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Basil Rathbone

Acting Born Jun 13, 1892 Died Jul 21, 1967 Johannesburg, South African Republic 132 credits

Biography

Basil Rathbone was an English actor who rose to prominence in England as a Shakespearean stage actor. He appeared in over 70 films, primarily costume dramas, swashbucklers, and horror films, often portraying suave villains or morally ambiguous characters. He played notable roles such as Murdstone in David Copperfield and Sir Guy of Gisbourne in The Adventures of Robin Hood. Rathbone is also famous for his portrayal of Sherlock Holmes in fourteen Hollywood films and a radio series. His career included Broadway and television work, earning him a Tony Award in 1948 as Best Actor.

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Frequent co-stars

Career timeline

The Adventures of Errol Flynn
In the Footsteps of Sherlock Holmes
Dracula in the Movies
Frankenstein: A Cinematic Scrapbook
The Great Mouse Detective
The Many Faces of Sherlock Holmes
The Horror of It All
The Horror Show
Madhouse
The Movie OrgyAutopsy of a Ghost
Soldier in LoveHillbillys in a Haunted House
The Ghost in the Invisible BikiniSummer FunQueen of Blood
Voyage to the Prehistoric Planet
The Comedy of Terrors
Burke's Law
The Merv Griffin ShowTales of TerrorThe Magic SwordPontius PilateTwo Before Zero
Dr. KildareVictoria ReginaMystic Prophecies and Nostradamus
The Black Cat
A Christmas CarolTales from Dickens
The Last HurrahHans Brinker or the Silver SkatesAladdin
DuPont Show of the MonthThe Lark
The Black SleepAffair in SumatraThe Stingiest Man in Town
Screen Director's PlayhouseWe're No AngelsThe Court Jester
Casanova's Big NightA Christmas CarolThe General's Boots
Hallmark Hall of FameHallmark Hall of FameHallmark Hall of FameHallmark Hall of FameSchlitz Playhouse of Stars
What's My Line?The Jack Benny ProgramLux Video TheatreLux Video TheatreLux Video Theatre
Lights OutSuspenseSuspenseThe Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. ToadThe Wind in the Willows
Studio One
Terror by NightDressed to KillHeartbeat
The Woman in GreenPursuit to AlgiersThe House of Fear

