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The actor Claude Rains did not belong to the greatest actors with a
height of 1.69 m (5' 6½") but it something which are missed by many
others - screen presence.
As the son of the stage actor Frederick Rains he came early in contact
with the theater and he already made his stage debut at the age of eleven
in the play "Nell of Old Drury".
After World War I he became a popular stage actor in London. In this
time he also appeared in his only silent movie "Build Thy House" (20).
Beside his acting activities he also gave acting lesson, among others
for the later stars Laurence Olivier and John Gielgud.
claude Rains went to the USA in 1927 and took part in many Broadway
shows. Finally he was invited for a screen test for Universal Pictures
which was looking for a new face for the new coming up Horror genre.
Claude Rains was engaged for the movie "The Invisible Man" (33) and
he was convincing with his role as a doctor.
This was the begin of a great film career which took impressive shape
in the next years.
To his other movies of the 30's belong "Crime Without Passion" (34),
"The Last Outpost" (35), "Anthony Adverse" (36), "The Prince and the Pauper"
(37), "Four Daughters" (38), "The Adventures of Robin Hood" (38) as Prince
John, "Juarez" (39) and "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington" (39), for which
he was nominated for his first Oscar.
Claude Rains became an US citizen in 1939.
the 40's offered him again numerous rewarding roles in which he fascinated
the audience.
To these movies belong "The Sea Hawk" (40), "Lady with Red Hair" (40),
"The Wolf Man" (41), "Now Voyager" (42) and finally "Casablanca" (42) with
his impressive impersonation of Captain Renault. For this role he was nominted
for the Oscar a second time.
Other movies of that decade are "Phantom of the Opera" (43), "Passage
to Marseille" (44), "Mr. Skeffington" (44) with his third Oscar nomination,
"Caesar and Cleopatra" (45), Alfred Hitchcock's "Notorious" (46) with his
fourth and last Oscar nomination, "Deception" (46) and "Rope of Sand" (49).
From the 50's his important roles for the cinema diminished and he often
acted in TV productions in which he performed the offered role in no less
passion.
To these movies belong "The White Tower" (50), "The Man Who Watched
the Trains Go By" (52), "Lisbon" (56), "The Pied Piper of Hamelin" (57)
and This Earth Is Mine" (59).
To his last cinematical works of the 60's belong "Shangri-La" (60),
"Lawrence of Arabia" (62), "Twilight of Honor" (63) and "The Greatest Story
Ever Told" (65).
Claude Rains was married six times, among others with the actress Isabel
Jeans.
Other movies with Claude Rains:
The Clairvoyant (34) The Man who Reclaimed His Head (34)
Mystery of Edwin Drood (35) Hearts Divided (36) Stolen Holiday (37) They
Won't Forget (37) White Banners (38) Gold Is Where You Find It (38) They
Made Me a Criminal (39) Sons of Liberty (39) Daughters Courageous (39)
Four Wives (39) Saturday's Children (40) Four Mothers (41) Here Comes Mr.
Jordan (41) Kings Row (42) Moontide (42) Forever and a Day (43) Strange
Holiday (45) This Love of Ours (45) Angel on My shoulder (46) The Unsuspected
(47) The Passionate Friends (49) Song of surrender (49) Where Danger Lives
(50) Sealed Cargo (51) Serie "Medallion Theatre: The Man Who Liked Dickens"
(53) Serie "Medallion Theatre: The Archer Case" (53) Serie "Kraft Television
Theatre: A Night to Remember" (56) The Alcoa Hour: The President" (56)
Serie "The Kaiser Aluminum Hour: Antigone" (56) Serie "Eye on New York:
Night of the Auk" (56) Serie "Alfred Hitchcock Presents: And So Died Riabouchinska"
(56) Serie "Alfred Hitchcock Presents: The Cream of the Jest" (57) Serie
"Hallmark Hall of Fame: On Borrowed Time" (57) Serie "Playhouse 90: Judgment
at Nuremberg" (59) Serie "Alfred Hitchcock Presents: The Diamond Necklace"
(59) Once Upon a Christmal Tree (59) The Lost World (60) Serie "Naked city:
To Walk in Silence" (60) Il pianeta degli uomini spenti (61) Serie "Alfred
Hitchcock Presents: The Horse Player" (61) Serie "Alfred Hitchcock Presents:
The Door Without a Key" (62) Serie "Wagon Train: The Daniel Clay Story"
(62) Serie "Sam Benedict: Nor Practice Make Perfect" (62) Serie "The DuPont
Show of the Week: The Outpost" (62) Serie "Rawhide: Incident of Judgment
Day" (63) Serie "The DuPont Show of the Week: The Takers" (63) Serie "Bob
Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre: Something About Lee Wiley" (63) Serie
"Dr. Kildare: Why Won't Anybody Listen?" (64) Serie "The Reporter: A Time
to Be Silent" (64) Serie "Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre: Cops
and Robbers" (65) |
