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Claude Rains
Actor
Born November 9, 1889Died May 30, 1967 (77 years)
Claude Rains (10 November 1889 – 30 May 1967) was an English stage and film actor whose career spanned 47 years; he later held American citizenship. He was known for many roles in Hollywood films, among them the title role in The Invisible Man (1933), a corrupt senator in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939), and, perhaps his most famous performance, Captain Renault in Casablanca (1942).
Rains was born William Claude Rains in Camberwell, London on November 10, 1889. He grew up, according to his daughter, with "a very serious cockney accent and a speech impediment". His father was British stage actor Frederick Rains, and the young Rains made his stage debut at 11 in Nell of Old Drury.
His acting talents were recognised by Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree, founder of The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. Tree paid for the elocution lessons Rains needed in order to succeed as an actor. Later, Rains taught at the institution, teaching John Gielgud and Laurence Olivier, among others.
Rains served in the First World War in the London Scottish Regiment, with fellow actors Basil Rathbone, Ronald Colman and Herbert Marshall. Rains was involved in a gas attack that left him nearly blind in one eye for the rest of his life. However, the war did aid his social advancement and, by its end, he had risen from the rank of Private to Captain.
Rains began his career in the London theatre, having a success in the title role of John Drinkwater's play Ulysses S. Grant, the follow-up to the playwright's major hit Abraham Lincoln, and traveled to Broadway in the late 1920s to act in leading roles in such plays as Shaw's The Apple Cart and in the dramatizations of The Constant Nymph, and Pearl S. Buck's novel The Good Earth, as a Chinese farmer.
Rains came relatively late to film acting and his first screen test was a failure, but his distinctive voice won him the title role in James Whale's The Invisible Man (1933) when someone accidentally overheard his screen test being played in the next room. Rains later credited director Michael Curtiz with teaching him the more understated requirements of film acting, or "what not to do in front of a camera".
Rains was born William Claude Rains in Camberwell, London on November 10, 1889. He grew up, according to his daughter, with "a very serious cockney accent and a speech impediment". His father was British stage actor Frederick Rains, and the young Rains made his stage debut at 11 in Nell of Old Drury.
His acting talents were recognised by Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree, founder of The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. Tree paid for the elocution lessons Rains needed in order to succeed as an actor. Later, Rains taught at the institution, teaching John Gielgud and Laurence Olivier, among others.
Rains served in the First World War in the London Scottish Regiment, with fellow actors Basil Rathbone, Ronald Colman and Herbert Marshall. Rains was involved in a gas attack that left him nearly blind in one eye for the rest of his life. However, the war did aid his social advancement and, by its end, he had risen from the rank of Private to Captain.
Rains began his career in the London theatre, having a success in the title role of John Drinkwater's play Ulysses S. Grant, the follow-up to the playwright's major hit Abraham Lincoln, and traveled to Broadway in the late 1920s to act in leading roles in such plays as Shaw's The Apple Cart and in the dramatizations of The Constant Nymph, and Pearl S. Buck's novel The Good Earth, as a Chinese farmer.
Rains came relatively late to film acting and his first screen test was a failure, but his distinctive voice won him the title role in James Whale's The Invisible Man (1933) when someone accidentally overheard his screen test being played in the next room. Rains later credited director Michael Curtiz with teaching him the more understated requirements of film acting, or "what not to do in front of a camera".
