[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. She is a member of famous Actress with the age 84 years old group. His screen test for A Bill of Divorcement (1932) for a New York representative of RKO was a failure but, according to some accounts, led to his being cast in the title role of James Whale's The Invisible Man (1933) after his screen test and unique voice were inadvertently overheard from the next room. Born January 24, 1938 Showcase yourself on IMDbPro Add to list More at IMDbPro Contact info Agent info Photos Known for Sleeper 7.1 Woman in the Mirror 1973 Claude Rains An Actor's Voice Screen Classics. AbeBooks.com: Claude Rains: An Actor's Voice (Screen Classics) (9780813124322) by Skal, David J.; Rains, . He culminated the decade with his complex, ethics-tortured Senator "Joe" Paine in Mr. As soon as you hear that marvelous, unmistakable voice of honey mixed with gravel, he becomes instantly recognizable. Important: Use our map link to see location / directions. I think he failed, and had to go to America. I'm so glad of that. were put into an auction at the Heritage Auctions. Bette Davis in an interview with Dick Cavett said about Rains: Well, of course he petrified me. Suggest an alternative Share your comments about this record 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. Rains was married six times and had one child (his daughter Jennifer, who worked as an actress under the name Jessica Rains in the '70s and '80s). Family (3) Trivia (14) Daughter of Claude Rains, granddaughter of Fred Rains. She is an actress and producer, popularly known for Sleeper (1973), Honky Tonk Freeway (1981) and Kotch (1971). There he observed actors as well as the day-to-day running of a theatre. Silky, often pensive, sometimes touched by nameless rue, it was equally suitable for realism and irony, though not for high tragedy. JP SUTCLIFFE February 13, 2021 is 5'6"(1.69m) . Sign Up now to stay up to date with all of the latest news from TCM. He was known for many roles in Hollywood films, among them the title role in The Invisible Man (1933), a corrupt senator in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939), Mr. Dryden in Lawrence of Arabia (1962), and, perhaps his most notable performance, as Captain Renault in . In the 1940s and '50s he owned a 380-acre farm in eastern Pennsylvania, which he lived on and farmed when he wasn't busy acting. When the householder opened the door, the Phantom threw open his cloak and the children, dressed as gremlins, jumped out, squealing "Trick or treat!". This page was last edited on 21 February 2023, at 10:25. What had been a flaw, his voice, became his glory. [19] In 2019, she gave birth to a son.[20]. Claude Rains, in full William Claude Rains, (born November 10, 1889, London, Englanddied May 30, 1967, Laconia, New Hampshire, U.S.), 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. His net worth has been growing significantly in 2021-2022. Rains left school after the third year to sell newspapers so that he could bring the pennies and halfpennies home for his mother. When he finished a picture, he would quietly retreat to one of several country places he owned over his American career, which began in 1920s theater. The first time Jessica ever saw her father in a film was in 1950. Generally he had no problem remembering his lines despite getting along in years. He played opposite the challenging Bette Davis in three movies through the decade and came out her equal in acting virtuosity. At 84 years old, Jessica Rains height not available right now. Jessica allowed me to be the first to get to be able to see them, and that's what I built my book around.". That was outrageous to me. Claude was an extremely private manhe never discussed his humble beginnings, his six marriages. Like most horror fans, I knew the name of Claude Rains because of his starring role in The Invisible Man (1933), as well his performances in The Wolf Man (1941), and Phantom of the Opera (1943). William Claude Rains, known as Willie to his family, was born November 10, 1889 to Frederick and Emily Eliza Cox at 26 Tregothnan Road in Clapham, or, as he described it, ?the wrong side of the River Thames?. Jessica Raine (born Jessica Helen Lloyd; 20 May 1982) is an English actress. Claude Rains may have played the Invisible Man but he was anything but invisible in Hollywood. 