Birthname: Philip St. John Basil Rathbone
| Sign | Gemini |
| Born | Jun 13, 1892 Johannesburg, South Africa |
| Died | Jul 21, 1967 New York City, NY |
| Age | Died at 75 |
| Final Resting PlaceFerncliff Cemetery | |
Basil Rathbone | |
| Job | Actor |
| Years active | 1911-67 |
| Known for | Suave cold-hearted villains, morally ambiguous characters; Sherlock Holmes |
| Top Roles | Count Sigurd 'Sig' von Aschenhausen, Sir Guy of Gisbourne, Sherlock Holmes, Marquis St. Evremonde, Mr. Murdstone |
| Top Genres | Drama, Comedy, Mystery, Romance, Thriller/Suspense, Film Adaptation |
| Top Topics | Book-Based, Detectives, England |
| Top Collaborators | Roy William Neill (Director), Hal B. Wallis (Producer), Rowland V. Lee (Director), Jack L. Warner (Producer) |
| Shares birthday with | Ben Johnson, Lois Weber, Jean Adair see more.. |
Basil Rathbone Overview:
Legendary character actor, Basil Rathbone, was born Philip St. John Basil Rathbone on Jun 13, 1892 in Johannesburg, South Africa. Rathbone appeared in over 120 film and TV roles. His best known films include David Copperfield, The Adventures of Robin Hood, Captain Blood, Tower of London, The Mark of Zorro, Anna Karenina and The Hound of the Baskervilles (the first of 14 film appearances as master detective, Sherlock Holmes). Rathbone died at the age of 75 on Jul 21, 1967 in New York City, NY and was laid to rest in Ferncliff Cemetery in Hartsdale, Westchester County, NY.
MINI BIO:
Already a veteran stage actor in both London and on Broadway, Basil Rathbone made his film debut in 1921 in the silent film The Fruitful Vine. He went on to appear in over 120 film and TV roles, frequently portraying suave, cold-hearted villains. Some of his most memorable roles were as Murdstone in David Copperfield, Levasseur in Captain Blood, Sir Guy of Gisbourne in The Adventures of Robin Hood, and as Sherlock Holmes in The Hound of the Baskervilles and 13 other films.
(Source: article by Annmarie Gatti for Classic Movie Hub).HONORS and AWARDS:
.Although Rathbone was nominated for two Oscars, he never won a competitive Academy Award.
Academy Awards
| Year | Award | Film name | Role | Result |
| 1936 | Best Supporting Actor | Romeo and Juliet (1936) | Tybalt | Nominated |
| 1938 | Best Supporting Actor | If I Were King (1938) | Louis XI | Nominated |
He was honored with three stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in the categories of Radio, Motion Pictures and Television.
Basil Rathbone BlogHub Articles:
Ronald Colman, Basil Rathbone, and Frances Dee star in “If I Were King”
By Stephen Reginald on Jan 14, 2025 From Classic Movie ManRonald Colman, Basil Rathbone, and Frances Dee star in “If I Were King” If I Were King (1938) is a historical biographical drama directed by Frank Lloyd and starring Ronald Colman, Basil Rathbone, and Frances Dee. The supporting cast includes Ellen Drew, Ralph Forbes, Henry Wilcoxon... Read full article
A Year in the Life of Basil Rathbone: 1950
By Neve on Oct 14, 2024 From The BazBasil Rathbone and John Dall in the City Center production of The Heiress... Read full article
A Farewell to Basil Rathbone
By Neve on Jul 21, 2023 From The BazBasil Rathbone in Summer Stock
By Neve on May 18, 2022 From The BazSea Cliff Summer Theatre, Long Island... Read full article
A Year in the Life of Basil Rathbone ? 1940
By Neve on Nov 18, 2021 From The BazRathbone standing on the garden steps outside his Bel Air home... Read full article
See all Basil Rathbone articles
Basil Rathbone Quotes:
Sherlock Holmes: There's an east wind coming, Watson.
Doctor Watson: No, I don't think so. Looks like another warm day.
Sherlock Holmes: Good old Watson. The one fixed point in the changing age. There's an east wind coming all the same, such a wind as never blew on England yet. It will be cold and bitter, Watson. And a good many of us may wither before its blast. But it's God's own wind nonetheless and a greener, better, stronger land that will lie in the sunshine when the storm is cleared.
Sherlock Holmes: This man pervades Europe like a plague, yet no one has heard of him. That's what puts him on the pinnacle in the records of crime. In his whole diabolical career, the police have never been able to pin anything on him. And yet, if there be a crime without a motive, I'll show you Giles Conover! If I could free society of this sinister creature, I should feel my own career had reached it's summit.
Don Diego Vega: I must please ask you to change the subject. His Excellency objects to talk of throat-cutting.
Captain Esteban Pasquale: Quiet, you Popinjay! I have no reason to letting you live either.
Don Diego Vega: What a pleasant coincidence. I feel exactly the same way about you Capitan.
Captain Esteban Pasquale: You wouldn't care to translate that feeling into action would you?
Don Diego Vega: I might be tempted. If I had a weapon.
Captain Esteban Pasquale: Would you.
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