Personal Info

Known For

Acting

Known Credits

282

Gender

Male

Birthday

1887-11-23

Deathday

1969-02-02 (81 years old)

Place of Birth

Camberwell, London, England, UK

Also Known As

William Henry Pratt
بوریس کارلوف

Boris Karloff

Biography

Boris Karloff (November 23, 1887 – February 2, 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.

Known For

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Acting

2024

The Last Repair Shop as The Monster (archive footage) (uncredited)

2022

Boris Karloff: The Rest of the Story as Self - Interviewee

2021		Boris Karloff: The Man Behind the Monster as Self (archive footage)
2021		Hollywood in the Atomic Age: Monsters! Martians! Mad Scientists! 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		A Masque of Madness (Notes on Film 06-B, Monologue 02) as Self (archive footage)
2013		Classic Movie Bloopers: Uncensored as Self (archive footage)

2012

The Complete Bob Wilkins Creature Features

2008

He Who Made Monsters: The Life and Art of Jack Pierce as Self (archive footage)

2007		Bela Lugosi: The Fallen Vampire as Himself (archive footage)
2007		Ian Rankin Investigates: Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde as Cabman John Gray (archive footage)
2007		Famous Monster: Forrest J Ackerman as Self (archive footage)

2006		Lugosi: The Dark Prince as Self (archive footage)
2006		Karloff: The Gentle Monster as Self (archive footage)
2006		Terror in the Tropics as Mr. Wong (archive footage)

2005

Bones as Imhotep (archive footage) (uncredited)

2004		The 50 Worst Movies Ever Made as Dr. Bernard Adrian (archive footage)
2004		Monster Movie Trivia Quiz

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
2000		Mummy Dearest: A Horror Tradition Unearthed as Self (archive footage)
2000		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)

1991		Frankenstein: A Cinematic Scrapbook as The Monster / Gustav Niemann / Dr. Jekyll / Mr. Hyde / etc.
1991		Dracula: A Cinematic Scrapbook as Doctor Gustav Niemann (archive footage)

1990		Myrna Loy: So Nice to Come Home To as (archive footage)
1990		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)

1980

Monsters on the March (and a Pair of Marvels!)

1979

The Horror Show as (archive footage)

1975

Brother, Can You Spare a Dime? as Self (archive footage)

1974		Madhouse as (archive footage)
1974		The Horror Hall of Fame: A Monster Salute as Self (archive footage)

1971		Alien Terror as Prof. John Mayer
1971		Isle of the Snake People as Carl van Molder / Damballah

1970		Hatchet for the Honeymoon as Gorca (archive footage)
1970		Cauldron of Blood as Franz Badulescu

1968		Curse of the Crimson Altar as Professor John Marsh
1968		The Name of the Game as Mikhail Orlov
1968		Targets as Byron Orlok
1968		Fear Chamber as Dr. Carl Mandel
1968		Macabre Serenade as Matthias Morteval
1968		The Movie Orgy as Self (archive footage)

1967		The Sorcerers as Prof. Marcus Monserrat
1967		Mad Monster Party? as Baron Boris von Frankenstein (voice)
1967		The Venetian Affair as Dr. Pierre Vaugiroud

1966		How the Grinch Stole Christmas! as Narrator / The Grinch (voice)
1966		The Girl from U.N.C.L.E.
1966		The Daydreamer as The Rat (voice)
1966		The Ghost in the Invisible Bikini as The Corpse
1966		Doom of Dracula as The Madman (archive footage)

1965		Die, Monster, Die! as Nahum Witley
1965		The Wild Wild West as Mr. Singh

1964		Shindig! as Self - Guest Host / Singer
1964		Bikini Beach as Art Dealer
1964		Today's Teens as Narrator
1964		The Comedy of Terrors as Amos Hinchley
1964		Horror!!! as Self
1964		A Fool's World as Narrator

1963		Black Sabbath as Gorca (segment "The Wurdalak")
1963		The Terror as Baron Victor Frederick Von Leppe
1963		The Raven as Dr. Scarabus

1962		Little Lost Robot as Host
1962		Out of This World
1962		The Incredible Doktor Markesan as Dr. Konrad Markesan
1962		Arsenic & Old Lace as Jonathan Brewster
1962		The Storm

1961

Days of Thrills and Laughter as Self (archive footage)

1960		The Fatal Impulse as Self
1960		Route 66
1960		Thriller as Clayton Mace
1960		Thriller as Self - Host
1960		Thriller as Dr. Thorne
1960		Thriller as Dr. Albert Farnham
1960		Thriller as Pop Jenkins / Col. Jackson Beauregard Finchess
1960		Thriller as Doktor Konrad Markesan

