Boris Karloff
Known For
Acting
Gender
Male
Birthday
Nov 23, 1887 (138 years old)
Place of Birth
Camberwell, London, England, UK
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.
Known For
| 2025 | Legacy of Screams: The Evolution of Horror MoviesSelf - (archive footage) | |
| 2024 | The Last Repair ShopThe Monster (archive footage) (uncredited) | |
| 2022 | Boris Karloff: The Rest of the StorySelf - Interviewee | |
| 2021 | Boris Karloff: The Man Behind the MonsterSelf (archive footage) | |
| 2021 | Hollywood in the Atomic Age: Monsters! Martians! Mad Scientists!Self (archive footage) | |
| 2015 | Jack Pierce: The Man Who Made the MonstersSelf (archive footage) | |
| 2014 | Monster Madness: The Golden Age of the Horror FilmVarious roles (archive footage) | |
| 2013 | A Masque of Madness (Notes on Film 06-B, Monologue 02)Self (archive footage) | |
| 2013 | Classic Movie Bloopers: UncensoredSelf (archive footage) | |
| 2012 | The Complete Bob Wilkins Creature Features | |
| 2008 | He Who Made Monsters: The Life and Art of Jack PierceSelf (archive footage) | |
| 2007 | Bela Lugosi: The Fallen VampireHimself (archive footage) | |
| 2007 | Ian Rankin Investigates: Dr. Jekyll & Mr. HydeCabman John Gray (archive footage) | |
| 2007 | Famous Monster: Forrest J AckermanSelf (archive footage) | |
| 2006 | Lugosi: The Dark PrinceSelf (archive footage) | |
| 2006 | Terror in the TropicsMr. Wong (archive footage) | |
| 2006 | Karloff: The Gentle MonsterSelf (archive footage) | |
| 2004 | Monster Movie Trivia Quiz | |
| 2003 | The Mesmerist(archive footage) | |
| 2001 | Heroes of Horror(archive footage) | |
| 2000 | The American NightmareSelf | |
| 2000 | The Many Faces of DraculaThe Monster (archive footage) | |
| 2000 | Mummy Dearest: A Horror Tradition UnearthedSelf (archive footage) | |
| 1999 | The 'Frankenstein' Files: How Hollywood Made a MonsterSelf (archive footage) | |
| 1999 | Monster by Moonlight! The Immortal Saga of 'The Wolf Man'Self (archive footage) | |
| 1998 | Universal Horror(archive footage) | |
| 1996 | The Universal StorySelf (archive footage) | |
| 1994 | How the Grinch Stole Christmas! Special Edition(voice - archive footage) | |
| 1994 | Abbott and Costello Meet Jerry SeinfeldSelf (archive footage) | |
| 1992 | Dracula in the Movies | |
| 1991 | Dracula: A Cinematic ScrapbookDoctor Gustav Niemann (archive footage) | |
| 1991 | Frankenstein: A Cinematic ScrapbookThe Monster / Gustav Niemann / Dr. Jekyll / Mr. Hyde / etc. | |
| 1991 | Halloween Monster BashBaron Von Leppe (archive footage) | |
| 1990 | Abbott and Costello in the MoviesArchival | |
| 1990 | Myrna Loy: So Nice to Come Home To(archive footage) | |
| 1989 | Transylvania TwistMan in Room (archive footage) | |
| 1988 | Hollywood Scandals and Tragedies | |
| 1987 | Creepy ClassicsDr. Scarabus - (archive footage) | |
| 1984 | Going Hollywood: The '30s(archive footage) | |
