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for fans of the great Basil Rathbone

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  • HOME
  • ABOUT
  • MOVIES
    • Reviews
    • The Great Deception (1926)
    • The Last of Mrs Cheyney (1929)
    • A Notorious Affair (1930)
    • This Mad World (1930)
    • Sin Takes a Holiday (1931)
    • After the Ball (1933)
    • Captain Blood (1935)
    • Anna Karenina (1935)
    • Kind Lady (1935)
    • A Feather in Hert Hat (1935)
    • Love from a Stranger (1937)
    • Confession (1937)
    • The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938)
    • Dawn Patrol (1938)
    • The Hound of the Baskervilles (1939)
    • The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (1939)
    • Son of Frankenstein (1939)
    • Tower of London (1939)
    • Th Mark of Zorro (1940)
    • The Mad Doctor (1941)
    • The Scarlet Claw (1944)
    • Frenchman’s Creek (1944)
    • Dressed to Kill (1946)
    • The Black Sleep (1956)
    • Autopsy of a Ghost (1967)
  • SHERLOCK HOLMES
    • all Sherlock Holmes posts
    • Overview of Rathbone as Sherlock
    • The Hound of the Baskervilles (1939)
    • The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (1939)
    • The Scarlet Claw (1944)
    • Dressed to Kill (1946)
    • The New Adventures of Sherlock Holmes
    • Sherlock Holmes (1953)
  • THEATRE
    • The Czarina (1921)
    • The Swan (1923)
    • The Captive (1926)
    • Judas (1929)
    • The Barretts of Wimpole Street (1934)
    • Romeo & Juliet (1934)
    • The Heiress (1947)
    • Sherlock Holmes (1953)
  • AUDIO
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  • BIOGRAPHY
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        • The Hound of the Baskervilles (1939)
        • The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (1939)
        • Kind Lady 1935
        • Tower of London (1939)
  • TALKING TO…
    • Michael B. Druxman
    • Robert Matzen
    • Marcia Jessen
    • Richard Van Emden
    • Helen Sheehy
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latest...

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January 13, 2026

Rathbone Speaks about his Stage Career

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November 28, 2025

Rathbone on Censorship

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June 13, 2025

Your Lucky Clue

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January 15, 2025

Rathbone on Romance

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October 14, 2024

A Year in the Life of Basil Rathbone: 1950

The Baz on screen...

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June 13, 2024

Rathbone Speaks about “Talkie” Films

Basil Rathbone’s first “talking picture” was The Last of Mrs. Cheyney (1929). Shortly after making that film, Rathbone talked with...

by marciajessen
Comments 7
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March 15, 2022

The German Versions of Rathbone’s Sherlock Holmes Films

In 2009, film historian Amanda Field wrote England’s Secret Weapon: The Wartime Films of Sherlock Holmes, a book that...

by marciajessen
Comments 4
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May 16, 2021

The Violent Deaths of Basil Rathbone

Yes, you read that right — “deaths.” I’m not writing about the actual death of Basil Rathbone, but rather...

by marciajessen
Comments 7
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November 18, 2019

Bad Men and Good Acting

In the 1930s Basil Rathbone played a series of villain roles so well that he was in danger of...

by marciajessen
Comments 10
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December 10, 2017

Robin Hood vs. Marco Polo

I recently came across an article that was originally published in Independent Exhibitors Film Bulletin on July 30, 1938. ...

by marciajessen
Comments 7
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September 16, 2016

Films Rathbone Almost Made

Have you ever thought about movie roles that Basil tried out for, but didn’t get, or roles that he...

by marciajessen
Comments 22
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January 4, 2015

basilrathbone.net: Rhythm on the River (1940)

There is a wonderful and fantastically in-depth new review of RHYTHM ONTHE RIVER on BasilRathbone.net. CLICK TO READ It’s...

by Catte
Comments 10
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December 6, 2013

Pre-Code Rathbone

An occasional series giving you a chance to see and discuss some of Basil Rathbone’s pre-1934 talking films. The...

