Canadian Theatre Encyclopedia
Rain, Douglas
One of the finest actors in the country, Douglas Rain was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba in 1928; died November 11, 2018 at the age of 90. He studied at the University of Manitoba, the Banff Centre for the Arts, and the Old Vic in London.
He performed lead roles across the country but is probably best known for his four-decade association with the Stratford Festival where he performed in a wide variety of productions from Michael Langham's celebrated Henry V in 1956 to leads in the premiere of Elliott Hayes' Homeward Bound (1991), Albert Millaire's production of Michel Tremblay's Bonjour, là, bonjour (1992) and as Shylock in the 1995-96 production of The Merchant of Venice. In 1998 he played the lead in A Man For All Seasons, and received almost unanimously positive reviews.
He has also performed at the Shaw Festival notably in Arms and the Man (1967), Simpleton of the Unexpected Isles and Heartbreak House (1985, 1999). At the Tarragon Theatre, he starred in Ibsen's The Master Builder (1982); and at the Manitoba Theatre Centre in Hedda Gabler (1972).
From 1974 to 1977, he was head of the English acting section at the National Theatre School of Canada.
Douglas Rain brought a modernity of accent and spirit to his performances that always illuminated the texts in which he played. He believed in acting the text with specificity, nuance, and emotional connection.
He narrated films and television productions, notably as the voice of HAL 9000 in Stanley Kubrick's masterpiece, 2001, A Space Odyssey. He also performed in the sequel, 2010.
He was married to Lois Esther Rain (nee Shaw) and Martha Henry.
Profile by Gaetan Charlebois. Additional information provided by Paul Burwick.
Last updated 2020-11-09
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The Canadian Theatre Encyclopedia web site was originally conceived and developed in 1996 by Gaetan Charlebois—theatre critic, playwright, and actor.
