Biography
Douglas Rain (1928–2018) was a Canadian actor and narrator. Primarily a stage performer, he is best known for providing the voice of the HAL 9000 computer in Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) and its sequel 2010 (1984).
Born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Rain studied at the Banff School of Fine Arts and the Old Vic Theatre School in London. He was a founding member of the Stratford Festival of Canada in 1953 and appeared in dozens of productions there over more than four decades, including notable Shakespearean roles such as Henry V. In 1972 he received a Tony Award nomination for his performance in the Broadway production of Vivat! Vivat Regina!.
