Basil Rathbone's
Appearances on Television


as Marley's ghost in "A Christmas Carol"
Rathbone as the evil Duke in "The 13 Clocks"
Rathbone in "The Thirteen Clocks"

 

"For the most part both radio and television are merciless mediums for any artist, creative or interpretive, and have been more responsible for the growth of mass mediocrity in our culture than anything else I can think of. . . . [However,] The Hallmark Hall of Fame television presentations always maintain a very high standard."
Basil Rathbone, In and Out of Character, pages 176, 271

You can help make this page a complete and comprehensive list of all the television programs in which Basil Rathbone participated. If you know of any programs which are missing from these lists, please e-mail me. THANKS!

 In this list of Rathbone's television appearances, I have listed the broadcast date (month/day/year, if known), the name of the episode in quotation marks and the name of the television series in italics. If it is possible to buy the television program on DVD, I've included a link to either Amazon or Roberts Hard-to-Find Videos.

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4/13/1948 "The Heiress" (Tonight on Broadway, CBS). On this 30-minute show host John Mason Brown interviewed the stars of current Broadway plays. An excerpt from the play was also broadcast. Rathbone and Wendy Hiller were starring in The Heiress at this time.
4/4/1949 The Milton Berle Show (aka Texaco Star Theater, NBC), cameo appearance
4/19/1949 The Milton Berle Show (aka Texaco Star Theater, NBC), guest appearance (Basil did a Sherlock Holmes skit with Berle and Martha Raye.)
10/21/1949 "On Borrowed Time," as Mr. Brink (The Ford Theatre Hour, CBS)
12/5/1949 "At Night All Cats Are Grey" (The Chevrolet Tele-Theatre, NBC)

Walter Hampden and Basil Rathbone in "On Borrowed Time"

with Pamela Conroy in "At Night All Cats Are Grey"
1/21/1950 The Ken Murray Show (CBS), guest appearance. Rathbone performed the prison scene from Shakespeare's Richard II.
2/2/1950 Inside U.S.A. with Chevrolet (CBS variety show), guest appearance
3/6/1950 "Queen of Spades" (The Chevrolet Tele-Theatre, NBC)
4/8/1950 Your Show of Shows (NBC, Sid Caesar starred), guest appearance
5/30/1950 "Sherlock Holmes" (NBC Showcase). "Sherlock Holmes" was an unsold series pilot.
9/14/1950 Ford Star Revue, season 1, episode #11 (NBC), a live variety series
10/22/1950 Showtime, U.S.A., season 1, episode #2 (ABC). Excerpts from Broadway plays were performed by the cast members. Rathbone was emcee.
11/4/1950 Showtime, U.S.A., season 1, episode #4 (ABC). Excerpts from Broadway plays were performed by the cast members.
12/28/1950 "The Kind Mr. Smith" (Nash Airflyte Theatre, CBS)  
1/15/1951 "Purple Fine Linen," as Frampton (Lux Video Theatre, CBS)
2/18/1951 "Would-Be Gentleman" (The Colgate Comedy Hour, NBC). Bobby Clark hosted this episode that was based on a 1946 play called "Would-Be Gentleman."
3/5/1951 "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" (Suspense, CBS)
3/24/1951 The Frank Sinatra Show, season 1, episode #25 (CBS). Featured music and comedy skits.
4/1/1951 "The Claudette Colbert and Basil Rathbone Show," playing himself (The Jack Benny Program, CBS)
4/8/1951 What's My Line? (CBS), playing the Mystery Guest.  Watch an episode of What's My Line?  Note that this is NOT the episode in which Basil appeared. It is a different episode from 1951.
5/4/1951 Penthouse Party, season 1, episode #34 (ABC), guest appearance. Program was hosted by Betty Furness.
5/14/1951 "Dead Man's Coat" (Lights Out, NBC), with Norman Ross and William Post, Jr. Order the DVD from Amazon.
Click here to watch it!
9/25/1951 The Milton Berle Show (aka Texaco Star Theater, NBC), guest appearance ("Horatio Hornberler" skit)
Click here to watch the skit!
11/17/1951 "An Inspector Calls" (Betty Crocker Star Matinee, ABC), with Russell Wright
2/19/1952 The Milton Berle Show (aka Texaco Star Theater, NBC), guest appearance
3/4/1952 The Milton Berle Show (aka Texaco Star Theater, NBC), guest appearance
5/5/1952 "Masquerade," as Sir Paul Maxim (Lux Video Theatre, CBS).
7/13 - 8/31/1952 Your Lucky Clue (CBS game show, Rathbone was host)
12/23/1952 The Milton Berle Show (aka Texaco Star Theater, NBC), guest appearance
12/25/1952 I've Got a Secret (game show, CBS) as the celebrity guest with a secret
Click here to see a video clip from I've Got a Secret.
Gary Moore and Basil Rathbone on "I've Got a Secret"
Rathbone with Garry Moore on I've Got a Secret

