Boris Karloff

Boris Karloff

  • Birthday: 1887-11-21
  • Deathday: 1969-02-02
  • Place of birth: Camberwell, London, England, UK
  • Also know as: William Henry Pratt

Biography

Boris Karloff (23 November 1887 – 2 February 1969), whose real name was William Henry Pratt, was an English-born actor who emigrated to Canada in 1909. Karloff is best remembered for his roles in horror films and his portrayal of Frankenstein's monster in Frankenstein (1931), Bride of Frankenstein (1935), and Son of Frankenstein (1939). His popularity following Frankenstein was such that for a brief time he was billed simply as "Karloff" or "Karloff the Uncanny". His best-known non-horror role is as the Grinch in the television special of Dr. Seuss’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas!. Description above from the Wikipedia article Boris Karloff, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

Filmography

Bride of Frankenstein

1935

As The Monster

Scarface

1932

As Gaffney

Abbott and Costello Meet Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

1953

As Dr. Henry Jekyll / Mr. Hyde

Frankenstein

1931

As The Monster

Son of Frankenstein

1939

As The Monster

House of Frankenstein

1944

As Dr. Gustav Niemann

Frankenstein 1970

1958

As Baron Viktor von Frankenstein

The Mask of Fu Manchu

1932

As Dr. Fu Manchu

Devil's Island

1939

As Dr. Charles Gaudet

The Devil Commands

1941

As Dr. Julian Blair

Lured

1947

As Charles van Druten

The Boogie Man Will Get You

1942

As Prof. Nathaniel Billings

The Black Castle

1952

As Dr. Meissen

The Body Snatcher

1945

As John Gray

Isle of the Dead

1945

As Gen. Nikolas Pherides

Corridors of Blood

1958

As Dr. Thomas Bolton

Juggernaut

1936

As Dr. Victor Sartorius

The Man Who Changed His Mind

1936

As Dr. Laurience

Tap Roots

1948

As Tishomingo

Terror in the Tropics

2006

As Mr. Wong (archive footage)

Doomed to Die

1940

As James Lee Wong

Mr. Wong, Detective

1938

As James Lee Wong

The Black Cat

1934

As Hjalmar Poelzig

Bedlam

1946

As George Sims

The Old Dark House

1932

As Morgan

The Terror

1963

As Baron Victor Frederick Von Leppe

Before I Hang

1940

As Dr. John Garth

The Man with Nine Lives

1940

As Dr. Leon Kravaal

The Man They Could Not Hang

1939

As Dr. Henryk Savaard

The Black Room

1935

As Baron Gregor de Berghman / Anton de Berghman

The Walking Dead

1936

As John Ellman

How the Grinch Stole Christmas!

1966

As Narrator / The Grinch (voice)

The Invisible Ray

1936

As Dr. Janos Rukh

Black Sabbath

1963

As Gorca (segment "The Wurdalak")

Charlie Chan at the Opera

1936

As Gravelle

Night Key

1937

As David Mallory

The Ghoul

1933

As Prof. Morlant

King of the Wild

1931

As Mustapha

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty

1947

As Dr. Hugo Hollingshead

Behind the Mask

1932

As Jim Henderson

Tower of London

1939

As Mord

Heroes of Horror

2001

As (archive footage)

Black Friday

1940

As Dr. Ernest Sovac

The Raven

1963

As Dr. Scarabus

Die, Monster, Die!

1965

As Nahum Witley

The Comedy of Terrors

1964

As Amos Hinchley

Alien Terror

1971

As Prof. John Mayer

Five Star Final

1931

As T. Vernon Isopod

The Criminal Code

1931

As Ned Galloway

The Ape

1940

As Dr. Bernard Adrian

The Mummy

1932

As Imhotep, alias Ardath Bey

Voodoo Island

1957

As Phillip Knight

The Island Monster

1954

As Don Gaetano

The Lost Patrol

1934

As Sanders

Mad Monster Party?

