Bette Davis in an interview with Dick Cavett said about Rains: Well, of course he petrified me. Rains signed a long-term contract with Warner Bros. on 27 November 1935 with Warner able to exercise the right to loan him to other studios and Rains having a potential income of up to $750,000 over seven years. Our most recent confirmation is Jessica Rains, daughter of legendary actor Claude Rains. ", Rains became a naturalized citizen of the United States in 1939. For Warner Bros., he played Dr. Alexander Tower, who commits murder-suicide to spare his daughter a life of insanity in Kings Row (1942) and the cynical police chief Captain Renault in Casablanca (also 1942). His daughter said, "And, just like most actors, he died waiting for his agent to call. [3] He lived in the slums of London, and, in his own words, on "the wrong side of the river Thames". William Claude Rains was born on 10 November 1889 in Clapham, London. His daughter Jessica, when describing her father's voice, said, "The interesting thing to me was that he became a different person. She had too many friends nearby, and she loved Stock Grange. Rains made his stage debut at age ten in the play Sweet Nell of Old Drury[7] at the Haymarket Theatre, so that he could run around onstage as part of the production. 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. In 1960, he married Rosemary Clark Schrode, to whom he was married until her death on 31 December 1964. As soon as you hear that marvelous, unmistakable voice of honey mixed with gravel, he becomes instantly recognizable. He grew up, according to his daughter, with "a very serious Cockney accent and a speech impediment". [5][12] His agent, Harold Freedman, was a family friend of Carl Laemmle, who controlled Universal Pictures at the time, and had been acquainted with Rains in London and was keen to cast him in the role. She is an actress and producer, known for Sleeper (1973), Honky Tonk Freeway (1981) and Kotch (1971). One day on the set I mentioned to him that Notorious was one of my favorite films, and Claude related with amusement the filming of a particular scene with Ingrid Bergman. [4] Rains was one of twelve children, all but three dying of malnutrition when still infants. ", Rains' debut speaking role in the theatre, This supporting role marked Rains' return to the stage after being wounded in WWI. Later, Rain… Stocky but handsome, Rains had broad shoulders and a mop of thick brown hair which he brushed over one eye. Because his father was an actor, the young Rains would spend time in theatres and was surrounded by actors and stagehands. Warner Brothers ... and Jessica Rains, the daughter of Claude Rains (the rakish Captain Renault). 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 ([actually the Emperor of the French] Napoleon III) in rehearsal. Claude Rains was a unique and hard-working individual and it is wonderful that a thorough record of his life and work has finally been committed to paper. His parents were Emily Eliza (née Cox) and the stage actor Frederick William Rains. Rains was considered to be "one of the screen's great character stars"[1] who was, according to the All-Movie Guide, "at his best when playing cultured villains". In 2011, the ivory military uniform (complete with medals) he wore as Captain Renault in Casablanca was put up for auction when noted actress and film historian Debbie Reynolds sold her collection of Hollywood costumes and memorabilia which she had amassed as a result of the 1970 MGM auction.[28]. I got another taste of Claude's witty nature shooting a scene in his [next-to-last] film, in which he had a long piece of dialogue. Jessica Rains is the author of Claude Rains (4.18 avg rating, 66 ratings, 11 reviews, published 2008) His parents were Emily Eliza (née Cox) and the stage and film actor Frederick William Rains. This was Rains' last appearance on the London Stage. The NBC colour special, broadcast as a film rather than a live or videotaped programme, was highly successful with the public. Written by David Skal, a film historian and biographer, as well as by Rains' only child, Jessica, this book vividly tells the story of a man who didn't monopolize Hollywood, he just captivated it. She also praised his performances: "He was marvelous in Deception and was worth the whole thing as the picture wasn't terribly good, but he was so marvelous and the restaurant scene where he's talking about all the food...brilliant, and of course in Mr. Skeffington he was absolutely brilliant as the husband, just brilliant.". His parents were Emily Eliza (née Cox) and the stage actor Frederick William Rains. Late in Claude Rains's distinguished career, a reverent film journalist wrote that Rains "was as much a cinematic institution as the medium itself." Generally he had no problem remembering his lines despite getting along in years. Thank you Joe aka Mongo Given his childhood speech impediments and his origins in a destitute London neighborhood, the ascent of Claude Rains (1889--1967) to the stage and screen is remarkable. But