Boris Karloff
Born: 1887-11-23 in Camberwell, London, England, UK
Died: 1969-02-02
Known For: Acting
Biography
William Henry Pratt (November 23, 1887 – February 2, 1969), better known as Boris Karloff, 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
2025
- Legacy of Screams: The Evolution of Horror Movies as Self - (archive footage)
2024
- The Last Repair Shop as The Monster (archive footage) (uncredited)
2023
- The Dark Universe as Frankenstein (archivo de imagen)
2022
- Boris Karloff: The Rest of the Story as Self - Interviewee
2021
- Hollywood in the Atomic Age: Monsters! Martians! Mad Scientists! as Self (archive footage)
- Boris Karloff: The Man Behind the Monster as Self (archive footage)
2015
- Jack Pierce: The Man Who Made the Monsters as Self (archive footage)
2014
- Monster Madness: The Golden Age of the Horror Film as Various roles (archive footage)
2013
- Classic Movie Bloopers: Uncensored as Self (archive footage)
- A Masque of Madness (Notes on Film 06-B, Monologue 02) as Self (archive footage)
2008
- He Who Made Monsters: The Life and Art of Jack Pierce as Self (archive footage)
2007
- Famous Monster: Forrest J Ackerman as Self (archive footage)
- Bela Lugosi: The Fallen Vampire as Himself (archive footage)
- Ian Rankin Investigates: Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde as Cabman John Gray (archive footage)
2006
- Karloff: The Gentle Monster as Self (archive footage)
- Lugosi: The Dark Prince as Self (archive footage)
- Terror in the Tropics as Mr. Wong (archive footage)
2005
- Bones as Imhotep (archive footage) (uncredited)
2003
- The Mesmerist as (archive footage)
2002
- The 'Frankenstein' Files: How Hollywood Made a Monster as Self (archive footage)
2001
- Heroes of Horror as (archive footage)
2000
- The American Nightmare as Self
- Mummy Dearest: A Horror Tradition Unearthed as Self (archive footage)
- The Many Faces of Dracula as The Monster (archive footage)
1999
- Monster by Moonlight! The Immortal Saga of 'The Wolf Man' as Self (archive footage)
1998
- Universal Horror as (archive footage)
1996
- The Universal Story as Self (archive footage)
1994
- How the Grinch Stole Christmas! Special Edition as (voice - archive footage)
- Abbott and Costello Meet Jerry Seinfeld as Self (archive footage)
1991
- Frankenstein: A Cinematic Scrapbook as The Monster / Gustav Niemann / Dr. Jekyll / Mr. Hyde / etc.
- Dracula: A Cinematic Scrapbook as Doctor Gustav Niemann (archive footage)
1990
- Myrna Loy: So Nice to Come Home To as (archive footage)
- Abbott and Costello in the Movies as Archival
1989
- Transylvania Twist as Man in Room (archive footage)
1987
- Creepy Classics as Dr. Scarabus - (archive footage)
1984
- Going Hollywood: The '30s as (archive footage)
1983
- The Horror of It All as Frankenstein / Cabman John Gray (archive footage)
1982
- Oops, Those Hollywood Bloopers! as Self (archive footage)
1979
- The Horror Show as (archive footage)
1975
- Brother, Can You Spare a Dime? as Self (archive footage)
1974
- Madhouse as (archive footage)
- The Horror Hall of Fame: A Monster Salute as Self (archive footage)
1971
- Alien Terror as Prof. John Mayer
- Isle of the Snake People as Carl van Molder / Damballah
1970
- Hatchet for the Honeymoon as Gorca (archive footage)
1968
- The Name of the Game as Mikhail Orlov
- Targets as Byron Orlok
- Fear Chamber as Dr. Carl Mandel
- Cauldron of Blood as Franz Badulescu
- Curse of the Crimson Altar as Professor John Marsh
- Macabre Serenade as Matthias Morteval
- The Movie Orgy as Self (archive footage)
1967
- The Sorcerers as Prof. Marcus Monserrat
- Mad Monster Party? as Baron Boris von Frankenstein (voice)
- The Venetian Affair as Dr. Pierre Vaugiroud
1966
- How the Grinch Stole Christmas! as Narrator / The Grinch (voice)
- The Daydreamer as The Rat (voice)
- The Ghost in the Invisible Bikini as The Corpse
- The Girl from U.N.C.L.E. as Mother Muffin
- Doom of Dracula as The Madman (archive footage)
1965
- The Wild Wild West as Mr. Singh
- Die, Monster, Die! as Nahum Witley
1964
- Bikini Beach as Art Dealer
