Basil Rathbone Height, Weight, Age, Wife, Family, Biography, Facts

Basil Rathbone was a South African actor, stage artist, and writer who rose to acclaim in the United Kingdom as a Shakespearean stage actor as well as for his many portrayals of Sherlock Holmes. He then went on to appear in a variety of films such as If I Were King, The School for Scandal,

Basil Rathbone Quick Info
Height6 ft 1½ in
Weight77 kg
Date of BirthJune 13, 1892
Zodiac SignGemini
Date of DeathJuly 21, 1967

Basil Rathbone was a South African actor, stage artist, and writer who rose to acclaim in the United Kingdom as a Shakespearean stage actor as well as for his many portrayals of Sherlock Holmes. He then went on to appear in a variety of films such as If I Were King, The School for Scandal, A Tale of Two Cities, Trouping with Ellen, The Fruitful Vine, The Last of Mrs. Cheyney, A Notorious Affair, The Lady of Scandal, The Lady Surrenders, Anna Karenina, Sin Takes a Holiday, A Woman Commands, One Precious Year, The Last Days of Pompeii, Romeo and Juliet, and The Adventures of Robin Hood.

Born Name

Philip St. John Basil Rathbone

Nick Names

Ratters

Age

He was born on June 13, 1892.

Died

On July 21, 1967, Basil Rathbone died of a heart attack at the age of 75 in New York City, New York, United States.

Resting Place

Ferncliff Cemetery Shrine of Memories, Hartsdale, New York, United States

Sun Sign

Gemini

Born Place

Johannesburg, South African Republic

Nationality

South African

Education

Basil Rathbone studied at Repton School in Derbyshire from 1906 to 1910.

Occupation

Actor, Stage Artist, Writer

Family

  • Father – Edgar Philip Rathbone (A mining engineer and scion of the Liverpool Rathbone family)
  • Mother – Anna Barbara (née George) (Violinist)
  • Siblings – Beatrice (Younger Sister), John (Younger Brother)
  • Others – Philip Henry Rathbone (Paternal Grandfather), Jane Stringer Steward (Paternal Grandmother), John William George (Maternal Grandfather), Ann Quinn (Maternal Grandmother), Harold (Older Half-Brother), Horace (Older Half-Brother), William Rathbone V (Paternal Great-Grandfather) (Merchant and politician, serving as Lord Mayor of Liverpool), William Rathbone IV (Paternal Great-Great-Grandfather) (English ship-owner and merchant involved in the organization of American trade with Liverpool, England; A founding member of the Liverpool Committee for the Abolition of the Slave Trade created in 1788), Hannah Mary (née Reynolds) (Paternal Great-Great-Grandmother), Stephen W. (Father-In-Law) (A merchant who later worked as a railroad timekeeper), Ida Branch (Mother-In-Law), Eleanor Rathbone (First Cousin Once-removed) (British Member of Parliament (MP)), Frank Benson (Cousin) (Actor, Manager)

Manager

Basil’s wife Ouida Rathbone served as his business manager.

Build

Slim

Height

6 ft 1½ in or 186.5 cm

Weight

77 kg or 170 lbs

Girlfriend / Spouse

Basil Rathbone had dated –

  • Ethel Marion Foreman (1914-1926) – He got married to actor Ethel Marion Foreman in the year 1914 and the duo was blessed with a son named Rodion Rathbone (also known as John Rodion) (1915-1996). Basil and Ethel divorced in 1926.
  • Eva Le Gallienne (1924-1925) – He was romantically involved with British actor, producer, director, translator, and author Eva Le Gallienne from 1924 to 1925.
  • Ouida Bergère (1926-1967) – On April 18, 1926, Basil Rathbone married American screenwriter and actor Ouida Bergère. She subsequently gave up her film work to assist Basil in his work and in the management of his business affairs. They had a child who died as an infant in 1928. The couple then adopted a daughter named Cynthia Rathbone (1939-1969) in 1939 as well as raised Ouida’s niece named Ouida Branch. The couple remained together until his death in 1967.

    • Race / Ethnicity

    White

    Basil Rathbone was of English and Irish descent.

    Hair Color

    Dark Brown

    Eye Color

    Blue

    Sexual Orientation

    Straight

    Distinctive Features

    • Deep smooth voice
    • Dramatic readings

    Brand Endorsements

    Basil Rathbone was cast in TV commercials for –

    • Swing King reclining chair
    • Shredded Wheat breakfast cereal
    • Calgonite dishwasher soap
    • Alocoa aluminum utensils
    • Colman’s Mustard
    • Calvert Reserve whiskey
    • Chesterfield cigarettes
    • Petri wine
    • Schaefer beer
    • Fatima Turkish cigarettes
    • Skippy Peanut Butter
    • Walker’s Deluxe Bourbon
    • Van Heusen shirts
    • Calox tooth powder
    • Stratford pens
    • Booth’s House of Lord’s Gin
    • Personna razor blades

    Religion

    He was an Episcopalian and a member of the Episcopal Actors Guild.

    Basil Rathbone Favorite Things

    • One Of His Favorite Recreational Activities – Fencing
    • Role – Romeo

    Source – Wikipedia

    Basil Rathbone Facts

  • He used to practice fencing 4 days a week.
  • He has 3 stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame – one for films at 6549 Hollywood Boulevard, one for radio at 6300 Hollywood Boulevard, and one for television at 6915 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood.

    • Featured Image by Los Angeles Times / digital.library.ucla.edu / CC BY 4.0

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