Amanda S. Stevenson
Cynthia and Basil Rathbone
Date & Place:
Not specified or unknown.
Advertisement
Advertisement
Cynthia and Basil Rathbone
Updated Mar 10, 2025
Loading...one moment please
Comments
AncientFaces
380k+ followers 411 favorites
06/13/2022
Who thinks of "Sherlock Holmes" as a father? Actor Basil Rathbone, the authoritative Sherlock Holmes, was indeed the father of Barbara Cynthia Rathbone (1939 - 1969) and the proof is in this photo.
Cynthia, as she was known, died at age 30 of acute anemia. Her mother was also well known in her day - her obituary describes her as "one of the first women to attain prominence in the early days of film". While her family was "Hollywood Royalty", her Mom, her Dad, and she died in New York, New York.
See more photos of all 3 and remember the short life of Cynthia on AncientFaces
Cynthia, as she was known, died at age 30 of acute anemia. Her mother was also well known in her day - her obituary describes her as "one of the first women to attain prominence in the early days of film". While her family was "Hollywood Royalty", her Mom, her Dad, and she died in New York, New York.
See more photos of all 3 and remember the short life of Cynthia on AncientFaces
Facebook Fan
via Facebook
Curiosity got the better of me when I should have been doing chores...
Cynthia (first name was Barbara; Cynthia was her middle name) was the adopted daughter of Basil Rathbone and his second wife, Ouida. They adopted her in 1939, 11 years after they lost their own baby.
I was curious, too, about her cause of death, acute anemia. Reports say she was always sickly, but Dick Cavett, who was a devoted fan of Basil Rathbone, admitted Cynthia had committed suicide, so acute anemia was apparently a circumspect way of saying it.
Rathbone had one son, John Rodion (1915- 1996), from his first marriage. His son's first name was actually Rodion, but "John Rodion" was his stage name.
Rodion married and had 3 children, and Basil Rathbone was not only a grandfather, but also (after his death) a great-grandfather.
Then, of course, I had to look up the name "Rodion." It's of Slavic origin and is the first name of the protagonist in Dostoyevsky's "Crime and Punishment." Named by the then-young and I guess idealistic Basil Rathbone.
(Chores still not done...but who cares!?!😁)
Cynthia (first name was Barbara; Cynthia was her middle name) was the adopted daughter of Basil Rathbone and his second wife, Ouida. They adopted her in 1939, 11 years after they lost their own baby.
I was curious, too, about her cause of death, acute anemia. Reports say she was always sickly, but Dick Cavett, who was a devoted fan of Basil Rathbone, admitted Cynthia had committed suicide, so acute anemia was apparently a circumspect way of saying it.
Rathbone had one son, John Rodion (1915- 1996), from his first marriage. His son's first name was actually Rodion, but "John Rodion" was his stage name.
Rodion married and had 3 children, and Basil Rathbone was not only a grandfather, but also (after his death) a great-grandfather.
Then, of course, I had to look up the name "Rodion." It's of Slavic origin and is the first name of the protagonist in Dostoyevsky's "Crime and Punishment." Named by the then-young and I guess idealistic Basil Rathbone.
(Chores still not done...but who cares!?!😁)
Facebook Fan
via Facebook
Ree Young Glad you didn't. I love watching Sherlock Holmes.
Facebook Fan
via Facebook
If you Google about her one article says that she was adopted by Basil and Ouida. And of course other articles say she was their daughter which of course if she is adopted she is their daughter too. And another article says she had a sister Barbara but her name was Barbara Cynthia Rathbone. And that article said she had a half brother John Rodian. But I can't find anything about him John roadian is sometimes referred to as John Rathbone in another article. So very complicated to figure it out. So sad she died so young
via Facebook
Beth Nelson She was their daughter. Unfortunately, Google (and therefor what we can find on the 'net) isn't a encyclopedia - you just find peoples' opinions on the 'net..
People tagged in this photo
Barbara Cynthia Rathbone, known as Cynthia Rathbone, was adopted into a family deeply involved in the entertainment industry. She was raised as the daughter of Eula "Ouida Bergere" (Branch) Rathbone (1889 - 1994) and Basil Rathbone (1892 - 1967), a renowned actor famous for his portrayal of Sherlock Holmes in several films. According to a 1939 article named "In Hollywood" by Milton Harker, Cynthia was adopted by Basil and Ouida when she was around 11 weeks old. See In Hollywood - Cynthia's adoption.
Cynthia's mother, Ouida Bergere, was an actress and playwright, and her father, Basil Rathbone, was an accomplished stage and screen actor. Basil and Ouida had a daughter named Barbara Rathbone who had died in infancy eleven years previous to Cynthia's adoption and Basil Sr. had a son, Basil Rathbone Jr., an actor who was also known as John Rodion, from a previous marriage. Ouida and Basil also raised Ouida's niece, Ouida Branch. Ouida Branch married David Bruce Huxley, who was the brother of writer and philosopher Aldous Huxley.
In 1950, when Cynthia was 11 years old, she was living with her parents Basil and Ouida in New York, NY, as recorded in the federal census. At the time, her father Basil was continuing his successful career as a prominent actor in the theater.
Cynthia Rathbone, who was an assistant art director at the Hockaday Advertising Agency, died at the age of 30 in New York City of acute anemia. She is buried in Ferncliff Cemetery and Mausoleum in Hartsdale, Westchester County, New York.
See Cynthia Rathbone: Obituary.
Basil Rathbone of New York, New York County, NY was born on June 13, 1892 to Anna Barbara (George) Rathbone and Edgar Philip Rathbone. Basil Rathbone had siblings Beatrice Rathbone and John Rathbone. He married Marion Foreman on October 3, 1914 and they later divorced in 1926. They had a child John Rodion Rathbone. He would also marry Ouida (Bergère) Rathbone on April 18, 1926, and they were married until Basil's death on July 21, 1967. They had a child Barbara Cynthia Rathbone.
Advertisement
Topic related photos
Portraits
Portrait photographs and paintings of our loved ones and ancestors.
Before photos we had paintings of family members - most usually these were reserved for the well off. The era of modern photography began with the daguerreotype, in 1839. Since the advent of photogr... 
Advertisement
Followers
Amanda S. Stevenson
For fifty years I have been a Document Examiner and that is how I earn my living.
For over 50 years I have also been a publicist for actors, singers, writers, composers, artists, comedians, and many progressive non-profit organizations.
I am a Librettist-Composer of a Broadway musical called, "Nellie Bly" and I am in the process of making small changes to it.
In addition, I have written over 100 songs that would be considered "popular music" in the genre of THE AMERICAN SONGBOOK.
My family consists of four branches. The Norwegians and The Italians and the Norwegian-Americans and the Italian Americans.
My family consists of four branches. The Norwegians and The Italians and the Norwegian-Americans and the Italian Americans.
Joy Burroughs
About me:I haven't shared any details about myself.
Advertisement
ADVERTISEMENT
BY ANCESTRY.COM
Find records of Cynthia Rathbone