About Me
Claude Rains, the Actor
Claude Rains was born William Claude Rains (known as Willie), in Camberwell, London on November 10, 1889. As a child, he spoke with a pronounced cockney accent, stuttered and had had a speech impediment. His acting ability was recognized by Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree, founder of The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. Tree paid for the elocution lessons that he needed to succeed as an actor. Later, Rains taught at the institution, working with John Gielgud, Charles Laughton and Laurence Olivier.
Rains served in World War I, rising from the rank of private to captain, an unheard-of accomplishment in class-conscious Britain. He was involved in a gas attack that left him 90% blind in his right eye for the rest of his life. Only his closest friends knew of the handicap.
In the period following World War I, Rains kept busy in the theatre, both in Britain and America. He didn't make his first film until he was 43. His initial screen test was a spectacular failure, but his voice won him the title role in James Whale's classic The Invisible Man in 1933. Whale happened to overhear Claude's test and instantly knew that the voice was the correct one for the title role. Rains later gave credit to director Michael Curtiz for teaching him the understated requirements for film acting, or, "what not to do in front of a camera."
Following The Invisible Man, Universal Studios tried to typecast him in roles more suited for Chaney and Karloff, but Rains stubbornly resisted. He left Universal for Warner Brothers in 1936. It was at Warners that he made some of his most acclaimed movies, though he chafed under the rigid studio system. He broke free with his Academy Award-nominated role as the corrupt Senator Paine in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington in 1939 and followed that with probably his most famous role, the sardonic and corruptible French policeman Captain Renault in Casablanca in 1942.
For a period of 25 years, Rains remained a renowned character actor, appearing in over films. Two of his best later screen roles were in Lawrence of Arabia in 1962 and The Greatest Story Ever Told where he was magnificent as King Herod. This was his last film role.
Claude Rains died from an internal hemorrhage in 1967 in Laconia, New Hampshire. He was 77.Claude Rains, the Man
Not only was Claude Rains a remarkably gifted actor, he was a man of many contradictions. Intensely private, it's always been difficult to know what he was really like as a human being.
Over the years, some stories and personal anecdotes have dribbled out about Claude, but not enough to satisfy his fans. Hopefully, the publication of a new book in October, 2008, will answer some of these nagging questions. The book is entitled Claude Rains: An Actor's Voice, and Rains' daughter, Jessica, is also contributing.
Claude Rains was a man alternately shy and egocentric, withdrawn and gregarious. He admitted to suffering from acute stage fright and was generally anxious when rehearsing. Often he was described as shy and soft-spoken. Yet occasionally he showed his manic side as well. Though entirely self-taught, he was erudite, well-read and had eclectic tastes in literature and music. His droll sense of humor was frequently commented upon, as was his immense reservoir of charm. This innate charm shines through in most of his movies.In a 1947 article about the actor, his personality was deftly described: "In his personal life, Rains is at the same time gentle, tender and explosive. He is both a terrific worker and a sitter. He is witty, humorous and grim. A clever, droll raconteur, he grows embarrassed if he talks too much about himself. He is moody and ebullient, expansive and reticient."
He possessed one of the most beautiful and famous voices in film history, but had a life-long problem with his "r's" and stuttered until he was well into his adolescence. Amazingly, he continued doing vocal exercises in front of a mirror into his old age. He was self-conscious about his height (he was barely 5'6), and told colleagues, "if only I would go to sleep and wake up with three inches added to me!" According to his fourth wife, he almost never saw himself on screen and didn't bother watching his most acclaimed movie, Casablanca.Claude was married six times and was hugely attractive to women. One of his students at RADA was John Gielgud, who later recalled:
"Claude was extremely attractive to women. Needless to say, all the girls in my class at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, where he was one of the best and most popular teachers, were hopelessly in love with him... Claude was an enormous favorite with all of us. His vitality and enthusiasm made him a delightful teacher, and as I said, most of the girls were in love with him."
"He lacked inches and wore lifts in his shoes to increase his height. Stocky but handsome, with broad shoulders and a mop of thick brown hair which he brushed over one eye, he wore beautifully cut double-breasted suits, starched shirts with pointed collars and big cuffs, and wide satin ties. He had piercing dark eyes and a beautiful throaty voice, though he had, like Marlene Dietrich, some trouble with the letter "R"."
Robert Osbourne, host of Turner Classic Movies, and a close friend of Bette Davis, wrote this about Rains:
"Bette delighted in the fact that behind Rain's elegant tweed-and-pipe British exterior beat the heart of a randy romantic. Claude liked the ladies."His favorite co-star was Bette Davis and she adored him. In 1947, Claude gave a rare interview and told a reporter, "Of all the movie stars I've worked with, I like Bette Davis the best. She is fair and honest, and although outspoken and forthright, she is very cooperative."
Bette Davis was much more outspoken in her summation of Claude. She said, "I think he was basically enormously sexy. It reeked! He had that in any role he played." She also said, "He was greatest actor I ever worked with. The greatest friend, through many years. Claude had six wives. One year he was married twice. A very sexy man was this superb actor. Alas! I was never considered as one of his wives. I asked him why once. He gave me one of his captivating smiles and did not answer me. I got the message."
Claude enjoyed drinking as well and developed serious health problems related to this indulgence. But he was never a carouser and remained aloof from the social side of Hollywood. Never one to attend big parties, the minute one of his films wrapped, he hopped on a train and returned to his 380 acre farm in Pennsylvania, which he purchased in 1941. Hardly the life of a typical movie star. He bent over backwards to keep his private life completely shielded from public view.
I hope you enjoy your visit and appreciate the films and prodigious talent of Claude Rains. When he's on screen, it's impossible not to watch his every move and listen to that magnificent voice. We'll not see his like again.