- Shindig! as Self - Guest Host / Singer
- The Comedy of Terrors as Amos Hinchley
- A Fool's World as Narrator
- Horror!!! as Self
- Today's Teens as Narrator
1963
- The Raven as Dr. Scarabus
- The Terror as Baron Victor Frederick Von Leppe
- Black Sabbath as Gorca (segment "The Wurdalak")
- Corridors of Blood as Dr. Thomas Bolton
1962
- The Storm
- Lizard's Leg and Owlet's Wing
- The Incredible Doktor Markesan as Dr. Konrad Markesan
- Arsenic & Old Lace as Jonathan Brewster
- Out of This World as Host
- Little Lost Robot as Host
1961
- Days of Thrills and Laughter as Self (archive footage)
- The Grim Reaper as Self
1960
- Route 66
- Thriller as Clayton Mace
- The Fatal Impulse as Self
1958
- Frankenstein 1970 as Baron Viktor von Frankenstein
- Shirley Temple's Storybook as Narrator (voice) / Father Knickerbocker
- Heart of Darkness as Mr. Kurtz
- Jack the Ripper as Host / Capt. John Elwood / Jonas Atterbury / Dr. Francis Mason
- The Veil
- Destination Nightmare as Host / Ira Perry / Pete Wade Sr. / Professor Charles Goncourt / Morgan Debs
- Grip of the Strangler as James Rankin
1957
- The Lark as Bishop Cauchon
- Voodoo Island as Phillip Knight
- Suspicion as Judge Winthrop Gelsey
- DuPont Show of the Month
- The Lux Show as Self
- The Juggler of Our Lady as Narrator (voice)
1956
- Tony Awards as Self - Nominee
- The Dinah Shore Chevy Show as Self
- Telephone Time
- Rendezvous in Black as Ward Allen
- Colonel March of Scotland Yard as Colonel March Of Scotland Yard
- The Rosemary Clooney Show as Self
1955
- This Is Your Life as Self
- Sabaka as General Pollegar
- A Connecticut Yankee as King Arthur
- Sting of Death as Mr. Mycroft
1954
- Climax! as Dr. Philip Nestri
- The George Gobel Show as Self
- The Island Monster as Don Gaetano
1953
- The United States Steel Hour as George Redford
- Abbott and Costello Meet Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde as Dr. Henry Jekyll / Mr. Hyde
- Colonel March Investigates as Colonel March
- General Electric Theater as Mr. Blue Ocean
1952
- The Black Castle as Dr. Meissen
1951
- The Red Skelton Show as Professor Townsend (Spy)
- Tales of Tomorrow
- The Strange Door as Voltan
- Hallmark Hall of Fame as Cauchon
- Schlitz Playhouse of Stars as Charles Brandon
- Down You Go as Self
1950
- Robert Montgomery Presents as Bennett Kimball
- What's My Line? as Self
- Lux Video Theatre as Sir Arthur Strangeways
1949
- The Emperor's Nightingale as Narrator (English version)
- Lights Out
- Suspense as Toff
- Bud Abbott and Lou Costello Meet the Killer, Boris Karloff as Swami Talpur
- Starring Boris Karloff
1948
- Studio One as Skaggs
- Tap Roots as Tishomingo
1947
- Unconquered as Guyasuta, Chief of the Senecas
- Lured as Charles van Druten
- The Secret Life of Walter Mitty as Dr. Hugo Hollingshead
- Dick Tracy Meets Gruesome as Gruesome
1946
- Bedlam as George Sims
1945
- The Body Snatcher as John Gray
- Isle of the Dead as Gen. Nikolas Pherides
1944
- House of Frankenstein as Dr. Gustav Niemann
- The Climax as Dr. Friedrich Hohner
- The Mummy's Curse as Kharis in Flashback (archive footage / uncredited)
1942
- Hedda Hopper’s Hollywood No. 6 as Himself
- The Boogie Man Will Get You as Prof. Nathaniel Billings
1941
- The Devil Commands as Dr. Julian Blair
- Information Please: Series 2, No. 12 as Self
1940
- Black Friday as Dr. Ernest Sovac
- The Fatal Hour as James Lee Wong
- Doomed to Die as James Lee Wong
- The Man with Nine Lives as Dr. Leon Kravaal
- The Mummy's Hand as Kharis (archive footage / uncredited)
- You'll Find Out as Judge Spencer Mainwaring
- Before I Hang as Dr. John Garth
- The Ape as Dr. Bernard Adrian
1939
- Tower of London as Mord
- Mr. Wong in Chinatown as Mr. James Lee Wong
- The Mystery of Mr. Wong as James Lee Wong
- Devil's Island as Dr. Charles Gaudet
- The Man They Could Not Hang as Dr. Henryk Savaard
- Son of Frankenstein as The Monster
- British Intelligence as Valdar
1938
- Mr. Wong, Detective as James Lee Wong
- The Invisible Menace as Jevries
1937
- Night Key as David Mallory
- West of Shanghai as "General" Wu Yen Fang
