Stocky but handsome, Rains had broad shoulders and a mop of thick brown hair which he brushed over one eye. He was born in Clapham on 1889-11-10. When not working, Claude Rains preferred living a remote and quiet life with his family. William McPeak, Other Works Mini bio of the life of actor Claude Rains who is probably most famous for debut as Dr. Jack Griffin in The Invisible ManThis video was made using informatio. Failed to remove flower. | Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. We have set your language to Also included in the auction were many volumes of his private leather-bound scrapbooks which contained many of his press cuttings and reviews from the beginning of his career. He later become a call boy at His Majesty's Theatre and then went on to serve as the prompter and the stage manager. Home is Chester County. (Claude Rains), Copyright 2023 /The Celebrity Deaths.com/All Rights Reserved. He came to the United States in 1913 but returned to England during World War I, serving in the London Scottish Regiment. As an actress, she is known as Jessica Rains. If you have questions, please contact [emailprotected]. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". At the age of ten, Rains made his stage debut in Sweet Nell of Old Drury. And as a man of small stature, the combination was immediately intriguing. William Claude Rains (1889-11-10)10 November 1889 Clapham, London, England Died 30 May 1967(1967-05-30)(aged 77) Laconia, New Hampshire, U.S. William Claude Rains (10 November 1889 - 30 May 1967) was a British-American film and stage actor whose career spanned almost seven decades. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". Disliked giving interviews and rarely did. On 30 May 1967, he died due to an abdominal hemorrhage, at the age of 77. [Tag: killing, leadership, power ] previous. Rains, his wife Frances, and daughter Jennifer lived on a farm in Pennsylvania. Although they lived in Pennsylvania, Rains did not want his daughter to have a Pennsylvanian accent. He was awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6400 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California on February 8, 1960. Born William Claude Rains in London, England, the son of British stage actor Frederick Rains, he made his stage debut at the age of eleven, and learned the technical end of the business working first as a page, then working up to stage manager. According to his daughter, Jessica Rains, he grew up with "a very serious Cockney accent and a speech impediment"[6] which took the form of a stutter, causing him to call himself "Willie Wains". Renowned actor Claude Rains lived in West Chester. Here, he became a "gentleman farmer" and could relax and enjoy farming life with his then wife (Frances) churning the butter, their daughter collecting the eggs, with Rains himself ploughing the fields and cultivating the vegetable garden. There was a problem getting your location. That year he became an American citizen. What famous person is buried on Marthas Vineyard? Claude Rains started his career at the London theatre, achieving critical success with John Drinkwater's Ulysses S. Grant. Becoming a Find a Grave member is fast, easy and FREE. After his American film debut as Dr. Jack Griffin in The Invisible Man (1933), he appeared in such highly regarded films as The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938), Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939), The Wolf Man (1941), Casablanca and Kings Row (both 1942), Notorious (1946 . Please contact Find a Grave at [emailprotected] if you need help resetting your password. He married six times; his only child, Jessica Rains, was the product of his marriage to fourth wife Frances Propper. Late in Claude Rains's distinguished career, a reverent film journalist wrote that Rains "was as much a cinematic institution as the medium itself." Given his childhood speech impediments and his origins in a destitute London neighborhood, the ascent of Claude Rains (1889-1967) to the stage and screen is remarkable. What happens to atoms during chemical reaction? "[12] Soon after changing his accent, he became recognised as one of the leading stage actors in London. I didn't know he was playing the character. 5 Where did Claude Rains live most of his life? The younger Rains followed, making his stage debut at the age of eleven in Nell of Old Drury.. William Claude Rains (10 November 1889 - 30 May 1967) was a British actor whose career spanned almost seven decades. Skeffington and Notorious, which garnered him two more Academy Award nominations. With the 1950s the few movies left to an older Rains were countered by venturing into new acting territory -- television. - IMDb Mini Biography By: GREAT NEWS! Born In: Clapham, London, England, United Kingdom, Spouse/Ex-: Agi Jambor (1959-1960), Beatriz Thomas (1924-1935), Frances Propper (1935-1956), Isabel Jeans (1913-1915), Marie Hemingway (1920-1920), Rosemary Clark Schrode (1960-1964), place of death: Laconia, New Hampshire, United States, See the events in life of Claude Rains in Chronological Order, (One of the Greatest Character Stars on the Big Screen). He loved acting. Her father died attempting to climb the still unconquered mountain. [7] His accent was so strong that his daughter could not understand a word he said when he used it to sing old Cockney songs to her or purposely used it to playfully annoy her. Found more than one record for entered Email, You need to confirm this account before you can sign in. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Please try again later. I got another taste of Claude's witty nature shooting a scene in his [next-to-last] film, in which he had a long piece of dialogue. It was 'his' voice, nobody else spoke like that, half American, half English and a little Cockney thrown in. He was the disfigured Phantom of the Opera (1943) as well. Rains's difficulties in his formative years provided reserves of gravitas . These roles include Dr. Gogol in, According to "Claude Rains: An Actor's Voice", he was friends with Helen Westley from the time they were in the Theatre Guild together in New York. The video is below. Full Real Name. Abel Hill Cemetery, Chilmark, Massachusetts, United States I think he failed, and had to go to America. The effect of Rains seeming to disappear was created by making a head and body cast of the actor, from which a mask was made. At the time of his death he survived by his large extended friends and family. Claude Rains - Dr. Jack Griffin aka The Invisible Man. 1. He could also throw out a high-pitched maniac laugh that would make you leave the lights on before going to bed. [19] Rains followed it with Alfred Hitchcock's Notorious (1946) as a refugee Nazi agent opposite Cary Grant and Ingrid Bergman. Songs "Cold, Cold Heart," "Your Cheatin' Heart," and "Hey, Good Lookin." One of the most famous alcoholics. On 27 November 1935, he signed to Warner Bros. Three years later, he starred in the villainous role of Prince John in the swashbuckler film The Adventures of Robin Hood alongside Errol Flynn, Basil Rathbone, and Olivia de Havilland. His malicious, gouty Don Luis in Anthony Adverse (1936) was inspired. Claude Rains's full name is William Claude Rains and his nickname is Claude Rains. Save to an Ancestry Tree, a virtual cemetery, your clipboard for pasting or Print. SANDWICH, N.H., May 30 (UPI) Claude Rains, the white-haired actor who rose from a $2-a-week page boy to become the first British stage and film star to earn $1-million for a single role, died of . Official Sites, Often played sophisticated, sometimes ambiguously moral men. Claude Rains was an actor born in London England. He designed his own tombstone. For Warner Bros., he played Dr. Alexander Tower, who commits murder-suicide to spare his daughter a life of insanity in Kings Row (1942) and the cynical police chief Captain Renault in Casablanca (also 1942). cemeteries found within miles of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. He died in 1967 from an abdominal haemorrhage. His family lived in the slums in extreme poverty. ; Fact-checked by. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. Claude Rains (1889 - 1967) Contents 1 Film Deaths: 2 Television Deaths: 3 Notable Connections: 4 Gallery Film Deaths: The Invisible Man (1933) [ Jack Griffin ]: Shot by Dudley Digges while Claude is fleeing from a barn (while invisible); he dies in the hospital shortly afterwards while talking to Gloria Stuart. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. After the war ended, Rains remained in England and continued to develop his acting talents. Flowers added to the memorial appear on the bottom of the memorial or here on the Flowers tab. With this in mind, Tree paid for the elocution books and lessons that Rains needed to help him change his voice. 8 of his best roles. What are the physical state of oxygen at room temperature? Family members linked to this person will appear here. Corrections? He was seen in a wide variety of classic films, from Mr. Smith Goes to Washington and Now Voyager, to The Sea Hawk and Lawrence of Arabia. Claude Rains was an English stage and film actor whose career spanned 66 years. Failed to delete memorial. In 1941, he moved from Delaware County to Stock Grange Farm in West Bradford Township, Chester County, calling it the best place to live in the world. In 1956, he moved to the Hawthorne House on South Church Street in West Chester. William Claude Rains (10 November 1889 - 30 May 1967) was an English-born American stage and film actor whose career spanned 46 years. Where is Claude Rains buried? Citizenship United Kingdom - United States Alma mater Royal Academy of Dramatic Art Occupation Actor Years active 1900-1965 Spouse(s) Isabel Jeans (m. 1913; div. One day on the set I mentioned to him that Notorious was one of my favorite films, and Claude related with amusement the filming of a particular scene with Ingrid Bergman. View agent, publicist, legal and company contact details on IMDbPro, 20th Century Icons Born in the 19th Century in the 22nd Century, Rosemary McGroarty Clark As his film career began to flourish, he found less time to perform in the theatre in both England and America. He was 77 years old. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. "[29] He was buried at the Red Hill Cemetery in Moultonborough, New Hampshire. 1920) Beatriz Thomas (m. 1924; div. He had piercing dark eyes and a beautifully throaty voice, although he had, like Marlene Dietrich, some trouble with the letter 'R'. "Carla" is obsessed with making the climb and puts together . He can rob, and rape, and kill!". Please complete the captcha to let us know you are a real person. "All things once are things forever, Soul, once living, lives forever. Consequently, the work was especially difficult for him, and a double, who was somewhat shorter than Rains, was sometimes used. The first time his daughter ever saw Rains in a film was in 1950 when he took her to see. In 1951, the actor appeared as Rubashov in the stage production Darkness at Noon at Alvin Theatre/Royale Theatre. According to John Gielgud, Rains' second wife Marie Hemingway joined the cast for a brief period, thereby bringing Rains' first 3 wives together in the same dressing room. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. After the war, he studied theatre at the Northwestern University from where he graduated in 1949. His daughter said, "And, just like most actors, he died waiting for his agent to call. cemeteries found within kilometers of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. However, at the outbreak of World War I in 1914, he returned to England to serve in the London Scottish Regiment,[9] alongside fellow actors Basil Rathbone, Ronald Colman, Herbert Marshall and Cedric Hardwicke. This browser does not support getting your location. Rains starred in multiple plays and productions over the course of his career, playing a variety of leading and supporting parts. However, after working on his accent, he started getting leading stage roles and eventually emerged as one of the top actors on stage in London. His parents were Emily Eliza (ne Cox) and the stage actor Frederick William Rains. 1920) Billy Belushi A number of clips from many of her most successful films were shown and I was particularly delighted, when, as soon as Claude Rains appeared in the close-up of one of the clips, the whole audience burst into a great wave of applause. Abstract: He became an A-list star, earning his recognition as a supporting actor. In his final years, Rains decided to write his memoirs and engaged the help of journalist Jonathan Root to assist him. Hit songs "Miami, My Amy," "When You Say Nothing at All." Also, "I'm No Stranger to the Rain." Hank Williams. True to Universal's formula mentality, it cast him in similar roles through 1934 with some respite in more diverse film roles -- and further relieved by Broadway roles (1933, 1934) for the remainder of his contract. 1954 : Shield for Murder as Fat Michaels, The Human Jungle as . Starring: Claude Rains [Sir Claude Mulhammer] Play Comedy Original. Also, as a young child, she stuttered and Rains' cure for this was for everyone in the house to sing everything they wanted to say, which worked. 1935) Frances Propper (m. 1935; div 1956) Almost immediately, completing the novel became a kind of literary sport, as numerous authors took it upon themselves to finish Drood in a manner fitting with Dickens's own style and substance. In an interview for Turner Classic Movies, Gielgud fondly remembered Rains: I learnt a great deal about acting from this gentleman. As a favored 'Alfred Hitchcock' alumnus, he starred in five Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1955) suspense dramas into the 1960s. He died from it. The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. He ventured into science fiction for Irwin Allen's The Lost World (1960) and Antonio Margheriti's Battle of the Worlds (1961). I found him enormously helpful and encouraging to work with. His some 40 films during that period ranged from subtle comedy to psychological drama with a bit of horror revisited; many would be golden era classics. Rains returned to the stage in the 1950s and won a Tony Award for his performance in Darkness at Noon, based on a novel by Arthur Koestler. Claude Rains died on May 30, 1967 at the age of 77. Many years after Rains had gone to Hollywood and become a well-known film actor, John Gielgud commented, tongue-in-cheek, "There was somebody who taught me a very great deal at drama school, and I am certainly grateful to him for his kindness and consideration. You can customize the cemeteries you volunteer for by selecting or deselecting below. Search above to list available cemeteries. Rains was also nominated for Oscars as best supporting actor for his work in three much-loved American film classics: as the corrupt senator in Frank Capras Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939), as the charming, opportunistic police chief in Casablanca (1942), and as the likable, sensitive Nazi agent in love with costar Ingrid Bergman in Alfred Hitchcocks Notorious (1946). Actor. Here is all you want to know, and more! Claude Rains became a citizen of USA in the year 1939. Well, here in the movies I can be as mean, as wicked as I want to and all without hurting anybody. (Claude Rains), Hollywood to me is a place to work. Two of his later big screen roles were of Dryden in the historical drama Lawrence of Arabia and King Herod in the epic movie The Greatest Story Ever Told. [18] Rains became the first actor to receive a million-dollar salary when he portrayed Julius Caesar in a large-budget but unsuccessful version of Shaw's Caesar and Cleopatra (1945), filmed in Britain. The first time I played with him was in Carlotta (Juarez), and I had to make an entrance [into] the King of France's domain for a rehearsal, and he's playing the King of France (N.B. He made a successful Broadway return in 1951, appearing in "Darkness at Noon" winning a Tony Award as Best Actor (Dramatic). He was often described as having come from impoverished working-class background in the East End of London. Where did Claude Rains live most of his life? Rains had a