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William Claude Rains, born in the Clapham area of London, was the son of the British stage actor Frederick Rains. The younger Rains followed, making his stage debut at the age of eleven in "Nell of Old Drury." Growing up in the world of theater, he saw not only acting up close but the down-to-earth business end as well, progressing from a page boy to a stage manager during his well-rounded learning experience. Rains decided to come to America in 1913 and the New York theater, but with the outbreak of World War I the next year, he returned to serve with a Scottish regiment in Europe. He remained in England, honing his acting talents, bolstered with instruction patronized by the founder of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts, Herbert Beerbohm Tree. It was not long before his talent garnered him acknowledgment as one of the leading stage actors on the London scene. His one and only silent film venture was British with a small part for him, the forgettable -- Build Thy House (1920).
In the meantime, Rains was in demand as acting teacher as well, and he taught at the Royal Academy. Young and eager Laurence Olivier and John Gielgud were perhaps his best known students. Rains did return to New York in 1927 to begin what would be nearly 20 Broadway roles. While working for the Theater Guild, he was offered a screen test with Universal Pictures in 1932. Rains had a unique and solid British voice-deep, slightly rasping -- but richly dynamic. And as a man of small stature, the combination was immediately intriguing. Universal was embarking on its new-found role as horror film factory, and they were looking for someone unique for their next outing, The Invisible Man (1933). Rains was the very man. He took the role by the ears, churning up a rasping malice and volume in his voice to achieve a bone chilling persona of the disembodied mad doctor. He could also throw out a high-pitched maniac laugh that would make you leave the lights on before going to bed. True to Universal's formula mentality, it cast him in similar roles through 1934 with some respite in more diverse film roles -- and further relieved by Broadway roles (1933, 1934) for the remainder of his contract. By 1936, he was at Warner Bros. with its ambitious laundry list of literary epics in full swing. His acting was superb, and his eyes could say as much as his voice. And his mouth could take on both a forbidding scowl and the warmest of smiles in an instant. His malicious, gouty Don Luis in Anthony Adverse (1936) was inspired. After a shear lucky opportunity to dispatch his young wife's lover, Louis Hayward, in a duel, he triumphs over her in a scene with derisive, bulging eyes and that high pitched laugh -- with appropriate shadow and light backdrop -- that is unforgettable.
He was kept very busy through the remainder of the 1930s with a mix of benign and devious historical, literary, and contemporary characters always adapting a different nuance -- from murmur to growl -- of that voice to become the person. He culminated the decade with his complex, ethics-tortured Senator "Joe" Paine in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939). That year he became an American citizen. Into the 1940s, Rains had risen to perhaps unique stature: a supporting actor who had achieved A-list stardom -- almost in a category by himself. His some 40 films during that period ranged from subtle comedy to psychological drama with a bit of horror revisited; many would be golden era classics. He was the firm but thoroughly sympathetic Dr. Jaquith in Now, Voyager (1942) and the smoothly sardonic but engaging Capt. Louis Renault -- perhaps his best known role -- in Casablanca (1942). He was the surreptitiously nervous and malignant Alexander Sebastian in Notorious (1946) and the egotistical and domineering conductor Alexander Hollenius in Deception (1946). He was the disfigured Phantom of the Opera (1943) as well. He played opposite the challenging Bette Davis in three movies through the decade and came out her equal in acting virtuosity. He was nominated four times for the Best Supporting Actor Oscar -- but incredibly never won. With the 1950s the few movies left to an older Rains were countered by venturing into new acting territory -- television. His haunted, suicidal writer Paul DeLambre in the mountaineering adventure The White Tower (1950), though a modest part, was perhaps the most vigorously memorable film role of his last years. He made a triumphant Broadway return in 1951's "Darkness at Noon."
Rains embraced the innovative TV playhouse circuit with nearly 20 roles. As a favored 'Alfred Hitchcock' alumnus, he starred in five Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1955) suspense dramas into the 1960s. And he did not shy away from episodic TV either with some memorable roles that still reflected the power of Claude Rains as consummate actor -- for many, first among peers with that hallowed title.- Calder Willingham was born on 23 December 1922 in Atlanta, Georgia, USA. He was a writer, known for The Graduate (1967), Paths of Glory (1957) and Little Big Man (1970). He died on 21 February 1995 in Laconia, New Hampshire, USA.
- Deceased American professional wrestler best known for his time teaming with Perry Saturn as The Eliminators. They were trained by Walter 'Killer' Kowalski and debuted in 1989. Caiazzo was originally billed as "The Eliminator." They took the names "Kronus" and "Saturn" from the Greek and Roman gods of the harvest. They first teamed in the United States Wrestling Association in Memphis, Tennessee. They wanted to call their team The Harvesters of Sorrow, but Jerry Lawler told them that people wouldn't get the mythological reference. They were 1x USWA World Tag Team Champions, defeating Eddie Gilbert and Brian Christopher (Brian Lawler) for the belts on May 2, 1994, and lost them to PG-13 (J.C. Ice (Jamie Dundee) and Wolfie D. (Kelly Wolfe)) on June 13, 1994. They debuted in ECW at ECW Gangstas Paradise (1995), September 16, 1995, teaming with Jason (Jason Knight) in a win over Taz (Peter Senerchia) and The Steiner Brothers (Rick Steiner and Scott Steiner). They would hold the ECW World Tag Team Titles three times. They defeated Cactus Jack (Mick Foley) and Mikey Whipwreck for the belts at "Big Apple Blizzard Blast" on February 3, 1996 and lost them to The Gangstas (New Jack (Jerome Young) and Mustafa (Jamal Mustafa)) at ECW the Doctor Is In (1996) on August 3rd. They regained the belts on the February 1, 1997 (taped December 20, 1996) "ECW Hardcore TV", and lost them to The Dudley Boys (Buh Buh Ray (Mark LoMonaco) and D-Von (Devon Hughes)) at "ECW Hostile City Showdown" on March 15, 1997. They regained the belts from the Dudley Boys at ECW Barely Legal (1997). Saturn left after "ECW Wrestlepalooza 1997" on June 6th to follow Raven (Scott Levy) into WCW. Kronus defended the belts in handicap matches until he lost them to The Dudley Boys on the June 26 (taped June 20th), 1997 "ECW Hardcore TV." Kronus and New Jack defeated The Dudley Boys for the belts at ECW as Good as It Gets (1997), September 20, 1997, and lost them to the FBI (Full-Blooded Italians) ("The Main Man" Tracy Smothers and "The Extreme Stud" Little Guido Maritato (James Maritato)) on the November 1, 1997 (taped October 18th) "ECW Hardcore TV." Kronus was pushed down the cards from that point, culminating in him getting squashed by the debuting Sid (Sid Eudy) at ECW Guilty as Charged 1999 (1999), January 10, 1999. He also wrestled for Combat Zone Wrestling, Assault Championship Wrestling, Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling, Xtreme Pro Wrestling, IWA Japan, NWA 2000, NWA Championship Wrestling America and other promotions.
One of the reasons why Saturn left ECW was that he was sick of teaming with Kronus, at one point describing him as a "lazy addict."
His finishing move outside of The Eliminators was a 450 Splash.
His son Gage was born in 1998.
He died July 18, 2007. - Werner Doehner was born on 14 March 1929 in Darmstadt, Germany. He was married to Elin. He died on 8 November 2019 in Laconia, New Hampshire, USA.