1967

As Baron Boris von Frankenstein (voice)

The Climax

1944

As Dr. Friedrich Hohner

The Strange Door

1951

As Voltan

Behind That Curtain

1929

As Beetham's Manservent

The Raven

1935

As Edmond Bateman

Fear Chamber

1968

As Dr. Carl Mandel

Isle of the Snake People

1971

As Carl van Molder / Damballah

Macabre Serenade

1968

As Matthias Morteval

Targets

1968

As Byron Orlok

You'll Find Out

1940

As Judge Spencer Mainwaring

British Intelligence

1939

As Valdar

Dick Tracy Meets Gruesome

1947

As Gruesome

Unconquered

1947

As Guyasuta, Chief of the Senecas

The Sorcerers

1967

As Prof. Marcus Monserrat

The House of Rothschild

1934

As Count Ledrantz

Grip of the Strangler

1958

As James Rankin

Mr. Wong in Chinatown

1939

As Mr. James Lee Wong

The Mystery of Mr. Wong

1939

As James Lee Wong

The Fatal Hour

1940

As James Lee Wong

Cauldron of Blood

1970

As Franz Badulescu

The Venetian Affair

1967

As Dr. Pierre Vaugiroud

Tonight or Never

1931

As Waiter

A Fool's World

1964

As Narrator

Cinema Circus

1937

As Himself

The Mad Genius

1931

As Fedor's Father (uncredited)

The Vanishing Legion

1931

As The Voice (voice)

Gift of Gab

1934

As Himself

Graft

1931

As Terry

The Bells

1926

As The Mesmerist

The Nickel-Hopper

1926

As Dance Hall Masher

The Sea Bat

1930

As Corsican

The Invisible Menace

1938

As Jevries

West of Shanghai

1937

As Wu Yen Fang

The Guilty Generation

1931

As Tony Ricca

Dynamite Dan

1924

As Tony Garcia

The King of the Kongo

1929

As Scarface Macklin

The Daydreamer

1966

As The Rat (voice)

Cracked Nuts

1931

As Boris - First Revolutionary

Night World

1932

As 'Happy' MacDonald

Lugosi: The Dark Prince

2006

As Self (archive footage)

The Miracle Man

1932

As Nikko

Two Arabian Knights

1927

As Purser

The Last of the Mohicans

1920

As Indian (uncredited)

The Phantom of the North

1929

As Jules Gregg

The Utah Kid

1930

As Henchman Baxter

The Eagle of the Sea

1926

As Pirate (uncredited)

The Phantom Buster

1927

As Ramon

The Juggler of Our Lady

1957

As Narrator (voice)

Curse of the Crimson Altar

1968

As Professor John Marsh

Bela Lugosi: The Fallen Vampire

2007

As Himself (archive footage)

The Public Defender

1931

As The Professor

Old Ironsides

1926

As Saracen Guard (uncredited)

The Deadlier Sex

1920

As Jules Borney

The Yellow Ticket

1931

As Drunken Orderly

Days of Thrills and Laughter

1961

As Self (archive footage)

Colonel March Investigates

1953

As Colonel March

Skyscraper Souls

1932

As Man Approaching Ticket Counter

I Like Your Nerve

1931

As Luigi - Pacheco's Butler

Destination Nightmare

1958

As Host / Ira Perry / Pete Wade Sr. / Professor Charles Goncourt / Morgan Debs

Jack the Ripper

1958

As Host / Capt. John Elwood / Jonas Atterbury / Dr. Francis Mason

Transylvania Twist

1989

As Man in Room

Boo

1932

As Frankenstein's Monster (edited from "Frankenstein")

Little Lost Robot

1962

As Host

Classic Movie Bloopers: Uncensored

2013

As Self (archive footage)

A Connecticut Yankee

1955

As King Arthur

The Cave Girl

1921

As Baptiste

Mummy Dearest: A Horror Tradition Unearthed

2000

As Self (archive footage)

Bikini Beach

1964

As Art Dealer

His Majesty, the American

1919

As Henchman in cloth cap

Breakdowns of 1937

1937

As Self

Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?

1975

As Self (archive footage)

The Mesmerist

2003

As (archive footage)

Karloff: The Gentle Monster

2006

As Self (archive footage)

Young Donovan's Kid

1931

As Cokey Joe

Myrna Loy: So Nice to Come Home To

1990

As (archive footage)

The Love Mart

1927

As Fleming

Ian Rankin Investigates: Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde

2007

As Cabman John Gray (archive footage)

The Universal Story

1996

As Himself (archive footage)

The Hope Diamond Mystery

1921

As Priest of Kama-Sita / Dakar

Sabaka

1955

As General Pollegar

The Greater Glory

1926

As Scissors Grinder

Today's Teens

1964

As Narrator

Arsenic & Old Lace

1962

As Jonathan Brewster

The Prairie Wife

1925

As Diego

Without Benefit of Clergy

1921

As Ahmed Khan

Her Honor, the Governor

1926

As Snipe Collins

Jack Pierce: The Man Who Made the Monsters

2015

As Self (archive footage)

