Basil Rathbone

Personal Info

Known For

Acting

Known Credits

130

Gender

Male

Birthday

1892-06-13

Day of death

1967-07-21 (75 years old)

Place of Birth

Johannesburg, South African Republic

Basil Rathbone

Biography

Sir Basil Rathbone, KBE, 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 Merv Griffin Show

    The Merv Griffin Show

  • The Jack Benny Program

    The Jack Benny Program

  • Studio One

    Studio One

  • Dr. Kildare

    Dr. Kildare

  • What's My Line?

    What's My Line?

  • Burke's Law

    Burke's Law

  • Suspense

    Suspense

  • Suspense

    Suspense

  • Lights Out

    Lights Out

  • Your Show of Shows

    Your Show of Shows

  • Lux Video Theatre

    Lux Video Theatre

  • Lux Video Theatre

    Lux Video Theatre

  • Lux Video Theatre

    Lux Video Theatre

  • The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad

    The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad

  • DuPont Show of the Month

    DuPont Show of the Month

  • Sherlock Holmes and the Secret Weapon

    Sherlock Holmes and the Secret Weapon

  • Screen Director's Playhouse

    Screen Director's Playhouse

  • The Scarlet Claw

    The Scarlet Claw

  • The Last Hurrah

    The Last Hurrah

  • Sin Takes a Holiday

    Sin Takes a Holiday

  • The Wind in the Willows

    The Wind in the Willows

  • The Garden of Allah

    The Garden of Allah

  • Tales of Terror

    Tales of Terror

  • The Hound of the Baskervilles

    The Hound of the Baskervilles

  • Frankenstein: A Cinematic Scrapbook

    Frankenstein: A Cinematic Scrapbook

  • A Feather in Her Hat

    A Feather in Her Hat

  • The Horror of It All

    The Horror of It All

  • Anna Karenina

    Anna Karenina

  • If I Were King

    If I Were King

  • A Tale of Two Cities

    A Tale of Two Cities

  • Sherlock Holmes and the Voice of Terror

    Sherlock Holmes and the Voice of Terror

  • The Mad Doctor

    The Mad Doctor

  • The Woman in Green

    The Woman in Green

  • Captain Blood

    Captain Blood

  • The Comedy of Terrors

    The Comedy of Terrors

  • Terror by Night

    Terror by Night

  • Sherlock Holmes in Washington

    Sherlock Holmes in Washington

  • A Notorious Affair

    A Notorious Affair

  • Sherlock Holmes Faces Death

    Sherlock Holmes Faces Death

  • The Bishop Murder Case

    The Bishop Murder Case

  • Tower of London

    Tower of London

  • The Court Jester

    The Court Jester

  • The Great Mouse Detective

    The Great Mouse Detective

  • Rhythm on the River

    Rhythm on the River

  • The Adventures of Robin Hood

    The Adventures of Robin Hood

  • Queen of Blood

    Queen of Blood

  • The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes

    The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes

  • We're No Angels

    We're No Angels

  • Loyalties

    Loyalties

  • Romeo and Juliet

    Romeo and Juliet

  • The Spider Woman

    The Spider Woman

  • Trouping with Ellen

    Trouping with Ellen

  • Heartbeat

    Heartbeat

  • The Many Faces of Sherlock Holmes

    The Many Faces of Sherlock Holmes

  • The Mark of Zorro

    The Mark of Zorro

  • Pursuit to Algiers

    Pursuit to Algiers

  • The School for Scandal

    The School for Scandal

  • Hillbillys in a Haunted House

    Hillbillys in a Haunted House

  • Pontius Pilate

    Pontius Pilate

  • Love from a Stranger

    Love from a Stranger

  • The Lark

    The Lark

  • Hallmark Hall of Fame

    Hallmark Hall of Fame

  • Hallmark Hall of Fame

    Hallmark Hall of Fame

  • Hallmark Hall of Fame

    Hallmark Hall of Fame

  • Hallmark Hall of Fame

    Hallmark Hall of Fame

  • Frenchman's Creek

    Frenchman's Creek

  • A Christmas Carol

    A Christmas Carol

  • The Last Days of Pompeii

    The Last Days of Pompeii

  • The Masked Bride

    The Masked Bride

  • The Horror Show

    The Horror Show

  • Hedda Hopper’s Hollywood No. 6

    Hedda Hopper’s Hollywood No. 6

  • Breakdowns of 1938

    Breakdowns of 1938

  • Private Number

    Private Number

  • A Christmas Carol

    A Christmas Carol

  • The Dawn Patrol

    The Dawn Patrol

  • One Precious Year

    One Precious Year

  • Confession

    Confession

  • The Stingiest Man in Town

    The Stingiest Man in Town

  • In the Footsteps of Sherlock Holmes

    In the Footsteps of Sherlock Holmes

  • Madhouse

    Madhouse

  • Schlitz Playhouse of Stars

    Schlitz Playhouse of Stars

  • Schlitz Playhouse of Stars

    Schlitz Playhouse of Stars

  • The House of Fear

    The House of Fear

  • The Adventures of Errol Flynn

    The Adventures of Errol Flynn

  • The Pearl of Death

    The Pearl of Death

  • The Ghost in the Invisible Bikini

    The Ghost in the Invisible Bikini

  • Above Suspicion

    Above Suspicion

  • After the Ball

    After the Ball

  • Rio

    Rio

  • Dressed to Kill

    Dressed to Kill

  • The Lady of Scandal

    The Lady of Scandal

  • David Copperfield

    David Copperfield

  • The Flirting Widow

    The Flirting Widow

  • The Magic Sword

    The Magic Sword

  • The Adventures of Marco Polo

    The Adventures of Marco Polo

  • Crazy House

    Crazy House

  • Summer Fun

    Summer Fun

  • Kind Lady

    Kind Lady

  • Bathing Beauty

    Bathing Beauty

  • Affair in Sumatra

    Affair in Sumatra

  • Son of Frankenstein

    Son of Frankenstein

  • Aladdin

    Aladdin

  • Make a Wish

    Make a Wish

  • Tovarich

    Tovarich

  • The Movie Orgy

    The Movie Orgy

  • Hans Brinker or the Silver Skates

    Hans Brinker or the Silver Skates

  • Fingers at the Window

    Fingers at the Window

  • International Lady

    International Lady

  • A Lady Surrenders

    A Lady Surrenders

  • Tales from Dickens

    Tales from Dickens

  • Autopsy of a Ghost

    Autopsy of a Ghost

  • The Black Cat

    The Black Cat

  • Voyage to the Prehistoric Planet

    Voyage to the Prehistoric Planet

  • Victoria Regina

    Victoria Regina

  • The General's Boots

    The General's Boots

  • The Black Sleep

    The Black Sleep

  • Casanova's Big Night

    Casanova's Big Night

  • Soldier in Love

    Soldier in Love

  • This Mad World

    This Mad World

  • The Last of Mrs. Cheyney

    The Last of Mrs. Cheyney

  • Crossroads

    Crossroads

  • A Woman Commands

    A Woman Commands

  • Paris Calling

    Paris Calling

  • The Great Deception

    The Great Deception

  • The Loves of Mary, Queen of Scots

    The Loves of Mary, Queen of Scots

  • Innocent

    Innocent

  • The Sun Never Sets

    The Sun Never Sets

  • The Fruitful Vine

    The Fruitful Vine

  • Two Before Zero

    Two Before Zero

  • The Black Cat

    The Black Cat