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. This highly readable biography, written with the help of his daughter, Jessica Rains, reveals the witty, talented man behind this universally respected Hollywood legend. Tucson Citizen, Good easy-to-read bio of Warner Brothers steadfast actor Claude Rains who began his life in poverty in England and began work in the theatre as a youngster. He taught her to pronounce words the way he did, and he was . Buy newspaper front pages, posters and more. Actor. But his tact, delicacy and intelligence were unsurpassed. As all of us "other era people," we don't just run through lines and say "turn the camera", we rehearse beforehandAnyway Claude and I couldn't, and he was the King of France who loathed Carlotta, and I was a kid and petrified of Mr. Dutch postcard by HEMO. William Claude Rains was born on November 10, 1889 in Camberwell, London, England to actor Frederick William Rains and his wife Emily Eliza Rains (nee Cox). He had had a deprived and brutal south London childhood. Explore genealogy for Claude Rains born 1889 London, England died 1967 New Hampshire, USA including ancestors + more in the free family tree community. He sang in the Farm Street Church choir, which also brought him a few pence to take home. His fifth wife, Agi Jambor, was born in 1908. [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. They had a daughter named Jessica age 84. What fools these mortals be, he seems to say, but arent they pretty? Claude Rains died from an abdominal haemorrhage in Laconia on the 30th May, 1967, aged 77. The career of English stage and film actor Claude Rains (1889-1967) spanned 47 years. 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. As an actress, she is known as Jessica Rains. He also did not go to see the rushes of the day's filming "because he told me, every time he went he was horrified by his huge face on the huge screen, that he just never went back again.". He was married six times and had Jessica, his only child, with his fourth wife Francis Propper. "I love biographies, but they're only worth writing if you have access to new primary materials," he said. British Actor Claude Rains was born William Claude Rains on 10th November, 1889 in Camberwell, London, England, UK and passed away on 30th May 1967 Laconia, New Hampshire, USA aged 77. 2000 Ranked 2000's Ranked Documentaries Ranked [19] Rains followed it with Alfred Hitchcock's Notorious (1946) as a refugee Nazi agent opposite Cary Grant and Ingrid Bergman. ", Rains' debut speaking role in the theatre, This supporting role marked Rains' return to the stage after being wounded in WWI. It took almost seven years to finalize. Universal was embarking on its new-found role as horror film factory, and they were looking for someone unique for their next outing, The Invisible Man (1933). Paperback; 9780813192611; Published: February 2010; [6], She starred as the lead character Jenny Lee in the first three series of the BBC One drama Call the Midwife. 34K 16,225 120. I talked to Jessica Rains, she is the daughter of one my fave actors.Claude Rains. It was not long before his talent garnered him acknowledgment as one of the leading stage actors on the London scene. Dallas, Texas 75261-4127 Jessica has performed the role Marina of 'Visions', Technician of 'Murder by Natural Causes', and Secretary of 'Wonder Woman'. Skeffington, Rains Oscar nomination was for supporting actor -- a category that Hollywood generally votes for bombast, cuteness or, curiously, non-actors. Claude Rains - David J. Skal 2008-11-07 Late in Claude Rains's distinguished career, a . His fifth wife, Agi, was a widow who had lost her husband in 1949. ", Rains became a naturalized citizen of the United States in 1939. I didn't know he was playing the character. After a shear lucky opportunity to dispatch his young wife's lover, Louis Hayward, in a duel, he triumphs over her in a scene with derisive, bulging eyes and that high pitched laugh -- with appropriate shadow and light backdrop -- that is unforgettable. Rains became the first actor to receive a million-dollar salary when he portrayed Julius Caesar in a large-budget but . His acting was superb, and his eyes could say as much as his voice. Skeffington. That says nothing of the many sympathetic father figures he played. His only child, Jennifer, was the daughter of Frances Propper. His zodiac sign is Scorpio. After graduating, she was turned down by every drama school she applied to, so went to Thailand and taught English as a second language. Discover Jessica Rains's Biography, Age, Height, Physical Stats, Dating/Affairs, Family and career updates. Charlotte has been browbeaten by her domineering mother, and she is on the verge of a nervous breakdown when she is introduced to Dr. Jaquith (Rains), a psychiatrist who helps her break free from. He is most remembered for The Invisible Man. Related Videos Now, Voyager - (Original Trailer) Lonely spinster Bette Davis lets herself fall for a married man during an ocean cruise in Now, Voyager (1942), co-starring Paul Henreid. This was acting as it should be: flexible, self-effacing, yet so often, at the movies end, enigmatic in ways that abide in memory. He slowly worked his way up in the theatre, becoming a call boy (telling actors when they were due on stage) at His Majesty's Theatre and later a prompter, stage manager, understudy, and then moving on from smaller parts with good reviews to larger, better parts.