Basil Rathbone
- charliechaplinfan
- Posts: 9040
- Joined: January 15th, 2008, 9:49 am
Re: Basil Rathbone
Me too, what an exciting thought
Failure is unimportant. It takes courage to make a fool of yourself - Charlie Chaplin
- Joe Macclesfield
- Posts: 170
- Joined: July 15th, 2014, 3:06 pm
- Location: Cheshire, England
Re: Basil Rathbone
I love Rathbone and Bruce in the Holmes pictures. It irks me somewhat when, in connection with these, Rathbone is referred to alone. It should always be Rathbone AND Bruce. Years ago, I read Rathbone's autobiography (if I recall correctly, it's entitled: In and Out of Character). A strange book--shot-through with an almost palpable sense of melancholy and longing.
"...Then as a bee, which among weeds doth fall,
Which seem sweet floures with lustre fresh and gay,
She lights on that, and this, and tasteth all,
But pleasd with none doth rise and sore away..."
Which seem sweet floures with lustre fresh and gay,
She lights on that, and this, and tasteth all,
But pleasd with none doth rise and sore away..."
- Lucky Vassall
- Posts: 272
- Joined: January 27th, 2014, 2:40 pm
- Location: San Francisco, CA
Re: Basil Rathbone
Thanks, Joe, for rewaking this thread so that I read the whole thing. He was one of my favorite actors, even after one reviewer referred to him, typesetter error I'm sure, as Rasil Bathbone!
And thanks, Moira, for filling us in on his later years. At least now I know why, when I spent a summer doing stock in 1957, he appeared for a week in Witness for the Prosecution. He was by far the biggest name that year (although we did see the likes of Joan Bennett, Donald Cook, Nancy Walker, and Ed Begley, Sr.). I got to watch his performance several times that week and was sorry to see how exhausted and out-of-it he seemed.
As to Robin Hood, it takes a mighty fine actor to make the other guy look like he really could win at a swordfight!
And thanks, Moira, for filling us in on his later years. At least now I know why, when I spent a summer doing stock in 1957, he appeared for a week in Witness for the Prosecution. He was by far the biggest name that year (although we did see the likes of Joan Bennett, Donald Cook, Nancy Walker, and Ed Begley, Sr.). I got to watch his performance several times that week and was sorry to see how exhausted and out-of-it he seemed.
As to Robin Hood, it takes a mighty fine actor to make the other guy look like he really could win at a swordfight!
[size=85]AVATAR: Billy DeWolfe as Mrs. Murgatroid, “Blue Skies” (1946)
[b]“My ancestors came over on the Mayflower.”
“You’re lucky. Now they have immigration laws."[/b]
[i]Mae West, The Heat’s On” (1943[/i])
[b]:–)—[/b]
Pinoc-U-no(se)[/size]
[b]“My ancestors came over on the Mayflower.”
“You’re lucky. Now they have immigration laws."[/b]
[i]Mae West, The Heat’s On” (1943[/i])
[b]:–)—[/b]
Pinoc-U-no(se)[/size]
- Joe Macclesfield
- Posts: 170
- Joined: July 15th, 2014, 3:06 pm
- Location: Cheshire, England
Re: Basil Rathbone
L.V., Rathbone in Witness for the Prosecution. Sounds fascinating. Which part did he play (I'd guess Sir Wilfred)?
"...Then as a bee, which among weeds doth fall,
Which seem sweet floures with lustre fresh and gay,
She lights on that, and this, and tasteth all,
But pleasd with none doth rise and sore away..."
Which seem sweet floures with lustre fresh and gay,
She lights on that, and this, and tasteth all,
But pleasd with none doth rise and sore away..."
- Lucky Vassall
- Posts: 272
- Joined: January 27th, 2014, 2:40 pm
- Location: San Francisco, CA
Re: Basil Rathbone
That's right, and he spent most of the play sitting at the Defendant's Table and looking at (reading?) papers that might have been the script. Old age is a beast! Even Lord Olivier admitted to problems.Joe Macclesfield wrote:L.V., Rathbone in Witness for the Prosecution. Sounds fascinating. Which part did he play (I'd guess Sir Wilfred)?
[size=85]AVATAR: Billy DeWolfe as Mrs. Murgatroid, “Blue Skies” (1946)
[b]“My ancestors came over on the Mayflower.”
“You’re lucky. Now they have immigration laws."[/b]
[i]Mae West, The Heat’s On” (1943[/i])
[b]:–)—[/b]
Pinoc-U-no(se)[/size]
[b]“My ancestors came over on the Mayflower.”
“You’re lucky. Now they have immigration laws."[/b]
[i]Mae West, The Heat’s On” (1943[/i])
[b]:–)—[/b]
Pinoc-U-no(se)[/size]