Full filmography

  • The Adventures of Errol Flynn (2005) as Self / Various Roles (archive sound) (archive footage)
  • In the Footsteps of Sherlock Holmes (1996)
  • Dracula in the Movies (1992) as (archive footage)
  • Frankenstein: A Cinematic Scrapbook (1991) as Baron Wolf von Frankenstein (archive footage)
  • The Great Mouse Detective (1986) as Sherlock Holmes (voice)
  • The Many Faces of Sherlock Holmes (1985) as Sherlock Holmes (archive footage)
  • The Horror of It All (1983) as Carmichael (archive footage)
  • The Horror Show (1979) as (archive footage)
  • Madhouse (1974) as Basil (archive footage)
  • The Movie Orgy (1968) as Self (archival footage)
  • Autopsy of a Ghost (1968) as Canuto Pérez
  • Soldier in Love (1967) as Duke of York
  • Hillbillys in a Haunted House (1967) as Gregor
  • The Ghost in the Invisible Bikini (1966) as Reginald Ripper
  • Summer Fun (1966)
  • Queen of Blood (1966) as Dr. Farraday
  • Voyage to the Prehistoric Planet (1965) as Prof. Hartman, Lunar 7
  • The Comedy of Terrors (1964) as John F. Black
  • Burke's Law (1963) as Milo James
  • The Merv Griffin Show (1962) as Self
  • Tales of Terror (1962) as Carmichael ("The Case of M. Valdemar")
  • The Magic Sword (1962) as Lodac
  • Pontius Pilate (1962) as Caiaphas
  • Two Before Zero (1962)
  • Dr. Kildare (1961) as Frederick Foray
  • Victoria Regina (1961) as Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli (Lord Beaconsfield)
  • Mystic Prophecies and Nostradamus (1961) as Narrator
  • The Black Cat (1960)
  • A Christmas Carol (1959) as Scrooge
  • Tales from Dickens (1959) as Scrooge
  • The Last Hurrah (1958) as Norman Cass Sr.
  • Hans Brinker or the Silver Skates (1958) as Dr. Boekman
  • Aladdin (1958) as Emperor
  • DuPont Show of the Month (1957) as Emperor
  • The Lark (1957) as Chief Inquisitor
  • The Black Sleep (1956) as Sir Joel Cadman
  • Affair in Sumatra (1956) as Paul Charters
  • The Stingiest Man in Town (1956) as Ebenezer Scrooge
  • Screen Director's Playhouse (1955) as Paul Charters
  • We're No Angels (1955) as Andre Trochard
  • The Court Jester (1955) as Sir Ravenhurst
  • Casanova's Big Night (1954) as Lucio / Narrator
  • A Christmas Carol (1954) as Marley's Ghost
  • The General's Boots (1954) as General Lee
  • Hallmark Hall of Fame (1951) as Inquisitor
  • Hallmark Hall of Fame (1951) as Dr. Boekman
  • Hallmark Hall of Fame (1951) as Lord Beaconsfield
  • Hallmark Hall of Fame (1951) as The Duke of York
  • Schlitz Playhouse of Stars (1951) as Self - Host / General Lee
  • Schlitz Playhouse of Stars (1951) as The Jewel Thief
  • What's My Line? (1950) as Self
  • The Jack Benny Program (1950) as Basil Rathbone
  • Lux Video Theatre (1950) as Frampton
  • Lux Video Theatre (1950) as Sir Paul Maxim
  • Lux Video Theatre (1950) as Ambrose Wallington
  • Your Show of Shows (1950)
  • Lights Out (1949)
  • Suspense (1949) as Dr. Jekyll / Mr. Hyde
  • Suspense (1949) as Sherlock Holmes
  • The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad (1949) as Narrator (segment "The Wind in the Willows")
  • The Wind in the Willows (1949) as Narrator (voice)
  • Studio One (1948) as Hazelton Crome
  • Terror by Night (1946) as Sherlock Holmes
  • Dressed to Kill (1946) as Sherlock Holmes
  • Heartbeat (1946) as Professor Aristide
  • The Woman in Green (1945) as Sherlock Holmes
  • Pursuit to Algiers (1945) as Sherlock Holmes
  • The House of Fear (1945) as Sherlock Holmes
  • Bathing Beauty (1944) as George Adams
  • The Pearl of Death (1944) as Sherlock Holmes
  • Frenchman's Creek (1944) as Lord Rockingham
  • The Scarlet Claw (1944) as Sherlock Holmes
  • Sherlock Holmes Faces Death (1943) as Sherlock Holmes
  • The Spider Woman (1943) as Sherlock Holmes
  • Sherlock Holmes in Washington (1943) as Sherlock Holmes
  • Above Suspicion (1943) as Sig von Aschenhausen
  • Crazy House (1943) as Sherlock Holmes
  • Sherlock Holmes and the Secret Weapon (1942) as Sherlock Holmes
  • Fingers at the Window (1942) as Cesar Ferrari / Dr. H. Santelle
  • Sherlock Holmes and the Voice of Terror (1942) as Sherlock Holmes
  • Crossroads (1942) as Henri Sarrou
  • Hedda Hopper’s Hollywood No. 6 (1942) as Himself
  • International Lady (1941) as Reggie Oliver
  • Paris Calling (1941) as Andre Benoit
  • The Black Cat (1941) as Montague Hartley
  • The Mark of Zorro (1940) as Captain Esteban Pasquale
  • Rhythm on the River (1940) as Oliver Courtney
  • The Mad Doctor (1940) as Dr. George Sebastian / Dr. Langamann
  • Son of Frankenstein (1939) as Baron Wolf von Frankenstein
  • The Hound of the Baskervilles (1939) as Sherlock Holmes
  • The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (1939) as Sherlock Holmes
  • Rio (1939) as Paul Reynard
  • Tower of London (1939) as Richard - Duke of Gloucester
  • The Sun Never Sets (1939) as Clive Randolph
  • The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938) as Sir Guy of Gisbourne
  • Breakdowns of 1938 (1938) as Basil (archive footage) (uncredited)
  • If I Were King (1938) as Louis XI
  • The Adventures of Marco Polo (1938) as Ahmed
  • The Dawn Patrol (1938) as Maj. Brand
  • Love from a Stranger (1937) as Gerald Lovell
  • Make a Wish (1937) as Johnny Selden
  • Tovarich (1937) as Commissar Dimitri Gorotchenko
  • Confession (1937) as Michael Michailow
  • Romeo and Juliet (1936) as Tybalt
  • Private Number (1936) as Thomas Wroxton
  • The Garden of Allah (1936) as Count Ferdinand Anteoni
  • Captain Blood (1935) as Levasseur
  • Anna Karenina (1935) as Alexei Alexandrovitch Karenin
  • A Tale of Two Cities (1935) as Marquis St. Evremonde
  • David Copperfield (1935) as Mr. Edward Murdstone
  • A Feather in Her Hat (1935) as Captain Randolph Courtney
  • The Last Days of Pompeii (1935) as Pontius Pilate
  • Kind Lady (1935) as Henry Abbott
  • Loyalties (1933) as Ferdinand de Levis
  • One Precious Year (1933) as Derek Nagel
  • A Woman Commands (1932) as Capt. Alex Pastitsch
  • After the Ball (1932) as Jack Harrowby
  • A Lady Surrenders (1930) as Carl Vandry
  • This Mad World (1930) as Paul Parisot
  • Sin Takes a Holiday (1930) as Reginald 'Reggie' Durant
  • The Lady of Scandal (1930) as Edward
  • A Notorious Affair (1930) as Paul Gherardi
  • The Flirting Widow (1930) as Col. Smith
  • The Bishop Murder Case (1929) as Philo Vance
  • The Last of Mrs. Cheyney (1929) as Lord Arthur Dilling
  • The Great Deception (1926) as Rizzio
  • The Masked Bride (1925) as Antoine
  • The Loves of Mary, Queen of Scots (1924) as Undetermined Subordinate Role
  • Trouping with Ellen (1924) as Tony Winterslip
  • The School for Scandal (1923) as Joseph Surface
  • Innocent (1921) as Amadis de Jocelyn
  • The Fruitful Vine (1921) as Don Cesare Carelli