All posts filed under: PHOTOS

Favorite Candid Photos of Basil Rathbone

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In honor of Basil’s birthday this year, I’m sharing some of my favorite candid photos of him. Candid photos are interesting because they show him being himself, and not playing a role.  Here we see Basil unabashedly flirting with Olivia de Havilland on the set of The Adventures of Robin Hood. She clearly enjoys his attention! Olivia was not the only woman Basil flirted with, of course. Here we see him with Veda Ann Borg on the set of Confession: and here with Marlene Dietrich. Basil, dressed as Richard III in Tower of London, was visiting Marlene on the set of Destry Rides Again. Basil loved children; he was especially close with 10-year-old Freddie Bartholomew. They met on the set of David Copperfield, in which Freddie played young David and Basil played David’s cruel stepfather Murdstone. They also acted together in Anna Karenina. Their friendship grew after that, and Freddie was a frequent visitor at the Rathbone home, where he was treated as an adopted son. Since Freddie’s real father was back in England with the rest …

Heat Wave

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We’re having a heat wave, A tropical heat wave, The temperature’s rising, It isn’t surprising, I’m sweating like a … no, no. That isn’t right. Right now much of the USA, including where I live (east coast) is experiencing a blistering heat wave. Basil Rathbone knew how to cool off in the hot weather. Here are Basil Rathbone and Marlene Dietrich cooling off in a rain shower on a hot day at the studio (1939). He couldn’t have been prepared for a rain shower, could he? Did he just strip down to his boxer shorts (or is that a towel?) and run outside when it started raining? At home Basil cools off by swimming in his pool. Here he is climbing out. Basil also frolicked in the pool with his dogs. Ah, that’s the life! I feel cooler already.

Sunday Pic #16

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Marcia has suggested I post this and see if any of the fans out there has suggestions and answers. So….. Is the person above Basil?….. I mean the guy on the right, not one of the people wearing hats. The photo is being sold HERE, and has this description: “8h824 STAGE DOOR candid 8×10 still ’37 visitor Basil Rathbone talking to showgirls on set by Miehle!” The seller also adds this: “….Note that this is an incredibly perplexing still! Why do I say that? Because it has the still code “SD”, and it is identified on the back as being an RKO still from 1937. Stage Door WAS made by RKO in 1937, but the front of the still shows Basil Rathbone, who had nothing to do with this movie! Plus the showgirls on the still are no one we recognize. So what movie is this from? Rathbone didn’t make any movies for RKO during this time, and the ones he did make don’t look right for this. Our guess is that he was a …

Sunday Pic #14

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Marcia has suggested this pic, partly because of its prettiness and partly on the off chance anyone can tell us anything about its origin. The dedication reads “to Sophie, thank you for your beautiful work. Basil Rathbone/Christmas 1929“. B is obviously in some kind of costume, but for what? The only movie he made that year was THE LAST OF MRS CHEYNEY, but he doesn’t wear anything like this Spanish-type deal in that. So…what is it? Any clues or suggestions welcome. Meantime, admire… (And apologies for comments having been turned off much of the time over Thanksgiving. They are back on properly now). And welcome to all the new followers who have been signing up lately!

Gallery

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This is a place to find most of the images uploaded on The Baz, from caps and stills to fan art and some of the bespoke artwork done for the blog. It’s eclectic and far from organised and even further from complete… Still, I hope you enjoy browsing. It will be growing over the next few weeks as I have time to sort through the jumble of stuff on here, but here is a beginning.

Sunday (well ok Saturday) Pic #11

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As a little light relief from the gruelling saga of Madame X, Marcia from basilrathbone.net has suggested I post this pic in case anyone can ID the various people in the photos. It was taken in BR’s house on Los Feliz some time between 1935 when they moved in and 1939 when they made the transition to Bellagio Road. The full size original (very large) can be seen and downloaded HERE, but here are some enlargements of the relevant sections to let you clearly see the various photos. The ones over the desk… And even closer… And the ones on the wall to the left… Some of these people can be identified. Ouida is conspicuous in several pics (to no one’s surprise I imagine; I mean she probably oversaw the placement and content of every object in the room, and wasn’t gonna let it seem like he could live without at least three versions of her fabulous features to gaze upon, right?) Marcia thinks the kid bottom center over the desk is Rodion and I …