by NeveR
Comments 52
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November 24, 2013

Two captures from Baskervilles

Terrific caps from Fiction for Life.

by NeveR
Comments 21
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November 17, 2013

Two Lost Films

Two beguiling and intriguing shots from two lost or very hard to find movies.

by NeveR
Comments 63
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October 27, 2013

Tower of London (1939)

Part of the Vincent Price Blogathon hosted by Nitrate Diva We have a lot of Vincent Price fans as...

by NeveR
Comments 68
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October 13, 2013

A Feather in Her Hat (1935)

A FEATHER IN HER HAT (1935) is a weird little film, and the Baz’s presence in it is hard...

by NeveR
Comments 63

essays

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BIOGRAPHY, essay series

In & Out of Character: an attempt at analysis

A series of articles examining aspects of Rathbone's puzzlingly oblique and incomplete autobiography

October 29, 2013
Comments 0
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BIOGRAPHY, essay series

A Closer Look at the 2nd Mrs Rathbone

When you read Basil’s autobiography you get the impression of Ouida, his second wife, as a devoted and selfless woman who rescued him from failure, gave up a brilliant...

October 28, 2013
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BIOGRAPHY, BOOKS, general biography, GUEST POSTS

IN & OUT OF CHARACTER – guest post by Rosemarie

Thoughts on In & Out of Character – by Rosemarie I finally received my “Bible” for Christmas, BR’s own In and Out of Character, which in literary terms is...

January 10, 2013
Comments 69

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It's as Sherlock Holmes that Rathbone became iconic, and, however much he might have deplored it, it's as Sherlock Holmes that many learned to love him. So, it only seems right we have a large Sherlock section here.

All Sherlock Posts

biography

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October 14, 2024

A Year in the Life of Basil Rathbone: 1950

1950 was a busy year for Basil Rathbone. Let’s take a closer look at where he was and what...

by marciajessen
Comments 0
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March 11, 2024

Hollywood in 1930

Basil Rathbone was making films in Hollywood in 1930 (This Mad World, The Bishop Murder Case, The Flirting Widow,...

by marciajessen
Comments 0
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August 21, 2023

Favorites of the Famous

This is a short post, but hopefully you will enjoy it. I wanted to share an interview that Basil...

by marciajessen
Comments 9
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July 21, 2023

A Farewell to Basil Rathbone

On this anniversary of Basil Rathbone’s death (July 21, 1967), I’m sharing an article that was first printed in...

by marciajessen
Comment 1
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December 19, 2022

Basil and Ballet

In the November 27, 1964 issue of Life magazine Basil Rathbone read an article about ballet dancer Rudolf Nureyev....

by marciajessen
Comments 2
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August 10, 2022

A Profile of Basil and Ouida in 1938

Today I’m sharing an article that I found in the March 21, 1938 edition of The Daily Mirror. SHE’S...

by marciajessen
Comment 1
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November 18, 2021

A Year in the Life of Basil Rathbone — 1940

In 2018 I created a post about the events in Basil Rathbone’s life during 1930. Let’s jump ahead ten...

by marciajessen
Comment 1
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February 9, 2021

The Rathbone Family History

Basil Rathbone wrote about starting his acting career in the Shakespearean company led by his cousin, Sir Frank Benson....

by marciajessen
Comments 10
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October 10, 2020

Basil’s Photo Album

Many years ago, someone offered a photo album for sale on the auction site eBay. It was Basil Rathbone’s...

by marciajessen
Comments 5
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August 21, 2020

Review: The Curse of Sherlock Holmes

I have finished reading The Curse of Sherlock Holmes: The Basil Rathbone Story, written by David Clayton, and —...

by marciajessen
Comments 5
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August 6, 2020

New Book: The Curse of Sherlock Holmes

At last we Rathbone fans have a new book about our hero to read! David Clayton’s book The Curse...

by marciajessen
Comments 4
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July 21, 2020

