| 1 | [[quoteright:310:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/boris_karloff.jpg]] |
| 2 | [[caption-width-right:310:''"When I was nine I played the Demon King in Literature/{{Cinderella}} and it launched me on a long and happy life of being a monster."'']] |
| 3 | |
| 4 | ->''"I'm not so sure I want to be down in the cellar with him. Look at that puss. He looks like Boris Karloff."'' |
| 5 | -->-- '''Officer Klein''' in ''Theatre/ArsenicAndOldLace'', regarding Jonathan Brewster, who was originally played by Karloff himself |
| 6 | |
| 7 | Born William Henry Pratt, [[StageNames Boris Karloff]] (23 November 1887 – 2 February 1969) was a much-beloved English character actor who worked in a [[HeAlsoDid variety of genres]] and whose career spanned fifty years (albeit all too often in films that were [[MoneyDearBoy criminal wastes]] of his talents). He is mostly remembered, however, for his work in {{horror}} films (most particularly the Franchise/UniversalHorror cycles of the 1930s and '40s), in which his distinctively gaunt, heavy-browed appearance and sinister lisping voice were a definite advantage. |
| 8 | |
| 9 | He was born as the youngest of nine siblings in Surrey (now London), England. Most of his brothers went into higher education and eventually all got jobs at different levels of the British diplomatic corps, and the young William was originally set to follow in their footsteps, studying for a time at King's College London; but he eventually dropped out of university and instead journeyed across the Atlantic to Canada, where he found occasional work as a farm laborer and did various odd jobs until happening upon acting. As he started acting in different theater troupes, he adapted his [[StageNames stage name]] of "Boris Karloff". From the stage, he drifted into acting in film as the new medium started gaining popularity, and eventually he ended up in Hollywood, where he acted in bit parts for years. Finally, at the age of 44, he had his major breakthrough as an actor, when he played the Monster in the 1931 version of ''[[Film/{{Frankenstein 1931}} Frankenstein]]''. Karloff proved to be the breakout role of the film, and he since reprised the role several times, most notably in ''Film/BrideOfFrankenstein'' and ''Film/SonOfFrankenstein''. |
| 10 | |
| 11 | Among his other more famous roles are: the resurrected Egyptian villain Imhotep in ''Film/TheMummy1932'', and supplying the narration for the classic Creator/ChuckJones adaptation of ''WesternAnimation/HowTheGrinchStoleChristmas''. In 1939, he appeared in the original run of the play ''Theatre/{{Arsenic and Old Lace}}'' as [[CastingGag a man whose plastic surgeon had watched too many horror movies]]; he was unable to appear in the film version because, ironically, his play contract had not yet run out. |
| 12 | |
| 13 | His career in films waned somewhat in TheFifties and [[TheSixties Sixties]], as he was reduced, more or less, to [[AdamWesting playing caricatures of himself]] in films such as ''Abbott and Costello Meet Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde'' (1953) and ''The Ghost in the Invisible Bikini'' (1966). One of Karloff's biographers believes that he was [[UsefulNotes/TheHollywoodBlacklist gray-listed]] during this time as a result of his involvement in the Screen Actors Guild. He found more fulfilling work on television in this period; he starred in the series ''Series/ColonelMarchOfScotlandYard'', hosted (and sometimes acted in) the [[GenreAnthology horror anthologies]] ''Series/{{Thriller}}'' and ''Series/TheVeil'', and guest starred on series such as ''Series/TheGirlFromUNCLE'' (in drag!), ''Series/TheWildWildWest'' and ''Series/{{Route 66}}''. |
