Basil Rathbone

Acting · Born 1892-06-13 in Johannesburg, South African Republic

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.

Filmography

• The Adventures of Robin Hood as Sir Guy of Gisbourne
• We're No Angels as Andre Trochard
• The Court Jester as Sir Ravenhurst
• The Mark of Zorro as Captain Esteban Pasquale
• The Hound of the Baskervilles as Sherlock Holmes
• The Great Mouse Detective as Sherlock Holmes (voice)
• Captain Blood as Levasseur
• Son of Frankenstein as Baron Wolf von Frankenstein
• The Spider Woman as Sherlock Holmes
• The Movie Orgy as Self (archival footage)

TV

• Burke's Law as Milo James
• The Merv Griffin Show as Self
• Studio One as Hazelton Crome
• Hallmark Hall of Fame as Inquisitor
• Lux Video Theatre as Frampton
• Schlitz Playhouse of Stars as Self - Host / General Lee
• Your Show of Shows
• Suspense as Dr. Jekyll / Mr. Hyde
• Lights Out
• The Jack Benny Program as Basil Rathbone