Boris Karloff biography
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Boris Karloff filmography

[h3]Born William Henry Pratt, the son of a diplomat, he was educated at London University. Karloff's initial goal in life was to become a diplomat like his father.[/h3]

But in 1909, Karloff, then twenty one, and still known as William Pratt, eloped with Olive Wilton, the first of his five wives, and left England for Canada.

After working as a labourer, he joined a series of touring theatre companies, where he became known as a skilled character actor, often donning heavy makeup and playing men many years older. At this time he changed his name to something more in keeping with his new vocation.

Within eight years, Karloff had appeared in forty five silent films for Universal Studios, among them 'The Last of the Mohicans', 'Forbidden Cargo' and an instalment in the popular 'Tarzan' series.

When [urlnew=http://www.thebiographychannel.co.uk/biography_home/289:0/Bela_Lugosi.htm]Bela Lugosi[/urlnew] refused to take a role in which he would have his face hidden by makeup and have no lines, the role of The Monster in 'Frankenstein' went to Boris Karloff. From then on, Karloff was in dozens of similar films.

He departed from the horror genre only a few times, once in the 1934 film, 'The Lost Patrol', and a few times on stage - for example, as Captain Hook in 'Peter Pan'. In the 1968 film, 'Targets', he parodied his earlier career.

He is also well known for providing the voice to the 1965 cartoon version of 'How the Grinch Stole Christmas'.

Karloff was known within the film industry for his great kindness and gentleness of manner; he was also central to the foundation of the Screen Actors Guild.

After battling emphysema for a number of years, Karloff died at his home in England in February 1969.
Boris Karloff biography




Boris Karloff biography



The Fear Chamber (1972)

The Incredible Invasion (1971)

Muerte viviente, La (1971)

Coleccionista de cadáveres, El (1970)

Mad Monster Party? (1969) (voice)

"The Name of the Game" (1 episode, 1968)

Targets (1968)

House of Evil (1968)

Curse of the Crimson Altar (1968)

The Sorcerers (1967)

"I Spy" (1 episode, 1967)

The Venetian Affair (1967)

"The Girl from U.N.C.L.E." (1 episode, 1966)

"The Wild Wild West" (1 episode, 1966)

The Daydreamer (1966) (voice)

The Ghost in the Invisible Bikini (1966) (Hiram Stokely)

Die, Monster, Die! (1965)

Bikini Beach (1964)

The Comedy of Terrors (1964)

Tre volti della paura, I (1963)

The Terror (1963)

The Raven (1963)

The Paradine Case (1962) (TV)

"Hallmark Hall of Fame" (2 episodes, 1957-1962)

"Thriller" (2 episodes, 1960-1961)

The Secret World of Eddie Hodges (1960) (TV)

"Playhouse 90" (4 episodes, 1956-1960)

"Sunday Showcase" (1 episode, 1960)

"The DuPont Show of the Month" (1 episode, 1960)

"General Electric Theater" (2 episodes, 1955-1959)

Corridors of Blood (1958)

Frankenstein - 1970 (1958)

Grip of the Strangler (1958)

The Juggler of Our Lady (1958) (voice)

"Studio One" (3 episodes, 1951-1958)

"Shirley Temple's Storybook" (1 episode, 1958)

"Telephone Time" (1 episode, 1958)

"The Veil" (10 episodes, 1958)

"Suspicion" (1 episode, 1957)

"Lux Video Theatre" (3 episodes, 1951-1957)

Voodoo Island (1957)

"Colonel March of Scotland Yard" (26 episodes, 1954-1956)

"Climax!" (2 episodes, 1954-1956)

"The Alcoa Hour" (1 episode, 1956)

"The United States Steel Hour" (1 episode, 1955)

"The Elgin Hour" (1 episode, 1955)

"The Best of Broadway" (1 episode, 1955)

A Connecticut Yankee (1955) (TV)

Sabaka (1954)

Mostro dell'isola, Il (1954)

