Basil Rathbone

Personal Info

Known For

Acting

Known Credits

131

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

  • David Copperfield

    David Copperfield

  • Dr. Kildare

    Dr. Kildare

  • Burke's Law

    Burke's Law

  • Studio One

    Studio One

  • What's My Line?

    What's My Line?

  • A Tale of Two Cities

    A Tale of Two Cities

  • The Jack Benny Program

    The Jack Benny Program

  • Your Show of Shows

    Your Show of Shows

  • Lights Out

    Lights Out

  • Suspense

    Suspense

  • Suspense

    Suspense

  • Lux Video Theatre

    Lux Video Theatre

  • Lux Video Theatre

    Lux Video Theatre

  • Lux Video Theatre

    Lux Video Theatre

  • Hedda Hopper’s Hollywood No. 6

    Hedda Hopper’s Hollywood No. 6

  • The Great Mouse Detective

    The Great Mouse Detective

  • Screen Director's Playhouse

    Screen Director's Playhouse

  • The Loves of Mary, Queen of Scots

    The Loves of Mary, Queen of Scots

  • The Lark

    The Lark

  • Captain Blood

    Captain Blood

  • The Wind in the Willows

    The Wind in the Willows

  • The Mark of Zorro

    The Mark of Zorro

  • The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad

    The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad

  • DuPont Show of the Month

    DuPont Show of the Month

  • Sin Takes a Holiday

    Sin Takes a Holiday

  • The Ghost in the Invisible Bikini

    The Ghost in the Invisible Bikini

  • The Bishop Murder Case

    The Bishop Murder Case

  • Loyalties

    Loyalties

  • Anna Karenina

    Anna Karenina

  • Bathing Beauty

    Bathing Beauty

  • Sherlock Holmes Faces Death

    Sherlock Holmes Faces Death

  • Madhouse

    Madhouse

  • The Adventures of Robin Hood

    The Adventures of Robin Hood

  • The Court Jester

    The Court Jester

  • Heartbeat

    Heartbeat

  • Private Number

    Private Number

  • Aladdin

    Aladdin

  • The Woman in Green

    The Woman in Green

  • Sherlock Holmes and the Secret Weapon

    Sherlock Holmes and the Secret Weapon

  • Tovarich

    Tovarich

  • Tower of London

    Tower of London

  • The Black Sleep

    The Black Sleep

  • Sherlock Holmes and the Voice of Terror

    Sherlock Holmes and the Voice of Terror

  • We're No Angels

    We're No Angels

  • Son of Frankenstein

    Son of Frankenstein

  • International Lady

    International Lady

  • A Christmas Carol

    A Christmas Carol

  • The Many Faces of Sherlock Holmes

    The Many Faces of Sherlock Holmes

  • Rio

    Rio

  • The Magic Sword

    The Magic Sword

  • If I Were King

    If I Were King

  • The Hound of the Baskervilles

    The Hound of the Baskervilles

  • After the Ball

    After the Ball

  • Tales of Terror

    Tales of Terror

  • Hillbillys in a Haunted House

    Hillbillys in a Haunted House

  • Romeo and Juliet

    Romeo and Juliet

  • The Garden of Allah

    The Garden of Allah

  • Pursuit to Algiers

    Pursuit to Algiers

  • 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

  • Sherlock Holmes in Washington

    Sherlock Holmes in Washington

  • The Last Days of Pompeii

    The Last Days of Pompeii

  • The Last Hurrah

    The Last Hurrah

  • The Adventures of Errol Flynn

    The Adventures of Errol Flynn

  • Terror by Night

    Terror by Night

  • The School for Scandal

    The School for Scandal

  • The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes

    The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes

  • Crazy House

    Crazy House

  • The Comedy of Terrors

    The Comedy of Terrors

  • Queen of Blood

    Queen of Blood

  • Dressed to Kill

    Dressed to Kill

  • The Spider Woman

    The Spider Woman

  • Rhythm on the River

    Rhythm on the River

  • The Stingiest Man in Town

    The Stingiest Man in Town

  • The Pearl of Death

    The Pearl of Death

  • Autopsy of a Ghost

    Autopsy of a Ghost

  • Voyage to the Prehistoric Planet

    Voyage to the Prehistoric Planet

  • A Feather in Her Hat

    A Feather in Her Hat

  • Hans Brinker or the Silver Skates

    Hans Brinker or the Silver Skates

  • The House of Fear

    The House of Fear

  • A Christmas Carol

    A Christmas Carol

  • Affair in Sumatra

    Affair in Sumatra

  • Love from a Stranger

    Love from a Stranger

  • Frankenstein: A Cinematic Scrapbook

    Frankenstein: A Cinematic Scrapbook

  • The Dawn Patrol

    The Dawn Patrol

  • Make a Wish

    Make a Wish

  • Breakdowns of 1938

    Breakdowns of 1938

  • Crossroads

    Crossroads

  • Frenchman's Creek

    Frenchman's Creek

  • The Horror of It All

    The Horror of It All

  • The Flirting Widow

    The Flirting Widow

  • The Masked Bride

    The Masked Bride

  • Innocent

    Innocent

  • The Lady of Scandal

    The Lady of Scandal

  • One Precious Year

    One Precious Year

  • Summer Fun

    Summer Fun

  • Schlitz Playhouse of Stars

    Schlitz Playhouse of Stars

  • Schlitz Playhouse of Stars

    Schlitz Playhouse of Stars

  • A Notorious Affair

    A Notorious Affair

  • Pontius Pilate

    Pontius Pilate

  • The General's Boots

    The General's Boots

  • A Lady Surrenders

    A Lady Surrenders

  • This Mad World

    This Mad World

  • The Black Cat

    The Black Cat

  • The Movie Orgy

    The Movie Orgy

  • Tales from Dickens

    Tales from Dickens

  • The Horror Show

    The Horror Show

  • In the Footsteps of Sherlock Holmes

    In the Footsteps of Sherlock Holmes

  • Casanova's Big Night

    Casanova's Big Night

  • Above Suspicion

    Above Suspicion

  • The Scarlet Claw

    The Scarlet Claw

  • The Mad Doctor

    The Mad Doctor

  • Paris Calling

    Paris Calling

  • Fingers at the Window

    Fingers at the Window

  • The Last of Mrs. Cheyney

    The Last of Mrs. Cheyney

  • Soldier in Love

    Soldier in Love

  • The Adventures of Marco Polo

    The Adventures of Marco Polo

  • Kind Lady

    Kind Lady

  • Confession

    Confession

  • Victoria Regina

    Victoria Regina

  • The Sun Never Sets

    The Sun Never Sets

  • A Woman Commands

    A Woman Commands

  • The Great Deception

    The Great Deception

  • Trouping with Ellen

    Trouping with Ellen

  • Two Before Zero

    Two Before Zero

  • Mystic Prophecies and Nostradamus

    Mystic Prophecies and Nostradamus

  • The Black Cat

    The Black Cat

  • The Fruitful Vine

    The Fruitful Vine