| 1983 | The Horror of It AllFrankenstein / Cabman John Gray (archive footage) | |
| 1982 | Oops, Those Hollywood Bloopers!Self (archive footage) | |
| 1980 | Monsters on the March (and a Pair of Marvels!) | |
| 1979 | The Horror Show(archive footage) | |
| 1975 | Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?Self (archive footage) | |
| 1974 | Madhouse(archive footage) | |
| 1974 | The Horror Hall of Fame: A Monster SaluteSelf (archive footage) | |
| 1971 | Alien TerrorProf. John Mayer | |
| 1971 | Isle of the Snake PeopleCarl van Molder / Damballah | |
| 1970 | Hatchet for the HoneymoonGorca (archive footage) | |
| 1970 | McCloudHjalmar Poelzig (archive footage) (uncredited) | |
| 1968 | The Movie OrgySelf (archive footage) | |
| 1968 | Curse of the Crimson AltarProfessor John Marsh | |
| 1968 | Fear ChamberDr. Carl Mandel | |
| 1968 | Macabre SerenadeMatthias Morteval | |
| 1968 | TargetsByron Orlok | |
| 1968 | Cauldron of BloodFranz Badulescu | |
| 1968 | The Name of the GameMikhail Orlov | |
| 1967 | Mad Monster Party?Baron Boris von Frankenstein (voice) | |
| 1967 | The SorcerersProf. Marcus Monserrat | |
| 1967 | The Venetian AffairDr. Pierre Vaugiroud | |
| 1966 | How the Grinch Stole Christmas!Narrator / The Grinch (voice) | |
| 1966 | The Ghost in the Invisible BikiniThe Corpse | |
| 1966 | The DaydreamerThe Rat (voice) | |
| 1966 | Doom of DraculaThe Madman (archive footage) | |
| 1966 | The Girl from U.N.C.L.E.Mother Muffin | |
| 1965 | Die, Monster, Die!Nahum Witley | |
| 1965 | The Wild Wild WestMr. Singh | |
| 1964 | The Comedy of TerrorsAmos Hinchley | |
| 1964 | A Fool's WorldNarrator | |
| 1964 | Bikini BeachArt Dealer | |
| 1964 | Today's TeensNarrator | |
| 1964 | Horror!!!Self | |
| 1964 | Shindig!Self - Guest Host / Singer | |
| 1963 | Corridors of BloodDr. Thomas Bolton | |
| 1963 | The TerrorBaron Victor Frederick Von Leppe | |
| 1963 | Black SabbathGorca (segment "The Wurdalak") | |
| 1963 | The RavenDr. Scarabus | |
| 1962 | Little Lost RobotHost | |
| 1962 | Arsenic & Old LaceJonathan Brewster | |
| 1962 | The Incredible Doktor MarkesanDr. Konrad Markesan | |
| 1962 | The Storm | |
| 1962 | Lizard's Leg and Owlet's Wing | |
| 1962 | Out of This WorldHost | |
| 1961 | Days of Thrills and LaughterSelf (archive footage) | |
| 1961 | The Grim ReaperSelf | |
| 1960 | The Fatal ImpulseSelf | |
| 1960 | Who Killed Chung Ling Soo?Narrator | |
| 1960 | Route 66 | |
| 1960 | ThrillerClayton Mace | |
| 1960 | ThrillerSelf - Host | |
| 1960 | ThrillerPop Jenkins / Col. Jackson Beauregard Finchess | |
| 1960 | ThrillerDr. Thorne | |
| 1960 | ThrillerDoktor Konrad Markesan | |
| 1960 | ThrillerDr. Albert Farnham | |
| 1958 | Frankenstein 1970Baron Viktor von Frankenstein | |
| 1958 | Grip of the StranglerJames Rankin | |
| 1958 | Jack the RipperHost / Capt. John Elwood / Jonas Atterbury / Dr. Francis Mason | |
