Photo: Universal Pictures / Public domain (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
Claude Rains is, to me, the gold standard of the character actor who quietly steals every scene he enters. He never needed to top the bill; that voice and those knowing eyes did all the work, letting him layer menace and refinement into the same breath. Four supporting Oscar nominations and a Tony tell you the industry knew it too, yet I value him most for how effortless he made the cultured villain look during Hollywood's Golden Age. Standing under five-foot-seven, he loomed larger than anyone on screen. He is the actor I point to when explaining why supporting roles matter.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Claude Rains
- Name (Japanese)
- クロード・レインズ
- Reading
- くろーど・れいんず
- Born
- November 10, 1889 – May 30, 1967
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Scorpio / Ox
- Origin
- Clapham, United Kingdom
- Blood type
- Private
- Height
- 169 cm
- Agency
- Private
- Occupation
- film actor / character actor / stage actor / television actor / actor
2. Background
- Elementary school
- Private
- Junior high
- Private
- High school
- Private
- University
- Private
Awards & achievements
- 1951 Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play
- star on Hollywood Walk of Fame
- Donaldson Awards
3. Relationships
- Spouse
- Private
- Children
- Private
- Parents
- Private
- Siblings
- Private
4. Personality
Motto
Private
6. Links
Frequently asked questions
When was Claude Rains born?
November 10, 1889 – May 30, 1967.
Where is Claude Rains from?
Claude Rains is from Clapham, United Kingdom.
What does Claude Rains do?
Claude Rains works as film actor, character actor, stage actor, television actor, actor.
How tall is Claude Rains?
Claude Rains is 169 cm.
Film actor — see all → · Character actor — see all → · More people from United Kingdom →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-17
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public items are marked "Private / Unknown". English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.