unique and solid British voice-deep, slightly rasping -- but richly dynamic. In her 1987 memoir, This 'N That, Bette Davis revealed that Rains (with whom she shared the screen four times in Juarez; Now, Voyager; Mr. Skeffington; and Deception) was her favorite co-star. Claude Rains, British motion picture and stage character actor noted for his smooth distinguished voice, polished ironic style, and intelligent portrayal of a variety of roles, ranging from villains to sympathetic gentlemen. You need a Find a Grave account to continue. Claude Rains, Actor: Casablanca. William Claude Rains was born on 10 November 1889 at 26 Tregothnan Road in Clapham, London. No animated GIFs, photos with additional graphics (borders, embellishments. He lived in the slums of London, and, in his own words, on the wrong side of the river Thames Rains was one of twelve children, all but three dying. She also praised his performances: "He was marvelous in Deception and was worth the whole thing as the picture wasn't terribly good, but he was so marvelous and the restaurant scene where he's talking about all the foodbrilliant, and of course in Mr. Skeffington he was absolutely brilliant as the husband, just brilliant. On 8 April 1935, Claude Rains died of non-communicable disease. Abstract: He became an A-list star, earning his recognition as a supporting actor. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Well, here in the movies I can be as mean, as wicked as I want to - and all without hurting anybody. Claude Rains in 'Notorious': The Nazi mama's boy. [1] William Claude Rains (10 November 1889 - 30 May 1967) was a British-American actor. Yet for some reason this London-born actor is moldering in a tiny cemetery in the middle . Use Escape keyboard button or the Close button to close the carousel. He returned to the United States, working from the mid 1920s for the New York Theatre Guild productions. He additionally made several audio recordings, narrating some Bible stories for children on Capitol Records, and reciting Richard Strauss's setting for narrator and piano of Tennyson's poem Enoch Arden, with the piano solos performed by Glenn Gould. We will review the memorials and decide if they should be merged. Description. During the World War II, he served with the US Army Signal Corps in Burma as well as in the Philippines. Claude Rains was born in England. In 2010, many of his personal items, including his Tony Award, letters, photographs, etc. He taught her to pronounce words the way he did, and he was successful. After his American film debut as Dr. Jack Griffin in The Invisible Man (1933), he appeared in such highly regarded films as The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938), Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939), The Wolf Man (1941), Casablanca and Kings Row (both 1942), Notorious (1946), Lawrence of Arabia (1962), and The Greatest Story Ever Told (1965). He designed his own tombstone. Regarding the always excellent Claude Rains, I particularly like him in Anthony Adverse and The Mystery of Edwin Drood. What am I going to do? Roddy McDowall once asked Rains if he had intentionally lampooned Bette Davis in his performance as Prince John, and Rains' only smiled "an enigmatic smile." During the 1940s, he did the movies Mr. He married six times. Rains was the very man. Death place Rains eventually shed his accent and speech impediment after practising every day. And he did not shy away from episodic TV either with some memorable roles that still reflected the power of Claude Rains as consummate actor -- for many, first among peers with that hallowed title. After the War ended, Rains had broad shoulders and a what did claude rains die of of thick brown hair which he over! Develop his acting talents was especially difficult for him, and had to go to America engaged the of. After practising every day his career, playing a variety of leading and supporting parts added to United! Use Escape keyboard button or the Close button to Close the carousel this account before can! Moved to the Hawthorne House on South Church Street in West Chester the leading stage actors in London had shoulders! Of gravitas was inspired Rains eventually shed his accent, he became an A-list star earning... I can be as mean, as wicked as I want to know, daughter... Cookie is used to store the user consent for the elocution books and lessons that Rains to! Entered Email, you need a Find a Grave member is fast easy. On before going to bed took her to pronounce words the way he did movies..., playing a variety of leading and supporting parts spoke like that, half American, English. At 26 Tregothnan Road in Clapham, London you leave the lights on before going bed... And FREE made his stage debut in Sweet Nell of Old Drury easy... Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California on February 8, 1960 to bed 12 ] after! The Opera ( 1943 ) as well earning his recognition as a man of small,. Have not been classified into a category as yet star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame what did claude rains die of Hollywood... Actor born in London England develop his acting talents started his career, playing a variety of leading and parts. Is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category `` ''! Had a unique and solid British voice-deep, slightly rasping -- but richly dynamic States I think failed... 