| 1958 | Destination NightmareHost / Ira Perry / Pete Wade Sr. / Professor Charles Goncourt / Morgan Debs | |
| 1958 | Heart of DarknessMr. Kurtz | |
| 1958 | The Veil | |
| 1958 | Shirley Temple's StorybookNarrator (voice) / Father Knickerbocker | |
| 1957 | Voodoo IslandPhillip Knight | |
| 1957 | The LarkBishop Cauchon | |
| 1957 | The Juggler of Our LadyNarrator (voice) | |
| 1957 | DuPont Show of the Month | |
| 1957 | SuspicionJudge Winthrop Gelsey | |
| 1957 | The Lux ShowSelf | |
| 1956 | Rendezvous in BlackWard Allen | |
| 1956 | The Dinah Shore Chevy ShowSelf | |
| 1956 | Colonel March of Scotland YardColonel March Of Scotland Yard | |
| 1956 | Telephone Time | |
| 1956 | The Rosemary Clooney ShowSelf | |
| 1955 | Sting of DeathMr. Mycroft | |
| 1955 | A Connecticut YankeeKing Arthur | |
| 1955 | SabakaGeneral Pollegar | |
| 1955 | This Is Your LifeSelf | |
| 1954 | The Island MonsterDon Gaetano | |
| 1954 | Climax!Dr. Philip Nestri | |
| 1954 | The George Gobel ShowSelf | |
| 1954 | Climax!Vicar Tellworth | |
| 1953 | Abbott and Costello Meet Dr. Jekyll and Mr. HydeDr. Henry Jekyll / Mr. Hyde | |
| 1953 | Colonel March InvestigatesColonel March | |
| 1953 | General Electric TheaterMr. Blue Ocean | |
| 1953 | General Electric TheaterHenry E. Church | |
| 1953 | The United States Steel HourGeorge Redford | |
| 1952 | The Black CastleDr. Meissen | |
| 1951 | The Strange DoorVoltan | |
| 1951 | Hallmark Hall of FameCauchon | |
| 1951 | Schlitz Playhouse of StarsCharles Brandon | |
| 1951 | Down You GoSelf | |
| 1951 | Tales of Tomorrow | |
| 1951 | Hallmark Hall of FameJonathan Brewster | |
| 1951 | The Red Skelton ShowProfessor Townsend (Spy) | |
| 1950 | Lux Video TheatreSir Arthur Strangeways | |
| 1950 | Robert Montgomery PresentsBennett Kimball | |
| 1950 | Lux Video TheatreMontgomery Royle | |
| 1950 | Lux Video TheatreLarkin | |
| 1950 | Robert Montgomery Presents | |
| 1950 | What's My Line?Self | |
| 1949 | The Emperor's NightingaleNarrator (English version) | |
| 1949 | Bud Abbott and Lou Costello Meet the Killer, Boris KarloffSwami Talpur | |
| 1949 | SuspenseToff | |
| 1949 | Lights Out | |
| 1949 | Starring Boris Karloff | |
| 1949 | Suspense | |
| 1949 | SuspenseBronson | |
| 1949 | SuspenseRasputin | |
| 1948 | Tap RootsTishomingo | |
| 1948 | Studio OneSkaggs | |
| 1948 | Studio OneProfessor Koernig | |
| 1948 | Studio OneKing Arthur | |
| 1947 | LuredCharles van Druten | |
| 1947 | The Secret Life of Walter MittyDr Hugo Hollingshead | |
| 1947 | Dick Tracy Meets GruesomeGruesome | |
| 1947 | UnconqueredGuyasuta, Chief of the Senecas | |
| 1946 | BedlamGeorge Sims | |
| 1945 | The Body SnatcherJohn Gray | |
| 1945 | Isle of the DeadGen. Nikolas Pherides | |
| 1944 | House of FrankensteinDr. Gustav Niemann | |
| 1944 | The Mummy's CurseKharis in Flashback (archive footage / uncredited) | |
| 1944 | The ClimaxDr. Friedrich Hohner | |