| 14 | |
| 15 | Nearing the end of his career and life, he achieved a personal [[SugarWiki/AwesomeMoments Crowning Moment of Awesome]] in the Creator/PeterBogdanovich nail-biter ''Film/{{Targets}}'', playing... Byron Orlock, a veteran horror-movie actor nearing the end of his career and life. An earlier RealLife Crowning Moment Of Awesome occurred in Regina, Saskatchewan, in 1912, when as an unknown actor in a travelling theatre troupe he led fundraising efforts to help the victims of a devastating tornado-- and ended up raising more money for the victims than the federal government. |
| 16 | |
| 17 | Karloff was married six times, and had one daughter by his fifth wife. He died of pneumonia in 1969, at the age of 81. |
| 18 | |
| 19 | In an ironic twist that the actor surely would have appreciated, for more than a decade after his death he continued to entertain readers of the eponymous ''Boris Karloff Tales of Mystery'' comic book from Gold Key/Whitman Comics as he was depicted introducing each issue, Creator/RodSerling-style, becoming a PosthumousCharacter. His voice has enjoyed a similar afterlife; referenced and parodied so often over the years that, much like that of Creator/PeterLorre, it now exists independent of him. Arguably the most notable examples are the kitch classic song "The Monster Mash" and the iconic, "They're coming to get you Barbara!" from ''Film/NightOfTheLivingDead1968''. With that, and ''How the Grinch Stole Christmas'' airing like clockwork every holiday well into the 21st century, it often comes as a shock to younger people to learn he died over a half-century ago. |
| 20 | |
| 21 | ---- |
| 22 | !!Boris Karloff has appeared in the following works: |
| 23 | |
| 24 | * ''Film/TheDeadlierSex'', as Jules Borney (1920) |
| 25 | * ''Film/TheCourageOfMargeODoone'', as Tavish (1920) |
| 26 | * ''Film/TheHopeDiamondMystery'', as the priest of Kama-Sita and as Dakar (1921) |
| 27 | * ''Film/WithoutBenefitOfClergy'', as by Ahmed Khan (1921) |
| 28 | * ''Film/CheatedHearts'', as Nei Hamid (1921) |
| 29 | * ''Film/TheCaveGirl'', as Baptise (1921) |
| 30 | * ''Film/TheManFromDowningStreet'', as Maharajah Jehan (1922) |
| 31 | * ''Film/TheInfidel'', as the Nabob (1922) |
| 32 | * ''Film/TwoArabianKnights'', in a small role as a ship's purser (1927) |
| 33 | * ''Film/TheCriminalCode'', as prison inmate Ned Galloway (1931) |
| 34 | * ''Film/FiveStarFinal'', as scumbag [[{{Paparazzi}} paparazzo]] reporter Isopod (1931) |
| 35 | * ''Film/{{Frankenstein|1931}}'', as the Monster (1931) -- The first time Karloff played the part. |
| 36 | * ''Film/{{Scarface|1932}}'', as Gaffney (1932) |
| 37 | * ''Film/{{The Old Dark House|1932}}'', as Morgan, the butler (1932) |
| 38 | * ''Film/TheMaskOfFuManchu'', in {{Yellowface}} as Dr. Fu Manchu (1932) |
| 39 | * ''Film/{{The Mummy|1932}}'', as the Mummy, Imhotep, AKA Ardeth Bey (1932) |
| 40 | * ''Film/TheGhoul'', as Professor Morlant (1933) |