Doom of Dracula

1966

As The Madman

Hollywood Hobbies

1935

As Himself

Screen Snapshots No. 11

1934

As Himself

Parisian Nights

1925

As Pierre

Heart of Darkness

1958

As Mr. Kurtz

The Man in the Saddle

1926

As Robber (uncredited)

The Incredible Doktor Markesan

1962

As Dr. Konrad Markesan

Hatchet for the Honeymoon

1970

As Gorca (archive footage)

The Storm

1962

As

Famous Monster: Forrest J Ackerman

2007

As Self (archive footage)

Universal Horror

1998

As (archive footage)

Horror!!!

1964

As Self

How the Grinch Stole Christmas! Special Edition

1994

As (voice - archive footage)

The Movie Orgy

1968

As Self (archive footage)

The Prince and Betty

1919

As Undetermined Role

Cheated Hearts

1921

As Nei Hamid

Nan of the North

1922

As Undetermined Role (uncredited)

The Man from Downing Street

1922

As Maharajah Jehan

The Infidel

1922

As The Nabob

The Altar Stairs

1922

As Hugo

The Woman Conquers

1922

As Raoul Maris

Omar the Tentmaker

1922

As Imam Mowaffak

The Prisoner

1923

As Prince Kapolski

The White Panther

1924

As Shere Ali's Aide (as Karloff Boris)

The Hellion

1924

As The Outlaw

Forbidden Cargo

1925

As Pietro Castillano

Lady Robinhood

1925

As Cabraza

Without Mercy

1925

As Madame Gordon's 2nd Henchman (uncredited)

The Golden Web

1926

As Dave Sinclair

Flames

1926

As Blackie Blanchette

Flaming Fury

1926

As Gaspard

Let It Rain

1927

As Crook

The Meddlin' Stranger

1927

As Al Meggs

Soft Cushions

1927

As The Chief Conspirator

Sharp Shooters

1928

As Cafe Proprietor (uncredited)

The Vanishing Rider

1928

As The Villain

Vultures of the Sea

1928

As Grouchy

Burning the Wind

1929

As Pug Doran

The Little Wild Girl

1928

As Maurice Kent

The Fatal Warning

1929

As Mullins

The Devil's Chaplain

1929

As Boris

Two Sisters

1929

As Cecil

The Unholy Night

1929

As Abdul Mohammed Bey - the Hindu Lawyer (uncredited)

The Bad One

1930

As Monsieur Gaston

Business and Pleasure

1932

As Sheik Ali Ben Joseph (uncredited)

The Emperor's Nightingale

1949

As Narrator (English version)

Madhouse

1974

As (archive footage)

The Horror Hall of Fame: A Monster Salute

1974

As Self (archive footage)

Boris Karloff: The Man Behind the Monster

2021

As Self (archive footage)

The Sting of Death

1955

As Mr. Mycroft

The Return of Andrew Bentley

1961

As Self - Host

Oops, Those Hollywood Bloopers!

1982

As Self (archive footage)

Going Hollywood: The '30s

1984

As (archive footage)

The Horror of It All

1983

As Frankenstein / Cabman John Gray (archive footage)

Boris Karloff: The Rest of the Story

2022

As Self - Interviewee

The Horror Show

1979

As (archive footage)

The Mummy's Hand

1940

As Kharis (archive footage / uncredited)

The Mummy's Curse

1944

As Kharis in Flashback (archive footage / uncredited)

Smart Money

1931

As Sport Williams

Terror in the Aisles

1984

As The Monster (Archive Footage)

The Lark

1957

As Bishop Cauchon

Horrible Horror

1986

As Gruesome in 'Dick Tracey Meets Gruesome'

Creepy Classics

1987

As Dr. Scarabus - (archive footage)

In Search of Dr. Seuss

1994

As (voice) (archive footage) (uncredited)

Dracula: A Cinematic Scrapbook

1991

As Doctor Gustav Niemann (archive footage)

The Many Faces of Dracula

2000

As The Monster (archive footage)

Frankenstein: A Cinematic Scrapbook

1991

As The Monster / Gustav Niemann / Dr. Jekyll / Mr. Hyde / etc.

Monster Madness: The Golden Age of the Horror Film

2014

As Various roles (archive footage)

The Last Repair Shop

2024

As The Monster (archive footage) (uncredited)

The Son of Frankenstein

1965

As The Monster (archive footage)

Production

Bikini Beach

1964

As Thanks

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