Basil Rathbone

With the emergence of sound his precise, clipped diction, combined with his suave, somewhat pointed features, confirmed him as Hollywood's debonair villain of choice, at home in both swashbucklers and drawing room fare. He played elegant, sardonic and thoroughly worthless characters in films such as 1935's "David Copperfield" (as Mr. Murdstone), 1938's "The Adventures of Robin Hood", opposite Errol Flynn, and 1940's "The Mark of Zorro", …