
Basil Rathbone
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
The Great Mouse DetectiveSherlock Holmes (voice)7.0
The Adventures of Robin HoodSir Guy of Gisbourne7.5
The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. ToadNarrator (segment "The Wind in the Willows")6.5
Son of FrankensteinBaron Wolf von Frankenstein6.7
Captain BloodLevasseur7.2
The Mark of ZorroCaptain Esteban Pasquale7.2
The Hound of the BaskervillesSherlock Holmes7.1
The Court JesterSir Ravenhurst7.3
We're No AngelsAndre Trochard7.2
Tales of TerrorCarmichael ("The Case of M. Valdemar")6.7
The Adventures of Sherlock HolmesSherlock Holmes6.9
The Comedy of TerrorsJohn F. Black6.5
Filmography
The 80 most recent of 120 credits.
- 1996In the Footsteps of Sherlock HolmesFilm
- 1992Dracula in the MoviesFilm: (archive footage)
- 1991Frankenstein: A Cinematic ScrapbookFilm: Baron Wolf von Frankenstein (archive footage)
- 1986The Great Mouse DetectiveFilm: Sherlock Holmes (voice)
- 1985The Many Faces of Sherlock HolmesFilm: Sherlock Holmes (archive footage)
- 1983The Horror of It AllFilm: Carmichael (archive footage)
- 1979The Horror ShowFilm: (archive footage)
- 1974MadhouseFilm: Basil (archive footage)
- 1968Autopsy of a GhostFilm: Canuto Pérez
- 1967Hillbillys in a Haunted HouseFilm: Gregor
- 1967Soldier in LoveFilm: Duke of York
- 1966Summer FunSeries (1 episode)
- 1966The Ghost in the Invisible BikiniFilm: Reginald Ripper
- 1966Queen of BloodFilm: Dr. Farraday
- 1965Voyage to the Prehistoric PlanetFilm: Prof. Hartman, Lunar 7
- 1964The Comedy of TerrorsFilm: John F. Black
- 1963Burke's LawSeries: Milo James (1 episode)
- 1962Two Before ZeroFilm
- 1962Tales of TerrorFilm: Carmichael ("The Case of M. Valdemar")
- 1962The Magic SwordFilm: Lodac
- 1962Pontius PilateFilm: Caiaphas
- 1961Victoria ReginaFilm: Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli (Lord Beaconsfield)
- 1961Dr. KildareSeries: Frederick Foray (2 episodes)
- 1961Mystic Prophecies and NostradamusFilm: Narrator
- 1960The Black CatFilm
- 1959A Christmas CarolFilm: Scrooge
- 1959Tales from DickensSeries: Scrooge (1 episode)
- 1958The Last HurrahFilm: Norman Cass Sr.
- 1958AladdinFilm: Emperor
- 1958Hans Brinker or the Silver SkatesFilm: Dr. Boekman
- 1957DuPont Show of the MonthSeries: Emperor (1 episode)
- 1957The LarkFilm: Chief Inquisitor
- 1956The Stingiest Man in TownFilm: Ebenezer Scrooge
- 1956The Black SleepFilm: Sir Joel Cadman
- 1956Affair in SumatraFilm: Paul Charters
- 1955The Court JesterFilm: Sir Ravenhurst
- 1955Screen Director's PlayhouseSeries: Paul Charters (1 episode)
- 1955We're No AngelsFilm: Andre Trochard
- 1954A Christmas CarolFilm: Marley's Ghost
- 1954The General's BootsFilm: General Lee
- 1954Casanova's Big NightFilm: Lucio / Narrator
- 1951Hallmark Hall of FameSeries: Inquisitor, Dr. Boekman, Lord Beaconsfield, The Duke of York (1 episode)
- 1951Schlitz Playhouse of StarsSeries: The Jewel Thief (1 episode)
- 1950The Jack Benny ProgramSeries: Basil Rathbone (1 episode)
- 1950Lux Video TheatreSeries: Frampton, Sir Paul Maxim, Ambrose Wallington (1 episode)
- 1950Your Show of ShowsSeries (1 episode)
- 1949The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. ToadFilm: Narrator (segment "The Wind in the Willows")
- 1949Lights OutSeries (1 episode)
- 1949The Wind in the WillowsFilm: Narrator (voice)
- 1949SuspenseSeries: Dr. Jekyll / Mr. Hyde, Sherlock Holmes (1 episode)
- 1948Studio OneSeries: Hazelton Crome (1 episode)
- 1946Dressed to KillFilm: Sherlock Holmes
- 1946HeartbeatFilm: Professor Aristide
- 1946Terror by NightFilm: Sherlock Holmes
- 1945Pursuit to AlgiersFilm: Sherlock Holmes
- 1945The Woman in GreenFilm: Sherlock Holmes
- 1945The House of FearFilm: Sherlock Holmes
- 1944Frenchman's CreekFilm: Lord Rockingham
- 1944The Pearl of DeathFilm: Sherlock Holmes
- 1944Bathing BeautyFilm: George Adams
- 1944The Scarlet ClawFilm: Sherlock Holmes
- 1943The Spider WomanFilm: Sherlock Holmes
- 1943Crazy HouseFilm: Sherlock Holmes
- 1943Sherlock Holmes Faces DeathFilm: Sherlock Holmes
- 1943Above SuspicionFilm: Sig von Aschenhausen
- 1943Sherlock Holmes in WashingtonFilm: Sherlock Holmes
- 1942Sherlock Holmes and the Secret WeaponFilm: Sherlock Holmes
- 1942Sherlock Holmes and the Voice of TerrorFilm: Sherlock Holmes
- 1942CrossroadsFilm: Henri Sarrou
- 1942Fingers at the WindowFilm: Cesar Ferrari / Dr. H. Santelle
- 1941Paris CallingFilm: Benoit
- 1941International LadyFilm: Reggie Oliver
- 1941The Black CatFilm: Montague Hartley
- 1940The Mad DoctorFilm: Dr. George Sebastian / Dr. Langamann
- 1940The Mark of ZorroFilm: Captain Esteban Pasquale
- 1940Rhythm on the RiverFilm: Oliver Courtney
- 1939Tower of LondonFilm: Richard - Duke of Gloucester
- 1939RioFilm: Paul Reynard
- 1939The Adventures of Sherlock HolmesFilm: Sherlock Holmes
- 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.