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Basil Rathbone
Actor

Basil Rathbone

13 Jun 1892Born
21 Jul 1967Died
75Age at death
120Credits

Biography

Basil Rathbone, MC, Kt (13 June 1892 – 21 July 1967), was an English actor. He rose to prominence in England as a Shakespearean stage actor and went on to appear in over 70 films, primarily costume dramas, swashbucklers, and, occasionally, horror films. He frequently portrayed suave villains or morally ambiguous characters, such as Murdstone in David Copperfield (1935) and Sir Guy of Gisbourne in The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938). His most famous role, however, was heroic—that of Sherlock Holmes in fourteen Hollywood films made between 1939 and 1946 and in a radio series. His later career included Broadway and television work; he received a Tony Award in 1948 as Best Actor in a Play.

Known for

Filmography

The 80 most recent of 120 credits.

  1. 1996In the Footsteps of Sherlock HolmesFilm
  2. 1992Dracula in the MoviesFilm: (archive footage)
  3. 1991Frankenstein: A Cinematic ScrapbookFilm: Baron Wolf von Frankenstein (archive footage)
  4. 1986The Great Mouse DetectiveFilm: Sherlock Holmes (voice)
  5. 1985The Many Faces of Sherlock HolmesFilm: Sherlock Holmes (archive footage)
  6. 1983The Horror of It AllFilm: Carmichael (archive footage)
  7. 1979The Horror ShowFilm: (archive footage)
  8. 1974MadhouseFilm: Basil (archive footage)
  9. 1968Autopsy of a GhostFilm: Canuto Pérez
  10. 1967Hillbillys in a Haunted HouseFilm: Gregor
  11. 1967Soldier in LoveFilm: Duke of York
  12. 1966Summer FunSeries (1 episode)
  13. 1966The Ghost in the Invisible BikiniFilm: Reginald Ripper
  14. 1966Queen of BloodFilm: Dr. Farraday
  15. 1965Voyage to the Prehistoric PlanetFilm: Prof. Hartman, Lunar 7
  16. 1964The Comedy of TerrorsFilm: John F. Black
  17. 1963Burke's LawSeries: Milo James (1 episode)
  18. 1962Two Before ZeroFilm
  19. 1962Tales of TerrorFilm: Carmichael ("The Case of M. Valdemar")
  20. 1962The Magic SwordFilm: Lodac
  21. 1962Pontius PilateFilm: Caiaphas
  22. 1961Victoria ReginaFilm: Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli (Lord Beaconsfield)
  23. 1961Dr. KildareSeries: Frederick Foray (2 episodes)
  24. 1961Mystic Prophecies and NostradamusFilm: Narrator
  25. 1960The Black CatFilm
  26. 1959A Christmas CarolFilm: Scrooge
  27. 1959Tales from DickensSeries: Scrooge (1 episode)
  28. 1958The Last HurrahFilm: Norman Cass Sr.
  29. 1958AladdinFilm: Emperor
  30. 1958Hans Brinker or the Silver SkatesFilm: Dr. Boekman
  31. 1957DuPont Show of the MonthSeries: Emperor (1 episode)
  32. 1957The LarkFilm: Chief Inquisitor
  33. 1956The Stingiest Man in TownFilm: Ebenezer Scrooge
  34. 1956The Black SleepFilm: Sir Joel Cadman
  35. 1956Affair in SumatraFilm: Paul Charters
  36. 1955The Court JesterFilm: Sir Ravenhurst
  37. 1955Screen Director's PlayhouseSeries: Paul Charters (1 episode)
  38. 1955We're No AngelsFilm: Andre Trochard
  39. 1954A Christmas CarolFilm: Marley's Ghost
  40. 1954The General's BootsFilm: General Lee
  41. 1954Casanova's Big NightFilm: Lucio / Narrator
  42. 1951Hallmark Hall of FameSeries: Inquisitor, Dr. Boekman, Lord Beaconsfield, The Duke of York (1 episode)
  43. 1951Schlitz Playhouse of StarsSeries: The Jewel Thief (1 episode)
  44. 1950The Jack Benny ProgramSeries: Basil Rathbone (1 episode)
  45. 1950Lux Video TheatreSeries: Frampton, Sir Paul Maxim, Ambrose Wallington (1 episode)
  46. 1950Your Show of ShowsSeries (1 episode)
  47. 1949The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. ToadFilm: Narrator (segment "The Wind in the Willows")
  48. 1949Lights OutSeries (1 episode)
  49. 1949The Wind in the WillowsFilm: Narrator (voice)
  50. 1949SuspenseSeries: Dr. Jekyll / Mr. Hyde, Sherlock Holmes (1 episode)
  51. 1948Studio OneSeries: Hazelton Crome (1 episode)
  52. 1946Dressed to KillFilm: Sherlock Holmes
  53. 1946HeartbeatFilm: Professor Aristide
  54. 1946Terror by NightFilm: Sherlock Holmes
  55. 1945Pursuit to AlgiersFilm: Sherlock Holmes
  56. 1945The Woman in GreenFilm: Sherlock Holmes
  57. 1945The House of FearFilm: Sherlock Holmes
  58. 1944Frenchman's CreekFilm: Lord Rockingham
  59. 1944The Pearl of DeathFilm: Sherlock Holmes
  60. 1944Bathing BeautyFilm: George Adams
  61. 1944The Scarlet ClawFilm: Sherlock Holmes
  62. 1943The Spider WomanFilm: Sherlock Holmes
  63. 1943Crazy HouseFilm: Sherlock Holmes
  64. 1943Sherlock Holmes Faces DeathFilm: Sherlock Holmes
  65. 1943Above SuspicionFilm: Sig von Aschenhausen
  66. 1943Sherlock Holmes in WashingtonFilm: Sherlock Holmes
  67. 1942Sherlock Holmes and the Secret WeaponFilm: Sherlock Holmes
  68. 1942Sherlock Holmes and the Voice of TerrorFilm: Sherlock Holmes
  69. 1942CrossroadsFilm: Henri Sarrou
  70. 1942Fingers at the WindowFilm: Cesar Ferrari / Dr. H. Santelle
  71. 1941Paris CallingFilm: Benoit
  72. 1941International LadyFilm: Reggie Oliver
  73. 1941The Black CatFilm: Montague Hartley
  74. 1940The Mad DoctorFilm: Dr. George Sebastian / Dr. Langamann
  75. 1940The Mark of ZorroFilm: Captain Esteban Pasquale
  76. 1940Rhythm on the RiverFilm: Oliver Courtney
  77. 1939Tower of LondonFilm: Richard - Duke of Gloucester
  78. 1939RioFilm: Paul Reynard
  79. 1939The Adventures of Sherlock HolmesFilm: Sherlock Holmes
  80. 1939The Sun Never SetsFilm: Clive Randolph

Biography and credits from TMDB. This website uses TMDB and the TMDB APIs but is not endorsed, certified, or otherwise approved by TMDB.