Claude Rains (November 10, 1889 - May 30, 1967) was an English actor.

Rains was born in London. Gassed during World War I, he was almost blind in one eye for the rest of his life.

Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree, founder of The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, recognized Rains' acting talent and paid for the elocution lessons he needed to succeed as an actor. Later Rains taught at the institution, working with John Gielgud and Laurence Olivier, among others.

It was ironic that Rains' first Hollywood role was as the star of a movie in which he did not appear until the very end. That was the title character in James Whale's The Invisible Man. It was his distinctive voice which had won him the role.

In 1939, he became a naturalized citizen of the United States.

Following The Invisible Man, Universal Studios tried to turn him into another horror film actor, but he broke free with his Academy Award nominated role in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, and followed that up in probably his most famous role, that of French police Captain Louis Renault in Casablanca.

He has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, at 6400 Hollywood Blvd.

Claude Rains died in Laconia, New Hampshire and is interred in the Red Hill Cemetery, Moultonborough, New Hampshire.

Academy Award nominations

• 1947 Nominated Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor Notorious
• 1945 Nominated Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor Mr. Skeffington
• 1944 Nominated Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor Casablanca
• 1940 Nominated Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor Mr. Smith Goes to Washington

Filmography

• The Greatest Story Ever Told
• Twilight of Honor
• Lawrence of Arabia
• Battle of the Worlds
• The Lost World
• This Earth Is Mine
• The Pied Piper of Hamelin
• Lisbon
• The Man Who Watched the Trains Go By
• Sealed Cargo
• The White Tower
• Where Danger Lives
• Song of Surrender
• The Passionate Friends
• Rope of Sand
• The Unsuspected
• Deception
• Angel on My Shoulder
• Strange Holiday
• Notorious
• This Love of Ours
• Caesar and Cleopatra
• Passage to Marseille
• Mr. Skeffington
• Phantom of the Opera
• Forever and a Day
• Kings Row
• Moontide
• Casablanca
• Now, Voyager
• The Wolf Man
• Here Comes Mr. Jordan
• Four Mothers
• The Lady with Red Hair
• The Sea Hawk
• Saturday's Children
• Four Wives
• Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
• Daughters Courageous
• Sons of Liberty
• Juarez
• They Made Me a Criminal
• Four Daughters
• Gold Is Where You Find It
• The Adventures of Robin Hood
• White Banners
• They Won't Forget
• The Prince and the Pauper
• Stolen Holiday
• Anthony Adverse
• Hearts Divided
• The Last Outpost
• The Mystery of Edwin Drood
• The Clairvoyant
• The Man Who Reclaimed His Head
• Crime Without Passion
• The Invisible Man
• Build Thy House
• Battle of the Worlds