The
character actor provided the understructure of a film. Take any
movie, good or mediocre, from 1930 to 1970 and you will find one
or more memorable “characters”. A leading role in films
usually required a “name”, a celebrated star who had
mass appeal and who could bring audiences into the theater. The
character or featured roles depended on someone who specialized
in a particular “type” of personality and who could
wrap a persona around the role to give it dimension, depth and mood
soon identified with that actor alone. It was these players who
kept the audiences in their seats.
Claude Rains
November 10th, 1889
- May 30th, 1967 |
|
|
 Rains
as "The Invisible Man"
|
The first thing Claude Rains did for American film
audiences was disappear! A veteran stage actor, Rains had
been screen-tested and hired by Universal in 1932 for the
role as “The Invisible Man” and remained swathed
in bandages or completely transparent throughout the entire
film.
He was born William Claude Rains in London, England,
the son of famed British stage actor Frederick Raines and
made his stage debut at age 11 playing a street urchin in
“Sweet Nell of Old Drury”. After touring the
U.S. in 1914, he returned home to England to serve his country
as a soldier in the Scottish regiment in WWI where an injury
left him almost blind in one eye.
|
After the war, he returned to the
London stage, breaking away only once to appear in an obscure
British silent film titled “Build Thy House”. During
this time, he also taught at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts
where he numbered among his many students actors Laurence Olivier
and Isabel Jeans (who would become his first of six wives).
Capt. Louis Renault in "Casablanca"
|
Rains came back to America in the
1920’s and was quite active In New York Theatre Guild
productions before his entry into films. By that time, this
suave, charming actor was already into middle age. Never
a really handsome man, he had a charismatic mode of acting,
an expressive face and a very unique speaking voice (resulting
from exhaustive and diligent attention to elocution lessons
as a boy to correct his poor diction). Rains had the ability
to create even villains with an urbane civility, wit and
refinement allowing him a wide range of character parts
and supporting roles.
Claude married 6 times. His first
to Isabel Jeans lasted two years before ending in divorce
and his second to actress Marie Hemingway lasted less than
a year. Four years after that divorce he married another
actress Beatriz Thomas and it endured 11 years before ending
the same way. A 4th marriage to non-professional Frances
Propper lasted much longer but also ended in divorce after
21 years. However, it produced his only child, a daughter,
Jennifer (now actress Jessica Rains). His 5th wife was Agi
Jambor to whom he stayed married all of 8 months. His 6th
wedding was to Rosemary Clark Schrode who died in 1964 after
almost 4 years of marriage. |
|
Rains was a character actor who
was also a star in his own right and he won nominations
for Best Supporting Actor 4 times for his roles in “Mr.
Smith Goes to Washington” (1939), “Casablanca”
(1942), “Mr. Skeffington” (1944) and “Notorious”
(1946). He was the first actor ever to receive one million
dollars (for playing the role of Julius Caesar in “Caesar
and Cleopatra” in 1946).
In 1951, Claude Rains took back Broadway with his
great performance in “Darkness at Noon” but
he continued to work in films through the 1950’s and
1960’s. His last feature film was “The Greatest
Story Ever Told” (1965) where he played King Herod
just 2 years before his death of an intestinal hemorrhage
at 77.
|
with John Garfield in "Daughters Courageous"
|
|
.jpg)
