Basil Rathbone

Basil Rathbone, MC, Kt (13 June 1892 – 21 July 1967), was an English actor. He rose to prominence in England as a Shakespearean stage actor and went on to appear in over 70 films, primarily costume dramas, swashbucklers, and, occasionally, horror films. He frequently portrayed suave villains or morally ambiguous characters, such as Murdstone in David Copperfield (1935) and Sir Guy of Gisbourne in The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938).

His most famous role, however, was heroic—that of Sherlock Holmes in fourteen Hollywood films made between 1939 and 1946 and in a radio series. His later career included Broadway and television work; he received a Tony Award in 1948 as Best Actor in a Play.

Basil Rathbone is known for work in acting across film and television. New Release currently presents 35 verified screen credits connected to this profile.

Selected work includes The Great Mouse Detective (1986), Tales of Terror (1962), The Court Jester (1955), The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad (1949), Pursuit to Algiers (1945), The Woman in Green (1945), Bathing Beauty (1944), Tower of London (1939).

The recorded credits span 1935 to 2024, including 20 movies and 15 TV shows. The filmography below lists available titles, release years and known roles.

This profile is updated as additional verified information becomes available.