Born into the English working class, Claude Rains (1889-1967) overcame a severe speech impediment to become a fixture of the London theater scene. Rains' personal life was as dramatic as his work on stage: to end his second marriage while masking his wife's alcoholism, he staged an episode of infidelity, though the ensuing scandal made it difficult for him to find work. In 1926 he immigrated to America where, despite what Rains described as 'the worst screen test of all time', he was hired by director James Whale to play ...
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Born into the English working class, Claude Rains (1889-1967) overcame a severe speech impediment to become a fixture of the London theater scene. Rains' personal life was as dramatic as his work on stage: to end his second marriage while masking his wife's alcoholism, he staged an episode of infidelity, though the ensuing scandal made it difficult for him to find work. In 1926 he immigrated to America where, despite what Rains described as 'the worst screen test of all time', he was hired by director James Whale to play the title role in an adaptation of H. G. Wells' "The Invisible Man", a tour-de-force depending completely on his vocal skills. In "Claude Rains: An Actor's Voice", noted author David J. Skal illustrates how Rains' talents were well suited to Hollywood's studio system, allowing him to become one of cinema's best known character actors. He lent his commanding presence to such landmark films as "Casablanca", "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington", "Notorious", and "Lawrence of Arabia" and was nominated for four Academy Awards. Bette Davis considered him her favorite acting partner. Drawing on over thirty hours of newly released audio interviews with Rains and enriched by daughter Jessica Rains' contributions, "Claude Rains" is an intimate portrait and the first full biography of this gifted actor.
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Seller's Description:
Very Good jacket. First Edition. First Edition. Very Good in Very Good dust jacket. Gently used with NO markings in text; binding is tight. Pasadena's finest independent new and used bookstore.
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Seller's Description:
Fine in fine jacket. Fine in fine dust jacket. First printing. Hardcover. x+ 290 pp. with bibliography, index. Illustrated with photographs. Quite scarce. The first full-length biography of actor Claude Rains (1889-1967). Rains was born into poverty in a destitute London neighborhood and suffered from a speech impediment as a child. He wwnt on to become one of the most recognizable and respected actors in Hollywood in the 1930s and beyond. Among his acclaimed performances were roles in "The Invisible Man", "Mr. Smith Goes To Washington", "Notorious", "The Phantom of the Opera" and as Captain Renault in the iconic "Casablanca". Rains' daughter Jessica adds firsthand insights and account of the enigmatic man behind her father's refined screen presence and genteel public persona.