| 41 | * John Ford's ''Film/TheLostPatrol'', as Sanders (1934) |
| 42 | * ''Film/TheHouseOfRothschild'', as Count Ledrantz (1934) |
| 43 | * ''Film/TheBlackCat'', as Hjalmar Poelzig (opposite Creator/BelaLugosi) (1934) |
| 44 | * ''Film/BrideOfFrankenstein'', as the Monster (1935) -- The second time Karloff played the part. |
| 45 | * ''Film/{{The Raven|1935}}'', as Edmond Bateman (1935) -- Note this is the ''first'' Karloff film of this name. |
| 46 | * ''Film/TheBlackRoom'', as Baron Gregor de Berghman, AKA Anton de Berghman (1935) |
| 47 | * ''Film/TheInvisibleRay'', as Dr. Janos Rukh (1936) |
| 48 | * ''Film/{{The Walking Dead|1936}}'', as John Ellman (1936) |
| 49 | * ''Film/{{Juggernaut|1936}}'', as Dr. Victor Sartorius (1936) |
| 50 | * ''Film/TheManWhoChangedHisMind'', as Dr. Laurience (1936) |
| 51 | * ''[[Film/CharlieChan Charlie Chan at the Opera]]'', as the mad opera singer, Gravelle (1936) -- No, he did not sing; he was dubbed. |
| 52 | * ''Film/WestOfShanghai'', as General Wu Yen Fang (1937) |
| 53 | * ''Film/TheInvisibleMenace'', as Mr. Jevries, AKA Dolman (1938) |
| 54 | * ''[[Film/MrWongDetective Mr. Wong, Detective]]'', as Mr. James Lee Wong (1938) -- Karloff would play the part three more times. |
| 55 | * ''[[Film/DevilsIsland Devil's Island]]'', as Dr. Charles Gaudet (1939) |
| 56 | * ''Film/SonOfFrankenstein'', as the Monster (1939) -- The third and last time Karloff played the part. |
| 57 | * ''[[Film/TheMysteryOfMrWong The Mystery of Mr. Wong]]'', as Mr. James Lee Wong (1939) |
| 58 | * ''[[Film/MrWongInChinatown Mr. Wong in Chinatown]]'', as Mr. James Lee Wong (1939) |
| 59 | * ''Film/TheManTheyCouldNotHang'', as Dr. Henryk Savaard (1939) |
| 60 | * ''Film/TowerOfLondon'', as Mord, UsefulNotes/RichardIII's torturer (1939) |
| 61 | * ''Film/DoomedToDie'', as Mr. James Lee Wong (1940) -- The fourth and last time Karloff played the part. |
| 62 | * ''Film/TheFatalHour'', as John Jasper (1940) |
| 63 | * ''Film/BritishIntelligence'', as Valdar (1940) |
| 64 | * ''Film/BlackFriday'', as Dr. Ernest Sovac (1940) |
| 65 | * ''Film/TheManWithNineLives'', as Dr. Leon Kravaal (1940) |
| 66 | * ''Film/BeforeIHang'', as Dr. John Garth (1940) |
| 67 | * ''Film/TheApe'', as Dr. Bernard Adrian (1940) |
| 68 | * ''You'll Find Out'', as Judge Spencer Mainwaring (1940) -- A Kay Kyser {{musical}}, in which Karloff appears with Creator/BelaLugosi and Creator/PeterLorre |
| 69 | * ''Film/TheDevilCommands'', as Dr. Julian Blair (1941) |
| 70 | * ''Film/TheBoogieManWillGetYou'', as Prof. Nathaniel Billings (1942) |
| 71 | * ''Film/TheClimax'', as Dr. Friedrich Hohner (1944) |
| 72 | * ''Film/HouseOfFrankenstein'', as Dr. Gustav Niemann (1944) -- In this outing, Karloff is the mad scientist, while Glenn Strange plays the Monster. |
| 73 | * ''Film/TheBodySnatcher'', as Cabman John Gray (1945). The first of three movies he made with Creator/ValLewton. |
| 74 | * ''Film/IsleOfTheDead'', as Gen. Nikolas Pherides (1945) -- Second film with Val Lewton |
| 75 | * ''Film/{{Bedlam}}'', as George Sims, master of the [[BedlamHouse Bedlam insane asylum]] (1946) -- Third film with Val Lewton |
| 76 | * ''Film/TheSecretLifeOfWalterMitty1947'', as Dr. Hugo Hollingshead (1947) |
| 77 | * ''{{Film/Unconquered}}'', as Guyasuta, chief of the Seneca Indians (1947) -- No, really. It's a Gary Cooper Western. |