- Breakdowns of 1937 as Self
- Cinema Circus as Himself
1936
- The Walking Dead as John Ellman
- The Invisible Ray as Dr. Janos Rukh
- The Man Who Changed His Mind as Dr. Laurence
- Charlie Chan at the Opera as Gravelle
- Juggernaut as Dr. Victor Sartorius
1935
- The Raven as Edmond Bateman
- Bride of Frankenstein as The Monster
- The Black Room as Baron Gregor de Berghman / Anton de Berghman
- Hollywood Hobbies as Himself
1934
- The Lost Patrol as Sanders
- The House of Rothschild as Count Ledrantz
- Gift of Gab as Himself
- Screen Snapshots No. 11 as Himself
- The Black Cat as Hjalmar Poelzig
1933
- The Ghoul as Prof. Morlant
1932
- Skyscraper Souls as Man Approaching Ticket Counter
- The Mummy as Imhotep / Ardath Bey
- Night World as 'Happy' MacDonald
- The Mask of Fu Manchu as Dr. Fu Manchu
- The Old Dark House as Morgan
- Scarface as Gaffney
- Behind the Mask as Jim Henderson
- The Miracle Man as Nikko
- The Cohens and Kellys in Hollywood as Boris Karloff
- Business and Pleasure as Sheik Ali-Ben Joseph
- Boo as Frankenstein's Monster (edited from "Frankenstein")
1931
- Smart Money as Sport Williams
- Frankenstein as The Monster
- The Mad Genius as Fedor's Father (uncredited)
- Cracked Nuts as Boris - First Revolutionary
- The Criminal Code as Ned Galloway
- Graft as Terry
- The Public Defender as The Professor
- The Yellow Ticket as Drunken Orderly
- The Guilty Generation as Tony Ricca
- Young Donovan's Kid as Cokey Joe
- Tonight or Never as Waiter
- I Like Your Nerve as Luigi - Pacheco's Butler
- King of the Wild as Mustapha
- The Vanishing Legion as The Voice (voice)
- Five Star Final as T. Vernon Isopod
1930
- The Sea Bat as Corsican
- The Utah Kid as Henchman Baxter
- The Bad One as Monsieur Gaston
1929
- Two Sisters as Cecil
- The Devil's Chaplain as Boris
- The Fatal Warning as Mullins
- The King of the Kongo as Scarface Macklin
- The Unholy Night as Abdul Mohammed Bey - the Hindu Lawyer (uncredited)
- Behind That Curtain as Beetham's Manservent
- Anne Against the World
- The Phantom of the North as Jules Gregg
- Burning the Wind as Pug Doran
1928
- Vultures of the Sea as Grouchy
- The Vanishing Rider as The Villain
- Sharp Shooters as Cafe Proprietor (uncredited)
- The Little Wild Girl as Maurice Kent
1927
- Soft Cushions as The Chief Conspirator
- Let It Rain as Crook
- Two Arabian Knights as Purser
- The Princess from Hoboken as Pavel
- Tarzan and the Golden Lion as Owaza
- The Phantom Buster as Ramon
- The Meddlin' Stranger as Al Meggs
- The Love Mart as Fleming
1926
- Flames as Blackie Blanchette
- The Bells as The Mesmerist
- The Nickel-Hopper as Dance Hall Masher
- The Eagle of the Sea as Pirate (uncredited)
- Flaming Fury as Gaspard
- The Golden Web as Dave Sinclair
- The Greater Glory as Scissors Grinder
- Old Ironsides as Saracen Guard (uncredited)
- Her Honor, the Governor as Snipe Collins
- The Man in the Saddle as Robber (uncredited)
1925
- Lady Robinhood as Cabraza
- Without Mercy as Madame Gordon's 2nd Henchman (uncredited)
- Forbidden Cargo as Pietro Castillano
- The Prairie Wife as Diego
- Perils of the Wild
- Never the Twain Shall Meet
- Parisian Nights as Pierre
1924
- The Hellion as The Outlaw
- Riders of the Plains
- The White Panther as Shere Ali's Aide (as Karloff Boris)
- Dynamite Dan as Tony Garcia
1923
- The Prisoner as Prince Kapolski
1922
- The Man from Downing Street as Maharajah Jehan
- The Woman Conquers as Raoul Maris
- The Altar Stairs as Hugo
- Omar the Tentmaker as Imam Mowaffak
- The Infidel as The Nabob
- Nan of the North as Undetermined Role (uncredited)
1921
- The Cave Girl as Baptiste
- Without Benefit of Clergy as Ahmed Khan
- Cheated Hearts as Nei Hamid
- The Hope Diamond Mystery as Priest of Kama-Sita / Dakar
1920
- The Woman and the Puppet as (uncredited)
- The Courage of Marge O'Doone as Tavish
- The Last of the Mohicans as Indian (uncredited)
- The Deadlier Sex as Jules Borney
1919
- His Majesty, the American as Henchman in cloth cap
- The Lightning Raider
- The Prince and Betty as Undetermined Role