by the time I first met him in the 1920s he was already much in demand as a character actor in London. ""Most movie stars eventually are forgotten, and almost all character actors are, but the reputation "The Jeffersonian Heritage," Broadcasting-Telecasting, 8 September 1952, 36 (trade advertisement). Her mother is Frances Propper. [10] He never returned to combat but continued to serve with the Bedfordshire Regiment. [13][14] According to Rains' daughter, this was the only film of his he ever saw. Tree told Rains that in order to succeed as an actor, he would have to get rid of his Cockney accent and speech impediment. During a stage and film career that spanned six decades, Rains encompassed some of the most memorable and exciting characters ever created by an actor. In London theatre, he achieved success in the title role of John Drinkwater's play Ulysses S. Grant, the follow-up to the same playwright's Abraham Lincoln. Rains was born in Camberwell, London. The author did a lot of research and with the contribution of Claude's daughter, Jessica, created a wonderful portrait of this gifted man. He loved acting. He spent much of his time between film takes reading up on agricultural techniques to try when he got home. Claude Rains: truly a class act, on and off screen. His mother took in boarders in order to support the family. Tribute to Claude Rains and Jessica Rains - Lullabye - YouTube Skal's portrait of the gifted actor also benefits from the insights of Jessica Rains, who provides firsthand accounts of the enigmatic man behind her father's refined screen presence and genteel public persona. There he observed actors as well as the day-to-day running of a theatre. [6] 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. I hope you continue to enjoy the thread here in Films and Filmmakers until the problem is solved. [21], He acquired the 380-acre (1.5 km2) Stock Grange Farm, built in 1747 in West Bradford Township, Pennsylvania (just outside Coatesville), in 1941. Sep 19, 2016 - Hi TCM members, Just to let you know that the CANDIDS thread has moved from General Discussions due to a the problem of posting images. |  He took her to see, Jessica recalled a memorable Halloween following the release of the, View agent, publicist, legal and company contact details on IMDbPro, Rabe to Reynolds Global actresses # 27 in progress, (1966 - "[27] He was buried at the Red Hill Cemetery in Moultonborough, New Hampshire. When Jennifer was 17, her mother woke her up in the middle of the night, said she was leaving her father, and wanted to know if Jennifer wanted to come with her. Daughter of Claude Rains, granddaughter of Fred Rains. She was a joy. Publicity Listings I think he failed and went to America. Back in Britain, he appeared in David Lean's The Passionate Friends (1949). Also included in the auction were many volumes of his private leather-bound scrapbooks which contained many of his press cuttings and reviews from the beginning of his career. Rains left school after the second grade to sell newspapers so that he could bring the pennies and halfpennies home for his mother. After the war ended, Rains remained in England and continued to develop his acting talents. It was clear to us that he loved practicing his craft; he dazzled us all. Drawing on over thirty hours of newly released audio interviews with Rains and enriched by daughter Jessica Rains's contributions, Claude Rains is an intimate portrait … Gielgud commented that he once wrote that "The London stage suffered a great loss when Claude Rains deserted it for motion pictures," but he later went on to say, "but when I see him now on the screen and remember him, I must admit that the London stage's loss was the cinema's gain. She was also to go to college. How Claude brought his wife and baby Jessica to the set to ease Bette Davis's ardor. Claude was an extremely private man—he never discussed his humble beginnings, his six marriages. He lacked inches and wore lifts to his shoes to increase his height. At age 29, he played the role of Clarkis in his one (and only) silent film, the British film Build Thy House (1920). ‎ The first full-length biography of the actor known for his roles in The Invisible Man , Casablanca , and other classics, based on newly released interviews. During his early years, Rains taught at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts (RADA). Frederick william Rains girl not dressed up try when he got home 1960, he appeared in David Lean the! For Best Performance by a leading actor in London, broadcast as a young actor now. Whole script before he came out ( to film ) telecast, it was clear to us that he practicing! Quite a lot and became really great friends act, on and off screen, which brought. 4 ] Rains spent his final years in Sandwich, New Hampshire. [ 10 ] London Lyric... Was surrounded by actors and colleagues up, according to Rains ' daughter, was! 1938, the film 's director and producer Rains taught at the age of 11 in the film! 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