"The Adventure of the Black Baronet"
1953 Ethel and Albert (NBC), guest appearance. Watch an episode of Ethel and Albert!  Note that this is NOT the episode in which Basil appeared. It is a different episode from 1953.
2/2/1953 "Criminal at Large" (Broadway Television Theatre, WOR-TV), with Estelle Winwood and Anthony Kemble-Cooper
2/16/1953 "Miss Marlowe at Play," as Ambrose Wallington (Lux Video Theatre, CBS)
3/2/1953 "The Firebrand" (Broadway Television Theatre, WOR-TV), as Benvenuto Cellini, with Claudia Morgan and Esmond Knight
5/26/1953 "The Adventure of the Black Baronet," as Sherlock Holmes (Suspense, CBS)
11/17/1953 "The Educated Heart," (Danger, CBS), with Margaret Phillips
12/22/1953 Season's Greetings (NBC), Christmas variety show with Basil Rathbone, Ezio Pinza, Harpo Marx, Eddie Albert, Jane Kean, Betty Kean, Paul Winchell, Andre Eglevsky, Maria Tallchief, Robert Shaw Chorale
12/29/1953 "The Thirteen Clocks," musical adaptation of James Thurber's fairy tale (Motorola Television Hour, ABC)

"The Thirteen Clocks"

"The Thirteen Clocks"
1/12/1954 The Milton Berle Show (aka The Buick Berle Hour, NBC), guest appearance (Sherlock Holmes skit)
1954 The Perry Como Show (CBS), guest appearance. Watch an episode of The Perry Como Show!  Note that this is NOT the episode in which Basil appeared. It is an episode from 1956, with Bob Hope and Yvonne DeCarlo.
2/11/1954 "The Man They'd Murdered" (The Philip Morris Playhouse, CBS), with Francis Sullivan and Joan Wetmore.
1/12/1954 The Name's the Same (game show), Rathbone on panel with Joan Alexander, Gene Rayburn, and Bess Myerson
2/9/1954 The Name's the Same   
3/2/1954 The Name's the Same  
3/9/1954 The Name's the Same  
3/16/1954 The Name's the Same  
3/23/1954 The Name's the Same  
3/30/1954 The Name's the Same  
6/1/1954 "The Yo-Yo People" (Love Story, DuMont TV Network), with Beatrice Straight  

"The General's Boots"

Basil Rathbone and Norma Varden in"Volturio Investigates"

"Volturio Investigates"
7/23/1954 "The General's Boots" (Schlitz Playhouse of Stars, CBS), with Melville Cooper and John Dehner
Click here to watch it!
 
8/16/1954 "The House of Gair" (Studio One: Summer Theatre, CBS), with Hurd Hatfield and Cora Witherspoon. Rathbone played Hazelton Crane.  
12/3/1954 "Volturio Investigates," as a jewel thief (Schlitz Playhouse of Stars, CBS)  
12/23/1954 "A Christmas Carol," as Marley's Ghost -- musical adaptation, (Shower of Stars, CBS), with Fredric March as "Scrooge," Ray Middleton as "Fred" and Bob Sweeney as "Bob Cratchit." Music by Bernard Herrmann, with the Roger Wagner Chorale. Adaptation and lyrics by Maxwell Anderson. Produced and directed by Ralph Levy.
Click here to watch it!  Order from Roberts Hard-to-Find Videos or Amazon.
   

The following television programs are available to buy from Roberts Hard-to-Find Videos:

  • The Frank Sinatra Show (1951)
  • Shower of Stars Christmas Carol (1954)
  • The General's Boots (1954)
  • Volturio Investigates (1954)
  • The Stones Began to Move (1955)
  • "I" the Leader (1955)
  • Affair in Sumatra (1955)
  • Billy Budd (1955)
  • The Lark (1957)
  • Cole Porter's Aladdin (1958)
  • The Christopher Program (1960)
  • Victoria Regina (1961)
  • Soldier in Love (1967)

 
   
 
Rathbone with Peg Lynch and Alan Bunce (Ethel and Albert)


Marley's Ghost and Scrooge (Frederic March)

   

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All original content is © Marcia Jessen, 2021