| 1942 | The Boogie Man Will Get YouProf. Nathaniel Billings | |
| 1942 | Hedda Hopper’s Hollywood No. 6Himself | |
| 1941 | Information Please: Series 2, No. 12Self | |
| 1941 | The Devil CommandsDr. Julian Blair | |
| 1940 | Doomed to DieJames Lee Wong | |
| 1940 | The Man with Nine LivesDr. Leon Kravaal | |
| 1940 | Before I HangDr. John Garth | |
| 1940 | Black FridayDr. Ernest Sovac | |
| 1940 | The ApeDr. Bernard Adrian | |
| 1940 | The Mummy's HandKharis (archive footage / uncredited) | |
| 1940 | You'll Find OutJudge Spencer Mainwaring | |
| 1940 | The Fatal HourJames Lee Wong | |
| 1939 | Son of FrankensteinThe Monster | |
| 1939 | Devil's IslandDr. Charles Gaudet | |
| 1939 | The Man They Could Not HangDr. Henryk Savaard | |
| 1939 | Tower of LondonMord | |
| 1939 | British IntelligenceValdar | |
| 1939 | Mr. Wong in ChinatownMr. James Lee Wong | |
| 1939 | The Mystery of Mr. WongJames Lee Wong | |
| 1938 | Mr. Wong, DetectiveJames Lee Wong | |
| 1938 | The Invisible MenaceJevries | |
| 1937 | Night KeyDavid Mallory | |
| 1937 | Cinema CircusHimself | |
| 1937 | West of Shanghai"General" Wu Yen Fang | |
| 1937 | Breakdowns of 1937Self | |
| 1936 | The Man Who Changed His MindDr. Laurence | |
| 1936 | JuggernautDr. Victor Sartorius | |
| 1936 | The Walking DeadJohn Ellman | |
| 1936 | The Invisible RayDr. Janos Rukh | |
| 1936 | Charlie Chan at the OperaGravelle | |
| 1935 | Bride of FrankensteinThe Monster | |
| 1935 | The Black RoomBaron Gregor de Berghman / Anton de Berghman | |
| 1935 | The RavenEdmond Bateman | |
| 1935 | Hollywood HobbiesHimself | |
| 1934 | The Black CatHjalmar Poelzig | |
| 1934 | The Lost PatrolSanders | |
| 1934 | The House of RothschildCount Ledrantz | |
| 1934 | Gift of GabHimself | |
| 1934 | Screen Snapshots No. 11Himself | |
| 1933 | The GhoulProf. Morlant | |
| 1932 | ScarfaceGaffney | |
| 1932 | The Mask of Fu ManchuDr. Fu Manchu | |
| 1932 | The Old Dark HouseMorgan | |
| 1932 | Business and PleasureSheik Ali-Ben Joseph | |
| 1932 | Behind the MaskJim Henderson | |
| 1932 | The MummyImhotep / Ardath Bey | |
| 1932 | Night World'Happy' MacDonald | |
| 1932 | The Miracle ManNikko | |
| 1932 | Skyscraper SoulsMan Approaching Ticket Counter | |
| 1932 | BooFrankenstein's Monster (edited from "Frankenstein") | |
| 1932 | The Cohens and Kellys in HollywoodBoris Karloff | |
| 1931 | FrankensteinThe Monster | |
| 1931 | King of the WildMustapha | |
| 1931 | Five Star FinalT. Vernon Isopod | |
| 1931 | The Criminal CodeNed Galloway | |
| 1931 | Smart MoneySport Williams | |
| 1931 | Tonight or NeverWaiter | |
| 1931 | The Mad GeniusFedor's Father (uncredited) | |
| 1931 | The Vanishing LegionThe Voice (voice) | |
| 1931 | The Public DefenderThe Professor | |
| 1931 | GraftTerry | |
| 1931 | The Guilty GenerationTony Ricca | |
| 1931 | Cracked NutsBoris - First Revolutionary | |
| 1931 | The Yellow TicketDrunken Orderly | |
