Although neither his parents were actors,
Basil Rathbone followed in the footsteps of some of his relatives by going into the acting profession. He originally started his acting career on the stage, most notably in Shakespearean plays both in London and on Broadway. He made the transition to acting in motion pictures easily. He specialized in playing dark characters, probably because of the piercing nature of his eyes. While in Hollywood, he and his wife were renowned for hosting lavish parties. After playing the heavy for years, he had what is arguably his most famous role, that of the hero Sherlock Holmes in
Il mastino dei Baskerville (1939). He played the role for seven years in subsequent films and on radio. The role could also be considered a curse as he became typecast as Holmes, which made him return to New York and acting on the Broadway stage for more variety in the roles he was offered to play.
—Huggo