 One of the screen's great character stars, most of whose brilliant career took place in Hollywood, where, having appeared in the British silent, Build Thy House (d. Fred Goodwins, 1920), he made his sensational talkie debut as The Invisible Man (US, d. James Whale, 1933). After this, his short, suave form graced many major character roles, in such films as The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938), as wicked Prince John, and Now Voyager (US, d. Irving Rapper, 1942), as sympathetic shrink Jaquith. In Britain, he starred as The Clairvoyant (d. Maurice Elvey, 1935), as an urbanely amused Caesar, the best thing in the ponderous Caesar and Cleopatra (d. Gabriel Pascal, 1945), winning pity as Ann Todd's cuckolded, understanding husband in The Passionate Friends (d. David Lean, 1948), as The Man Who Watched Trains Go By (d. Harold French, 1952), and as Dryden in Lawrence of Arabia (d. Lean, 1962). He was the son of actor Fred Rains, and married relentlessly, with Isabel Jeans (1920) as the first of six wives. Bibliography
John T.Soister and JoAnna Wioskowski, Claude Rains: A Comprehensive Illustrated Reference to His Work in Film, Stage, Radio, Television and Recordings, 1999. Brian McFarlane, Encyclopedia of British Film
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FILM & TV CREDITS
