Claude Rains (1889-1967) was a British actor, renowned for his versatile cinematic career in Hollywood. Endowed with an unmistakable voice and a refined bearing, he rose to prominence with the role of the invisible protagonist in *The Invisible Man* (1933).

His filmography features masterpieces such as the cynical but charming Captain Renault in *Casablanca* (1942), the tormented Senator Paine in *Mr. Smith Goes to Washington* (1939), and the ambiguous husband Alex Sebastian in *Notorious* (1946). Rains was often cast as complex characters: brilliant, authoritative, sometimes sinister but always imbued with a deep humanity or moral ambiguity. He excelled in roles as sophisticated villains or figures of authority, distinguishing himself with his subtle acting. He received four Academy Award nominations.