Claude Rains was an English stage and film actor whose career spanned 46 years. He was known for many roles in Hollywood films, among them the title role in The Invisible Man , a corrupt senator in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington , Mr. Dryden in Lawrence of Arabia , and, perhaps his most notable performance, as Captain Renault in Casablanca . Rains was born William Claude Rains in Camberwell, London. He grew up, according to his daughter, with "a very serious cockney accent and a speech impediment". His parents were Emily Eliza and English stage and film actor Frederick William Rains. The... young Rains made his stage debut at 11 in Nell of Old Drury. His acting talents were recognised by Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree, founder of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. Tree paid for the elocution lessons Rains needed in order to succeed as an actor. Later, Rains taught at the institution, teaching John Gielgud and Laurence Olivier, among others. Many years later, after he had gone to Hollywood and become a film star, Gielgud was to quip: "He was a great influence on me. I don`t know what happened to him.
more
| Birthdate: | November 10, 1889 |
| Birthplace: | London |
| Date of death: | May 30, 1967 |
| Also known as: | William Claude Rains, Rains, Claude |