| 78 | * ''Film/DickTracyMeetsGruesome'', as Gruesome (1947) |
| 79 | * ''Film/AbbottAndCostelloMeetTheKillerBorisKarloff'', as Swami Talpur (1949) -- Dire as it is, it's better than the next outing with the comedy duo. |
| 80 | * ''Series/TheBorisKarloffMysteryPlayhouse'', as the HorrorHost (1949) |
| 81 | * ''Film/TheStrangeDoor'', as Voltan (1951) |
| 82 | * ''Film/TheBlackCastle'', as Dr Meissen (1952) |
| 83 | * ''Film/AbbottAndCostelloMeetDrJekyllAndMrHyde'', as Dr. Henry Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1953) |
| 84 | * ''Series/ColonelMarchOfScotlandYard'', as Colonel March (1954-1956) |
| 85 | * ''Film/Frankenstein1970'', as Baron Victor von Frankenstein (1958) |
| 86 | * ''Film/{{Corridors of Blood}}'', as Dr. Bolton (1958) |
| 87 | * ''Film/{{Heart of Darkness|1958}}'', as the first screen Kurtz (1958) -- An episode of ''Series/Playhouse90''. |
| 88 | * ''Series/TheVeil'', as HorrorHost, plus various roles (1958) |
| 89 | * ''Series/{{Out of This World|1962}}'', as the HorrorHost (1962) |
| 90 | * ''Film/{{The Raven|1963}}'', as Dr. Scarabus (1963) -- The second of Karloff's films with this title, this is an [[Creator/RogerCorman American-International]] comedy-horror romp, in which Karloff plays an over-the-top villain opposite Creator/VincentPrice, Creator/PeterLorre, and Creator/JackNicholson. Notably spawned the following: |
| 91 | * ''Film/TheTerror'', as Baron Victor Frederick von Leppe (1963) -- Famous for being filmed in four days with five different directors (though this has been disputed) on the set of ''The Raven'' when that film finished ahead of schedule. Creator/JackNicholson co-stars. |
| 92 | * ''Film/TheComedyOfTerrors'', as Amos Hinchley (1963) -- Another American-International comedy-horror outing with [[Creator/VincentPrice Price]] and [[Creator/PeterLorre Lorre]], this time adding Creator/BasilRathbone to the mix. |
| 93 | * ''Film/BikiniBeach'', as the Art Collector (1963) -- Bet you never dreamed that Karloff co-starred with Frankie and Annette, did you? |
| 94 | * ''Film/BlackSabbath1963'' -- Karloff was the host of this anthology as well as the lead in one of the segments. |
| 95 | * ''Film/DieMonsterDie'', as Nahum Witley (1965) |
| 96 | * ''Film/TheDaydreamer'', as the Rat (1966) |
| 97 | * ''Film/{{The Ghost in the Invisible Bikini}}'', as Hiram Stokely, a corpse (1966) -- This time Tommy Kirk (of ''Film/CatalinaCaper'' infamy) is the beach boy. |
| 98 | * ''WesternAnimation/HowTheGrinchStoleChristmas'', as the Grinch -- and read by Boris Karloff, too! The producers also wanted him to sing "You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch", but he declined, believing his singing voice wasn't up to par for the song (which was instead performed by Creator/ThurlRavenscroft, though a clerical error left him off the credits, and both men having deep voices led to a long-standing belief that Karloff ''had'' sung it.) (1966) (TV) |
| 99 | * ''WesternAnimation/MadMonsterParty'', as Dr. Boris von Frankenstein (1967) -- A Creator/RankinBassProductions StopMotion puppetry cartoon. |
| 100 | * ''Film/CurseOfTheCrimsonAltar'', as Professor Walsh (1968) |
| 101 | * ''Film/{{Targets}}'', as Byron Orlock (1968) |
| 102 | * ''Film/TheIncredibleInvasion'', as Professor John Mayer (1971) |
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