1958		Corridors of Blood as Dr. Thomas Bolton
1958		Heart of Darkness as Mr. Kurtz
1958		Frankenstein 1970 as Baron Viktor von Frankenstein
1958		Grip of the Strangler as James Rankin
1958		Destination Nightmare as Host / Ira Perry / Pete Wade Sr. / Professor Charles Goncourt / Morgan Debs
1958		Jack the Ripper as Host / Capt. John Elwood / Jonas Atterbury / Dr. Francis Mason
1958		Shirley Temple's Storybook as Narrator (voice) / Father Knickerbocker
1958		The Veil
1958		The Veil as Dr. Pierre

1957		The Juggler of Our Lady as Narrator (voice)
1957		Suspicion as Judge Winthrop Gelsey
1957		DuPont Show of the Month
1957		The Lux Show as Self
1957		The Lark as Bishop Cauchon
1957		Voodoo Island as Phillip Knight

1956		The Dinah Shore Chevy Show as Self
1956		The Rosemary Clooney Show as Self
1956		Telephone Time
1956		Colonel March of Scotland Yard as Colonel March Of Scotland Yard

1955		This Is Your Life as Self
1955		A Connecticut Yankee as King Arthur
1955		Sting of Death as Mr. Mycroft
1955		Sabaka as General Pollegar

1954		Climax! as Dr. Philip Nestri
1954		Climax! as Vicar Tellworth
1954		The George Gobel Show as Self
1954		The Island Monster as Don Gaetano

1953		The United States Steel Hour as George Redford
1953		Abbott and Costello Meet Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde as Dr. Henry Jekyll / Mr. Hyde
1953		Colonel March Investigates as Colonel March
1953		General Electric Theater as Mr. Blue Ocean
1953		General Electric Theater as Henry E. Church

1952

The Black Castle as Dr. Meissen

1951		Hallmark Hall of Fame as Cauchon
1951		Hallmark Hall of Fame as Jonathan Brewster
1951		Schlitz Playhouse of Stars as Charles Brandon
1951		The Red Skelton Show as Professor Townsend (Spy)
1951		Tales of Tomorrow
1951		The Strange Door as Voltan
1951		Down You Go as Self

1950		Lux Video Theatre as Sir Arthur Strangeways
1950		Lux Video Theatre as Montgomery Royle
1950		Lux Video Theatre as Larkin
1950		What's My Line? as Self
1950		Robert Montgomery Presents as Bennett Kimball
1950		Robert Montgomery Presents

1949		Starring Boris Karloff
1949		Lights Out
1949		Bud Abbott and Lou Costello Meet the Killer, Boris Karloff as Swami Talpur
1949		The Emperor's Nightingale as Narrator (English version)
1949		Suspense as Toff
1949		Suspense
1949		Suspense as Bronson
1949		Suspense as Rasputin

1948		Studio One as Skaggs
1948		Studio One as Professor Koernig
1948		Studio One as King Arthur
1948		Tap Roots as Tishomingo

1947		Unconquered as Guyasuta, Chief of the Senecas
1947		Dick Tracy Meets Gruesome as Gruesome
1947		The Secret Life of Walter Mitty as Dr. Hugo Hollingshead
1947		Lured as Charles van Druten

1946

Bedlam as George Sims

1945		Isle of the Dead as Gen. Nikolas Pherides
1945		The Body Snatcher as John Gray

1944		The Mummy's Curse as Kharis in Flashback (archive footage / uncredited)
1944		House of Frankenstein as Dr. Gustav Niemann
1944		The Climax as Dr. Friedrich Hohner

1942		The Boogie Man Will Get You as Prof. Nathaniel Billings
1942		Hedda Hopper’s Hollywood No. 6 as Himself

1941		The Devil Commands as Dr. Julian Blair
1941		Information Please: Series 2, No. 12 as Self

1940		You'll Find Out as Judge Spencer Mainwaring
1940		The Ape as Dr. Bernard Adrian
1940		The Mummy's Hand as Kharis (archive footage / uncredited)
1940		Before I Hang as Dr. John Garth
1940		Doomed to Die as James Lee Wong
1940		The Man with Nine Lives as Dr. Leon Kravaal
1940		Black Friday as Dr. Ernest Sovac
1940		The Fatal Hour as James Lee Wong

1939		Tower of London as Mord
1939		British Intelligence as Valdar
1939		The Man They Could Not Hang as Dr. Henryk Savaard
1939		Mr. Wong in Chinatown as Mr. James Lee Wong
1939		The Mystery of Mr. Wong as James Lee Wong
1939		Son of Frankenstein as The Monster
1939		Devil's Island as Dr. Charles Gaudet

1938		Mr. Wong, Detective as James Lee Wong
1938		The Invisible Menace as Jevries

1937		Breakdowns of 1937 as Self
1937		West of Shanghai as "General" Wu Yen Fang
1937		Night Key as David Mallory
1937		Cinema Circus as Himself

1936		Charlie Chan at the Opera as Gravelle
1936		The Man Who Changed His Mind as Dr. Laurence
1936		Juggernaut as Dr. Victor Sartorius
1936		The Walking Dead as John Ellman
1936		The Invisible Ray as Dr. Janos Rukh

