Sir Basil Rathbone, KBE, 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 has 107 screen credits in a career dating back to 1921. Their work spans 3 cinematic universes — most prominently Sherlock Holmes (Basil Rathbone) Collection with 10 titles. Signature works include The Black Sleep, The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad, Dressed to Kill. Explore the interactive character relationship maps on each title page to trace how their roles connect across franchises.
Universe traveler — spans 3 universes