Movies & Shows on Plex
Known For
Filmography
| 2019 | Sunset Over Mulholland Drive · as Captain Louis Renault |
| 2013 | Highland Park · as Senator Paine |
| 2011 | Lost Forever · as Captain Louis Renault |
| 2008 | Hollywood contra Franco · as Captain Louis Renault |
| 2000 | The Opera Ghost: A Phantom Unmasked · as Erique Claudin (archive Footage) |
| 1998 | Universal Horror · as Cast |
| 1995 | Svengoolie (TV Series) · as Dr. Jack Griffin/the Invisible Man |
| 1989 | When Harry Met Sally... · as Captain Louis Renault |
| 1987 | James Stewart: A Wonderful Life - Hosted by Johnny Carson · as Senator Joseph Paine |
| 1982 | Coming Soon · as Edited From 'the Wolfman' |
| 1979 | The Horror Show · as (archive Footage) |
| 1966 | The Wolfman · as Sir John Talbot |
| 1965 | The Greatest Story Ever Told · as King Herod |
| 1963 | Twilight of Honor · as Art Harper |
| 1963 | Bob Hope Presents The Chrysler Theatre (TV Series) · as Mr. Fare |
| 1962 | Lawrence of Arabia · as Mr. Dryden |
| 1962 | Sam Benedict (TV Series) |
| 1961 | Battle of the Worlds · as Professor Benson |
| 1961 | Dr. Kildare (TV Series) · as Edward Fredericks |
| 1961 | The DuPont Show of the Week (TV Series) · as Baron Van Der Zost |
| 1960 | The Lost World · as Prof. George Edward Challenger |
| 1960 | Mel-O-Toons (TV Series) · as Narrator |
| 1959 | This Earth Is Mine · as Philippe Rambeau |
| 1959 | Rawhide (TV Series) · as Alexander Longford |
| 1958 | Naked City (TV Series) · as John Winfield Weston |
| 1957 | The Pied Piper of Hamelin · as Mayor Of Hamelin |
| 1957 | Wagon Train (TV Series) · as Judge Daniel Clay |
| 1956 | Playhouse 90 (TV Series) · as Judge Dan Haywood |
| 1956 | Lisbon · as Aristides Mavros |
| 1956 | Kaiser Aluminum Hour (TV Series) · as Creon |
| 1955 | Alcoa Hour (TV Series) · as Paul Westman |
| 1955 | Alfred Hitchcock Presents (TV Series) · as Charles Gresham |
| 1952 | The Man Who Watched Trains Go By · as Kees Popinga |
| 1952 | Omnibus (TV Series) · as Father (segment "the Confidential Clerk") |
| 1951 | Hallmark Hall Of Fame (TV Series) · as Mr. Brink |
| 1951 | Sealed Cargo · as Capt. Henrik Skalder |
| 1950 | Where Danger Lives · as Frederick Lannington |
| 1950 | The White Tower · as Paul Delambre |
| 1949 | Song of Surrender · as Elisha Hunt |
| 1949 | Rope of Sand · as Arthur 'fred' Martingale |
| 1949 | The Passionate Friends · as Howard Justin |
| 1947 | The Unsuspected · as Victor Grandison |
| 1947 | Kraft Television Theatre (TV Series) · as Narrator |
| 1946 | Deception · as Alexander Hollenius |
| 1946 | Angel on My Shoulder · as Nick |
| 1946 | Notorious · as Alexander Sebastian |
| 1945 | Caesar and Cleopatra · as Julius Caesar |
| 1945 | This Love of Ours · as Joseph Targel |
| 1945 | Strange Holiday · as John Stevenson |
| 1944 | Mr. Skeffington · as Job Skeffington |
| 1944 | Passage to Marseille · as Captain Freycinet |
| 1943 | Phantom of the Opera · as Erique Claudin |
| 1943 | Forever and a Day · as Ambrose Pomfret |
| 1942 | Casablanca · as Captain Louis Renault |
| 1942 | Now, Voyager · as Dr. Jaquith |
| 1942 | Moontide · as Nutsy |
| 1942 | Kings Row · as Alexander Tower |
| 1941 | The Wolf Man · as Sir John Talbot |
| 1941 | Here Comes Mr. Jordan · as Mr. Jordan |
| 1941 | Four Mothers · as Adam Lemp |
| 1940 | Lady with Red Hair · as David Belasco |
| 1940 | The Sea Hawk · as Don José Alvarez De Cordoba |
| 1940 | Saturday's Children · as Mr. Henry Halevy |
| 1939 | Four Wives · as Adam Lemp |
| 1939 | Mr. Smith Goes to Washington · as Joseph Paine |
| 1939 | Daughters Courageous · as Jim Masters |
| 1939 | Land of Liberty · as Cast |
| 1939 | Juarez · as Emperor Louis Napoleon Iii |
| 1939 | They Made Me a Criminal · as Det. Monty Phelan |
| 1938 | Four Daughters · as Adam Lemp |
| 1938 | The Adventures of Robin Hood · as Prince John |
| 1938 | Gold Is Where You Find It · as Colonel Ferris |
| 1938 | White Banners · as Paul Ward |
| 1937 | They Won't Forget · as District Attorney Andrew J. Griffin |
| 1937 | The Prince and the Pauper · as Earl Of Hertford |
| 1937 | Stolen Holiday · as Stefan Orloff |
| 1936 | Anthony Adverse · as Marquis Don Luis |
| 1936 | Hearts Divided · as Napoleon Bonaparte |
| 1935 | |
| 1935 | The Last Outpost · as John Stevenson |
| 1935 | The Clairvoyant · as Maximus |
| 1935 | Mystery of Edwin Drood · as John Jasper |
| 1934 | The Man Who Reclaimed His Head · as Paul Verin |
| 1934 | Crime Without Passion · as Lee Gentry |
| 1933 | The Invisible Man · as Dr. Jack Griffin |
| 1920 | Build Thy House · as Clarkis |