1935		The Black Room as Baron Gregor de Berghman / Anton de Berghman
1935		The Raven as Edmond Bateman
1935		Hollywood Hobbies as Himself
1935		Bride of Frankenstein as The Monster

1934		Gift of Gab as Himself
1934		The Black Cat as Hjalmar Poelzig
1934		The House of Rothschild as Count Ledrantz
1934		The Lost Patrol as Sanders
1934		Screen Snapshots No. 11 as Himself

1933

The Ghoul as Prof. Morlant

1932		The Mummy as Imhotep, alias Ardath Bey
1932		Boo as Frankenstein's Monster (edited from "Frankenstein")
1932		The Mask of Fu Manchu as Dr. Fu Manchu
1932		The Old Dark House as Morgan
1932		Skyscraper Souls as Man Approaching Ticket Counter
1932		Night World as 'Happy' MacDonald
1932		Scarface as Gaffney
1932		The Miracle Man as Nikko
1932		The Cohens and Kellys in Hollywood as Boris Karloff
1932		Behind the Mask as Jim Henderson
1932		Business and Pleasure as Sheik Ali-Ben Joseph

1931		Frankenstein as The Monster
1931		The Guilty Generation as Tony Ricca
1931		The Yellow Ticket as Drunken Orderly
1931		The Mad Genius as Fedor's Father (uncredited)
1931		Five Star Final as T. Vernon Isopod
1931		Graft as Terry
1931		I Like Your Nerve as Luigi - Pacheco's Butler
1931		The Public Defender as The Professor
1931		Smart Money as Sport Williams
1931		Young Donovan's Kid as Cokey Joe
1931		The Vanishing Legion as The Voice (voice)
1931		Cracked Nuts as Boris - First Revolutionary
1931		King of the Wild as Mustapha
1931		Tonight or Never as Waiter
1931		The Criminal Code as Ned Galloway

1930		The Utah Kid as Henchman Baxter
1930		The Sea Bat as Corsican
1930		The Bad One as Monsieur Gaston

1929		The Unholy Night as Abdul Mohammed Bey - the Hindu Lawyer (uncredited)
1929		The King of the Kongo as Scarface Macklin
1929		Behind That Curtain as Beetham's Manservent
1929		The Phantom of the North as Jules Gregg
1929		Anne Against the World
1929		Two Sisters as Cecil
1929		The Devil's Chaplain as Boris
1929		The Fatal Warning as Mullins
1929		Burning the Wind as Pug Doran

1928		The Little Wild Girl as Maurice Kent
1928		Vultures of the Sea as Grouchy
1928		The Vanishing Rider as The Villain
1928		Sharp Shooters as Cafe Proprietor (uncredited)

1927		The Love Mart as Fleming
1927		Two Arabian Knights as Purser
1927		Soft Cushions as The Chief Conspirator
1927		The Phantom Buster as Ramon
1927		The Meddlin' Stranger as Al Meggs
1927		Tarzan and the Golden Lion as Owaza
1927		The Princess from Hoboken as Pavel
1927		Let It Rain as Crook

1926		Old Ironsides as Saracen Guard (uncredited)
1926		Flaming Fury as Gaspard
1926		The Nickel-Hopper as Dance Hall Masher
1926		The Eagle of the Sea as Pirate (uncredited)
1926		Flames as Blackie Blanchette
1926		The Golden Web as Dave Sinclair
1926		The Bells as The Mesmerist
1926		Her Honor, the Governor as Snipe Collins
1926		The Man in the Saddle as Robber (uncredited)
1926		The Greater Glory as Scissors Grinder

1925		Without Mercy as Madame Gordon's 2nd Henchman (uncredited)
1925		Parisian Nights as Pierre
1925		Never the Twain Shall Meet
1925		Perils of the Wild
1925		Lady Robinhood as Cabraza
1925		The Prairie Wife as Diego
1925		Forbidden Cargo as Pietro Castillano

1924		Dynamite Dan as Tony Garcia
1924		Riders of the Plains
1924		The Hellion as The Outlaw
1924		The White Panther as Shere Ali's Aide (as Karloff Boris)

1923

The Prisoner as Prince Kapolski

1922		Omar the Tentmaker as Imam Mowaffak
1922		The Altar Stairs as Hugo
1922		The Woman Conquers as Raoul Maris
1922		The Man from Downing Street as Maharajah Jehan
1922		The Infidel as The Nabob
1922		Nan of the North as Undetermined Role (uncredited)

1921		The Cave Girl as Baptiste
1921		Cheated Hearts as Nei Hamid
1921		Without Benefit of Clergy as Ahmed Khan
1921		The Hope Diamond Mystery as Priest of Kama-Sita / Dakar

1920		The Last of the Mohicans as Indian (uncredited)
1920		The Courage of Marge O'Doone as Tavish
1920		The Deadlier Sex as Jules Borney

1919		The Prince and Betty as Undetermined Role
1919		His Majesty, the American as Henchman in cloth cap
1919		The Lightning Raider

Crew

1964

Bikini Beach as Thanks