A Soldier Recalls Serving with Rathbone

On July 21, 1967, the great Basil Rathbone died. When a man named William Roberts learned of Rathbone’s death,...

by marciajessen
Comments 4

quotations

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June 3, 2013

Quotation: Daphne Du Maurier, c. 1922

“…upon an earlier piece of pink blotting-paper there is the drawing of a heart, pierced by an arrow, and...

by NeveR
Comments 6
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November 25, 2012

Quotation: James Agate, 1921

“…like a painting by a Renaissance master (his profile reminds me always of Michelangelo’s study for the head of...

by NeveR
Comments 71
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November 21, 2012

Quotation: Aldous Huxley, 1916

"...A thin wire-taut young man was standing in the hall. He was wearing a great coat with...

by NeveR
Comments 24
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November 17, 2012

Quotation: Norma Shearer, 1929

“…when I first set eyes on Basil Rathbone, I told Irving he would have a great future in pictures....

by NeveR
Comments 30

Magazine articles...

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November 28, 2025

Rathbone on Censorship

While conducting research on Basil Rathbone, I came across an interesting article written by Basil, and printed in The Evening...

by marciajessen
Comments 0
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January 15, 2025

Rathbone on Romance

While conducting research for my review of the Broadway production of Romeo and Juliet, starring Katharine Cornell and Basil...

by marciajessen
Comment 1
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June 13, 2024

Rathbone Speaks about “Talkie” Films

Basil Rathbone’s first “talking picture” was The Last of Mrs. Cheyney (1929). Shortly after making that film, Rathbone talked with...

by marciajessen
Comments 7
Image
August 10, 2022

A Profile of Basil and Ouida in 1938

Today I’m sharing an article that I found in the March 21, 1938 edition of The Daily Mirror. SHE’S...

by marciajessen
Comment 1
Image
January 17, 2022

On Playing Sherlock Holmes

Basil Rathbone, creator of radio’s version of Doyle’s famous sleuth, sees character as part of old England. The following...

by marciajessen
Comments 4
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October 12, 2018

Rathbone: Handsome Villain

On June 2, 1940, the Milwaukee Journal published an article by Edith Dietz called “Handsome Villain: The Story of...

by marciajessen
Comments 3
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September 12, 2018

Secrets of a Hollywood Hostess

Readers of this blog seem to enjoy reading about Basil’s second wife Ouida, so I am sharing here an...

by marciajessen
Comments 0
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April 10, 2017

Spring Cleaning

In March 1940 Hollywood magazine did an article about spring cleaning at the Rathbone house (“How to Do Spring-Cleaning,”...

by marciajessen
Comments 11

Talking to...

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January 30, 2013

Michael B. Druxman talks to us about his new play

Today the Baz is talking to Michael B.Druxman, author of Basil Rathbone, His Life & His Films, about his...

by NeveR
Comments 115
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November 11, 2012

Interview with Richard Van Emden

Today, to mark Armistice Day (Veterans’ Day in the US), THE BAZ is talking to Richard Van Emden, WW...

by NeveR
Comments 84
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September 26, 2012

Interview with Helen Sheehy

Today The Baz is talking to Helen Sheehy, author of Eva Le Gallienne: a Biography. Le Gallienne was Rathbone’s...

by NeveR
Comments 128
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September 11, 2012

Interview with Marcia Jessen

Today The Baz is talking to Marcia Jessen, creator and owner of basilrathbbone.net, the first and last resource for...

by NeveR
Comments 63
September 7, 2012

Michael Druxman answers a few of your questions

We’re welcoming back Michael B Druxman, author of Basil Rathbone: His Life & His Films, to answer some of...

by NeveR
Comments 87
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September 2, 2012

Interview with Robert Matzen

Today as part of Biography Week(I) The Baz is talking to Robert Matzen, author of Errol & Olivia: Ego...

by NeveR
Comments 174
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August 27, 2012

Interview with Michael B. Druxman

Basil Rathbone, His Life & His Films, is not just the only biography of the Baz yet written, it’s...

by NeveR
Comments 69

biography project

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