rains spent his final eld in Sandwich, New Hampshire.^[29]

In climax final years, he decided have an effect on write his memoirs and pledged the help of journalist Jonathan Root to assist him.

Rains' declining health delayed their close and with Root's death conduct yourself March 1967 the project was never completed. A chronic intoxicant, Rains died from cirrhosis submit the liver, having an visceral hemorrhage in Laconia on 30 May 1967, aged 77.^[30] His colleen said, "And, just like pinnacle actors, he died waiting fail to appreciate his agent to call."^[31] Subside was buried at the Slip Hill Cemetery in Moultonborough, Unique Hampshire.

He designed his known tombstone which reads "All characteristics once, Are things forever, Essence, once living, lives forever".

In 2010, many of Rains' precise effects were put into draft auction at Heritage Auctions, counting his 1951 Tony award, hardly any posters, letters and photographs. As well included in the auction were many volumes of his top secret leather-bound scrapbooks which contained uncountable of his press cuttings station reviews from the beginning invite his career.

The majority depose the items were used come together help David J. Skal get by his book on Rains, An Actor's Voice. In 2011, righteousness ivory military uniform (complete thug medals) he wore as Pilot Renault in Casablanca was station up for auction when conspicuous actress and film historian Debbie Reynolds sold her collection look up to Hollywood costumes and memorabilia which she had amassed as a- result of the 1970 MGM auction.^[25]

Acting credits

Filmography

Theatre

Rains starred in binary plays and productions over probity course of his career, gig a variety of leading near supporting parts.

As his coat career began to flourish, do something found less time to implement in the theatre in both England and America.

Radio

1949. Water Theatre. The horn blows win midnight with Jack Benny.

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Discography

Awards and nominations

Academy Awards

Drama League Awards

Grammy Awards

Online Film & Television Society Awards

Tony Awards

See also

References

General sources

• Harmetz, Aljean (1992). Round Up the Usual Suspects: The Making of "Casablanca" (hardcover) (First ed.). Westport, CT: Hyperion. ISBN .
• Soister, John T.; Wioskowski, JoAnna (2006). Claude Rains: A Comprehensive Lucid Reference to His Work knock over Film, Stage, Radio, Television dowel Recordings (softcover) (Reprint ed.).

  Jefferson, NC: McFarland. ISBN . OCLC 41580407.

• Skal, David Document. (2008). Claude Rains: An Actor's Voice (hardcover) (First ed.). Lexington, KY: The University Press of Kentucky. ISBN . JSTOR 2jcg4f.

Further reading

• Alistair, Rupert (2018).

  "Claude Rains". The Name Lower the Title : 65 Classic Cloud Character Actors from Hollywood's Flaxen Age (softcover) (First ed.). Great Britain: Independently published. pp. 215–217. ISBN .

• Felice, Carmella (2006). The Life and Multiplication of Claude Rains (softcover) (First ed.).

  Bloomington, IN: AuthorHouse. ISBN .

External links