Claude Rains

Character player whose impeccable charm and finely modulated voice graced some of the finest Hollywood films of the 1930s and 40s. Rains began appearing on the London stage at age 11, was one of the leading members of New York's Theatre Guild by the mid-20s and made a sensational screen debut as "The Invisible Man" in 1933. Primarily at Warner Bros. from 1936, he turned in a string of memorable performances opposite Bette Davis ("Now, Voyager" 1942, "Mr. Skeffington" 1944, "Deception" 1946) and is perhaps best remembered as the dapper, opportunistic police chief in "Casablanca" (1942). He was also outstanding in Alfred Hitchcock's "Notorious" (1946), as Ingrid Bergman's child-like, Nazi-conspiring husband--one of four roles to earn him an Oscar nomination for best supporting actor. The first of Rains' six marriages was to British actress Isabel Jeans.

• Born:
  November 10, 1889 in London, England, United Kingdom
• Died:
  May 30, 1967.
• Job Titles:
  Actor

Family

• Daughter: Jennifer Rains. mother Frances Propper
• Father: Fred Rains. died on December 12, 1945 at the age of 85

Significant Others

• Wife: Agi Jambor.
• Wife: Beatrix Lindsay Thomas.
• Wife: Marie Hemingway.

Milestones

• 1900 Entered the London stage at age 11
• 1913 First trip to US
• 1926 Became leading player of the Theater Guild
• 1934 Feature film debut, title role in The Invisible Man
• 1939 First of four Oscar nominations, Mr Smith Goes to Washington
• 1965 Last feature to perform in, The Greatest Story Ever Told
• Returned to England and taught at Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts