Boris Karloff

Boris Karloff is synonymous with the word horror. Karloff who 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) is a major part of the backbone in the history of horror movies. He also was the inspiration for the ever famous song "The Monster Mash".

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, as well as the narrator, in the animated television special of Dr. Seuss’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas! (1966).

Boris Karloff was born William Henry Pratt on 23 November 1887 in Honor Oak, London, England. He was the youngest of nine children, and following his mother's death was brought up by his elder siblings. He changed his name so not to embarrass his family when he decided to go into show business.

The role of Frankenstein's monster in Frankenstein (1931) made Boris Karloff a star. Boris was lucky to get the part, as it had supposedly been offered to Bela Lugosi, who declined it. A year later, Karloff played another iconic character, Imhotep in The Mummy. The Old Dark House (with Charles Laughton) and the starring role in The Mask of Fu Manchu quickly followed. These films all confirmed Karloff's newfound stardom.

 

In later years, Karloff hosted and acted in a number of television series, most notably Thriller, Out of This World, and The Veil, the last of which was never broadcast and only came to light in the 1990s. In the 1960s, Karloff appeared in several films for American International Pictures, including The Comedy of Terrors, The Raven, and The Terror.