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Claude Rains
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Claude Rains was a brilliant character actor, known for his versatility and suave aristocratic charm. Although he played a diverse range of roles, Rains was best known for his villainous portrayals. He earned a reputation for his inability to do a bad performance, and for the rich, deep voice that was his trademark. The son of British actor Frederick William Rains, Claude began his dramatic career at the age of eleven, working as a call-boy at the Duke of York's Theatre in London. During the next several years he worked as a prompter and then as a stage director, before earning acclaim as an actor on the British, and, subsequently, the American stage. Turning to Hollywood in 1933, Rains made his film debut in The Invisible Man. He acted in many classic movies, earning Academy Award nominations for his performances in Casablanca, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, Mr. Skeffington, and Notorious.
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Angered over being forcibly retired, jewelry store employee Andrew Thurgood (Claude Rains) would seem to be the most likely suspect when an expensive necklace is stolen. Surprisingly, Andrew's boss, Dr. Rudel (Stephen Bekassy), is willing to forget about the robbery, so long as the insurance company pays for the loss. It is only when Andrew returns home to his daughter (Betsy Von Furstenberg) that he finds out why his employer was so eager to sweep the matter under the rug. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
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Claude Rains has the power of invisibility. He first appears in the episode "Godsend" during one of Peter Petrelli's dreams, in which he is laughing before Peter explodes. Later in the episode, Peter is able to see Claude despite his invisibility, and is in fact mimicking Claude's power himself. Claude then accosts him, apparently confused as to how he can be seen.
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Elderly actor Charles Gresham (Claude Rains) spends more of his time in barrooms than backstage, but he is always on the lookout for the role that will make him a star. He finally gets that opportunity by blackmailing producer Wayne Campbell (James Gregory) into casting him as the lead in Campbell's new play. Ironically, Gresham has been cast as a blackmailer -- and he intends to give the performance of his life for the entertainment of a potential backer named Nick Roper (Paul Picerni). Without giving away the ending, it can be noted that the operative word in the previous sentence is "life." ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
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Claude Rains practically owns his film debut in The Invisible Man, despite the fact that his face (let alone his body) is seen only for seconds in the final moments. As the brilliant scientist who discovers the secret of invisibility, Rains steps into the film wrapped up like a mummy behind a layer of bandages and blanketed in heavy clothes. When he removes his garments, there's nothing underneath, a simple but effective bit of 1930s movie magic that, apart from a few glitches, works as well today as it did in 1933. Like Frankenstein, another cautionary tale of science gone horribly wrong, the consequences of the doctor's experiments are dire: the chemicals drive him insane. Director James Whale infuses the film with plenty of humor, much of it arising from the quaint quirks of the local villagers, but it turns to black comedy as the doctor transforms from an impish prankster upsetting bicycles and taunting tavern patrons to a megalomaniac bent on world domination. It's slow going even at 71 minutes, but full of delightful touches and boasts a terrific performance by the all but unseen Rains, whose rich, cultured voice envelopes the picture in a kind of omnipresent fog.
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Claude Rains was born on November 10, 1889 in the Camberwell section of London. His first stage appearance was at the age of ten in Sweet Nell of Old Drury and following his bit in the production, he decided that acting was the life for him. He was a critically acclaimed stage actor for over thirty years before Hollywood sought his impressive talents. Already in his mid-forties when The Invisible Man was released in 1933, his film career soon parallelled his stage success. Early in his celluoid career, he was primarily cast as the heavy of the picture, who always seemed to have a difficulty to remain of sound mind. Although Rains was brilliant in portraying these types of characters, Tinseltown eventually took notice of his great skills as an actor and began to feature him in a variety of roles.
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Claude Rains