| 1931 | I Like Your NerveLuigi - Pacheco's Butler | |
| 1931 | Young Donovan's KidCokey Joe | |
| 1930 | The Bad OneMonsieur Gaston | |
| 1930 | The Sea BatCorsican | |
| 1930 | The Utah KidHenchman Baxter | |
| 1929 | Burning the WindPug Doran | |
| 1929 | The Devil's ChaplainBoris | |
| 1929 | Two SistersCecil | |
| 1929 | The Fatal WarningMullins | |
| 1929 | The Unholy NightAbdul Mohammed Bey - the Hindu Lawyer (uncredited) | |
| 1929 | Anne Against the World | |
| 1929 | Behind That CurtainBeetham's Manservent | |
| 1929 | The King of the KongoScarface Macklin | |
| 1929 | The Phantom of the NorthJules Gregg | |
| 1928 | The Vanishing RiderThe Villain | |
| 1928 | Sharp ShootersCafe Proprietor (uncredited) | |
| 1928 | Vultures of the SeaGrouchy | |
| 1928 | The Little Wild GirlMaurice Kent | |
| 1927 | Let It RainCrook | |
| 1927 | The Princess from HobokenPavel | |
| 1927 | The Meddlin' StrangerAl Meggs | |
| 1927 | Soft CushionsThe Chief Conspirator | |
| 1927 | Tarzan and the Golden LionOwaza | |
| 1927 | Two Arabian KnightsPurser | |
| 1927 | The Phantom BusterRamon | |
| 1927 | The Love MartFleming | |
| 1926 | The Golden WebDave Sinclair | |
| 1926 | FlamesBlackie Blanchette | |
| 1926 | Flaming FuryGaspard | |
| 1926 | The Nickel-HopperDance Hall Masher | |
| 1926 | The BellsThe Mesmerist | |
| 1926 | The Eagle of the SeaPirate (uncredited) | |
| 1926 | Old IronsidesSaracen Guard (uncredited) | |
| 1926 | The Greater GloryScissors Grinder | |
| 1926 | Her Honor, the GovernorSnipe Collins | |
| 1926 | The Man in the SaddleRobber (uncredited) | |
| 1925 | Forbidden CargoPietro Castillano | |
| 1925 | Perils of the Wild | |
| 1925 | Lady RobinhoodCabraza | |
| 1925 | Never the Twain Shall Meet | |
| 1925 | Without MercyMadame Gordon's 2nd Henchman (uncredited) | |
| 1925 | The Prairie WifeDiego | |
| 1925 | Parisian NightsPierre | |
| 1924 | The White PantherShere Ali's Aide (as Karloff Boris) | |
| 1924 | The HellionThe Outlaw | |
| 1924 | Riders of the Plains | |
| 1924 | Dynamite DanTony Garcia | |
| 1923 | The PrisonerPrince Kapolski | |
| 1922 | Nan of the NorthUndetermined Role (uncredited) | |
| 1922 | The Man from Downing StreetMaharajah Jehan | |
| 1922 | The InfidelThe Nabob | |
| 1922 | Omar the TentmakerImam Mowaffak | |
| 1922 | The Woman ConquersRaoul Maris | |
| 1922 | The Altar StairsHugo | |
| 1921 | Cheated HeartsNei Hamid | |
| 1921 | The Cave GirlBaptiste | |
| 1921 | The Hope Diamond MysteryPriest of Kama-Sita / Dakar | |
| 1921 | Without Benefit of ClergyAhmed Khan | |
| 1920 | The Courage of Marge O'DooneTavish | |
| 1920 | The Last of the MohicansIndian (uncredited) | |
| 1920 | The Deadlier SexJules Borney | |
| 1920 | The Woman and the Puppet(uncredited) | |
| 1919 | The Lightning Raider | |
| 1919 | The Prince and BettyUndetermined Role | |
| 1919 | His Majesty, the AmericanHenchman in cloth cap |
| 1964 | Bikini BeachThanks |