Claude Rains
Biography
Claude Rains was an English stage and film actor whose career spanned 47 years, and he later held American citizenship. Born William Claude Rains on November 10, 1889, in London, England, he grew up with a serious cockney accent and a speech impediment. His father was British stage actor Frederick Rains, and the young Rains made his stage debut at age 11 in Nell of Old Drury. He was known for many roles in Hollywood films, including the title role in The Invisible Man in 1933, a corrupt senator in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington in 1939, and Captain Renault in Casablanca in 1942. Rains passed away on May 30, 1967, at the age of 77.
Career overview
Claude Rains was an English stage and film actor whose career spanned 47 years, and he later held American citizenship. Born William Claude Rains in Camberwell, London on November 10, 1889, his place of birth is also cited as Clapham, London, England, UK. According to his daughter, he grew up 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 age 11 in Nell of Old Drury. He passed away on May 30, 1967 at the age of 77.
During his prolific career in Hollywood films, Rains accumulated 86 known acting credits on the Movie Database. He was known for many notable roles, among them the title role in The Invisible Man in 1933, a corrupt senator in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington in 1939, and what is perhaps his most famous performance, Captain Renault in Casablanca in 1942.
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Career timeline
Full filmography
- Classic Movie Bloopers: Uncensored (2013) as Self (archive footage)
- Famous Monster: Forrest J Ackerman (2007) as Self (archive footage)
- The Opera Ghost: A Phantom Unmasked (2000) as Erique Claudin (archive footage)
- Monster by Moonlight! The Immortal Saga of 'The Wolf Man' (1999) as Self (archive footage)
- Ingrid Bergman Remembered (1996) as Self (archive footage)
- Halloween Monster Bash (1991) as Maximus (archive footage)
- James Stewart: A Wonderful Life (1987) as Self (archive footage)
- Hollywood Out-takes and Rare Footage (1983) as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
- The Horror Show (1979) as (archive footage)
- The Wolfman (1966) as Sir John Talbot
- The Greatest Story Ever Told (1965) as King Herod
- Twilight of Honor (1963) as Art Harper
- Lawrence of Arabia (1962) as Mr. Dryden
- Sam Benedict (1962)
- Dr. Kildare (1961) as Edward Fredericks
- Battle of the Worlds (1961) as Professor Benson
- The Lost World (1960) as Prof. George Edward Challenger
- Rawhide (1959) as Alexander Longford
- This Earth Is Mine (1959) as Philippe Rambeau
- Judgment at Nuremberg (1959) as Judge Dan Haywood
- Naked City (1958) as John Winfield Weston
- On Borrowed Time (1957) as Mr. Brink
- The Pied Piper of Hamelin (1957) as Mayor of Hamelin
- Playhouse 90 (1956) as Judge Dan Haywood
- Lisbon (1956) as Aristides Mavros
- Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1955) as John Fabian
- Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1955) as Charles Gresham
- Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1955) as Andrew Thurgood
- Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1955) as Father Amion
- Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1955) as Leonard Eldridge
- The Man Who Watched Trains Go By (1952) as Kees Popinga
- Hallmark Hall of Fame (1951) as Mr. Brink
- Hallmark Hall of Fame (1951) as The High Lama
- Sealed Cargo (1951) as Capt. Henrik Skalder
- Where Danger Lives (1950) as Mr. Lannington
- The White Tower (1950) as Paul Delambre
- The Passionate Friends (1949) as Howard Justin
- Rope of Sand (1949) as Arthur 'Fred' Martingale
- Song of Surrender (1949) as Elisha Hunt
- The Ed Sullivan Show (1948) as Self
- The Unsuspected (1947) as Victor Grandison
- Notorious (1946) as Alexander Sebastian
- Angel on My Shoulder (1946) as "Nick"
- Deception (1946) as Alexander Hollenius
- Blow-Ups of 1946 (1946) as Self
- Caesar and Cleopatra (1945) as Julius Caesar
- Strange Holiday (1945) as John Stevenson
- This Love of Ours (1945) as Joseph Targel
- Mr. Skeffington (1944) as Job Skeffington
- Passage to Marseille (1944) as Captain Freycinet
- Casablanca (1943) as Captain Louis Renault
- Phantom of the Opera (1943) as Erique Claudin
- Forever and a Day (1943) as Ambrose Pomfret
- Now, Voyager (1942) as Dr. Jaquith
- Breakdowns of 1942 (1942) as Self
- Kings Row (1942) as Alexander Tower
- Moontide (1942) as Nutsy
- The Wolf Man (1941) as Sir John Talbot
- Breakdowns of 1941 (1941) as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
- Here Comes Mr. Jordan (1941) as Mr. Jordan
- Four Mothers (1941) as Adam Lemp
- The Sea Hawk (1940) as Don José Alvarez de Cordoba
- Saturday's Children (1940) as Mr. Henry Halevy
- Lady with Red Hair (1940) as David Belasco
- Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939) as Joseph Paine
- Juarez (1939) as Emperor Louis Napoleon III
- Daughters Courageous (1939) as Jim Masters
- They Made Me a Criminal (1939) as Det. Monty Phelan
- Four Wives (1939) as Adam Lemp
- Sons of Liberty (1939) as Haym Salomon
- The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938) as Prince John
- Breakdowns of 1938 (1938) as Claude Rains (archive footage) (uncredited)
- Gold Is Where You Find It (1938) as Colonel Ferris
- Four Daughters (1938) as Adam Lemp
- White Banners (1938) as Paul Ward
- The Prince and the Pauper (1937) as Earl of Hertford
- They Won't Forget (1937) as District Attorney Andrew J. Griffin
- Breakdowns of 1937 (1937) as Self
- Stolen Holiday (1937) as Stefan Orloff
- Anthony Adverse (1936) as Marquis Don Luis
- Hearts Divided (1936) as Napoleon Bonaparte
- Breakdowns of 1936 (1936) as Self
- The Making of a Great Motion Picture (1936)
- Scrooge (1935) as Jacob Marley (voice) (uncredited)
- The Mystery of Edwin Drood (1935) as John Jasper
- The Clairvoyant (1935) as Maximus
- The Last Outpost (1935) as John Stevenson
- The Man Who Reclaimed His Head (1934) as Paul Verin
- Crime Without Passion (1934) as Lee Gentry
- The Invisible Man (1933) as Dr. Jack Griffin
- Build Thy House (1920) as Clarkis