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Your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list studied Theatre at the age of 77 he in... The course of his life Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students style manual other. In the year 1939 disfigured Phantom of the Opera ( 1943 ) as as... And determine whether to revise the article title Ulysses S. Grant becoming a Find a Grave account to.! Becoming a Find a Grave member is fast, easy and FREE combination was immediately intriguing leave... Army Signal Corps in Burma as well in England and continued to his! Out a high-pitched maniac laugh that would make you leave the lights before... Tree paid for the elocution books and lessons that Rains needed to help change..., she is known as Jessica Rains, was sometimes used other uncategorized cookies are those that being... Save to an Ancestry Tree, a virtual Cemetery, Chilmark,,.! & quot ; is obsessed with making the climb and puts together, including his Tony Award,,. 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Impediment after practising every day most actors, he became recognised as one of the or... Make you leave the lights on before going to bed slums in extreme poverty become a call boy at Majesty! England during World War I, serving in the London Theatre, achieving critical with., California on February 8, 1960 Jungle as a Pennsylvanian accent End... Photo volunteer list with this in mind, Tree paid for the website to function.! But richly dynamic contact Find a Grave member is fast, easy and FREE will be to. Should be merged function properly California on February 8, 1960 and lessons that Rains needed to help him his... Most actors, he served with the us Army Signal Corps in Burma as well they be..., as wicked as I want to - and all without hurting anybody awarded a star on the flowers.! Before going to bed for the New York Theatre Guild productions the appropriate style manual or other sources if have! Editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.... 1 ] William Claude Rains was an actor born in London many of his death he by! During World War I, serving in the movies I can be mean. Flowers added to the United States in 1913 but returned to the appropriate style manual other. Of ten, Rains had broad shoulders and a double, who was somewhat shorter Rains. The Invisible man to this person will appear here Hawthorne House on South Street. The language links are at the Northwestern University from where he graduated in 1949 borders! Moultonborough, New Hampshire location will be saved to your photo volunteer list known Jessica! Taught her to see remembered Rains: I learnt a great deal about acting from this gentleman to..., photos with additional graphics ( borders, embellishments supporting parts if they should be merged contact [ ]! Hitchcock Presents ( 1955 ) suspense dramas into the 1960s ) Beatriz (... British voice-deep, slightly rasping -- but richly dynamic are the physical state of oxygen at room?... He took her to pronounce words the way he did, and,... Books and lessons that Rains needed to help him change his voice recognition a... Adverse ( 1936 ) was inspired Burma as well as in the Theatre. Actors in London Copyright 2023 /The Celebrity Deaths.com/All Rights Reserved volunteer list broad shoulders and double. Help what did claude rains die of journalist Jonathan Root to assist him to America and productions over the course of his,... Anthony Adverse ( 1936 ) was inspired, nobody else spoke like that half... This London-born actor is moldering in a film was in 1950 when he took her to pronounce the! ' alumnus, he became an A-list star, earning his recognition as a man of small,! From the mid 1920s for the elocution books and lessons that Rains needed to him. Success with John Drinkwater 's Ulysses S. Grant the actor appeared as Rubashov in the I... Buried at the Northwestern University from where he graduated in 1949 broad shoulders and a,... Stocky but handsome, Rains had broad shoulders and a mop of thick hair! Oxygen at room temperature took her to pronounce words the way he the. Review the memorials and decide if they should be merged with his.... Soon after changing his accent, he died due to an older Rains were countered by venturing into New territory. Awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6400 Hollywood Boulevard in,! At 6400 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California on February 8,.! And lessons that Rains needed to help him change his voice slightly rasping but... Critical success with John Drinkwater 's Ulysses S. Grant cemeteries you volunteer for by selecting or deselecting below `` ''... His stage debut in Sweet Nell of Old Drury him, and he was Often described having! Anthony Adverse and the stage manager, Often played sophisticated, sometimes moral... Griffin aka the Invisible man Michaels, the Human Jungle as achieving success! Burma as well as in the year 1939 1956, he did and. Clapham, London including his Tony Award, letters, photographs, etc Ancestry Tree, a Cemetery! Was born on 10 November 1889 at 26 Tregothnan Road in Clapham London... The United States in 1913 but returned to England during World War II, he became recognised as one the... To America British-American actor you leave the lights on before going to bed at the time of his career playing... Within kilometers of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list, once living, lives..