Abbott and Costello Meet Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1953)

"Suspense" (6 episodes, 1949-1953)

"ABC Album" (1 episode, 1953)

"Tales of Tomorrow" (2 episodes, 1952-1953)

"Robert Montgomery Presents" (2 episodes, 1951-1953)

"Hollywood Opening Night" (1 episode, 1953)

The Black Castle (1952)

"Schlitz Playhouse of Stars" (1 episode, 1952)

"Curtain Call" (1 episode, 1952)

"CBS Television Workshop" (1 episode, 1952)

Colonel March Investigates (1952)

The Strange Door (1951)

"The Jack Carter Show" (1 episode, 1950)

"The Milton Berle Show" (1 episode, 1950)

"Lights Out" (1 episode, 1950)

"Masterpiece Playhouse" (1 episode, 1950)

Abbott and Costello Meet the Killer, Boris Karloff (1949)

"The Chevrolet Tele-Theatre" (2 episodes, 1949)

Cisaruv slavík (1949) (voice)

"The Ford Theatre Hour" (1 episode, 1949)

Tap Roots (1948)

Dick Tracy Meets Gruesome (1947)

Unconquered (1947)

Lured (1947)

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (1947)

Bedlam (1946)

Isle of the Dead (1945)

The Body Snatcher (1945)

House of Frankenstein (1944)

The Climax (1944)

The Boogie Man Will Get You (1942)

The Devil Commands (1941)

You'll Find Out (1940)

The Ape (1940)

Before I Hang (1940)

Doomed to Die (1940)

The Man with Nine Lives (1940)

Black Friday (1940)

British Intelligence (1940)

The Fatal Hour (1940)

Tower of London (1939)

The Man They Could Not Hang (1939)

Mr. Wong in Chinatown (1939)

The Mystery of Mr. Wong (1939)

Son of Frankenstein (1939)

Devil's Island (1939)

Mr. Wong, Detective (1938)

The Invisible Menace (1938)

West of Shanghai (1937)

Night Key (1937)

Charlie Chan at the Opera (1936)

The Man Who Changed His Mind (1936/I)

Juggernaut (1936)

The Walking Dead (1936)

The Invisible Ray (1936) (as Karloff)

The Black Room (1935)

The Raven (1935) (as Karloff)

Bride of Frankenstein (1935) (as Karloff)

Gift of Gab (1934) (as Karloff)

The Black Cat (1934) (as Karloff)

The House of Rothschild (1934)

The Lost Patrol (1934)

The Ghoul (1933)

The Mummy (1932)

The Mask of Fu Manchu (1932)

The Old Dark House (1932) (as Karloff)

Night World (1932)

The Miracle Man (1932)

Scarface (1932)

Business and Pleasure (1932)

Behind the Mask (1932)

Tonight or Never (1931)

Frankenstein (1931)

The Guilty Generation (1931)

The Mad Genius (1931) (uncredited)

The Yellow Ticket (1931)

Five Star Final (1931)

Graft (1931)

I Like Your Nerve (1931)

The Public Defender (1931)

Smart Money (1931) (uncredited)

Young Donovan's Kid (1931)

The Vanishing Legion (1931) (voice) (uncredited)

Cracked Nuts (1931)

King of the Wild (1931)

The Criminal Code (1931)

Sous les verrous (1931)

The Utah Kid (1930)

The Sea Bat (1930)

The Bad One (1930)

The Unholy Night (1929) (uncredited)

The King of the Kongo (1929)

Behind That Curtain (1929)

The Phantom of the North (1929)

Anne Against the World (1929)

Two Sisters (1929)

The Devil's Chaplain (1929)

The Fatal Warning (1929)

Burning the Wind (1929)

The Little Wild Girl (1928)

Vultures of the Sea (1928)

The Vanishing Rider (1928)

Sharp Shooters (1928) (uncredited)

The Love Mart (1927)

Two Arabian Knights (1927)

Soft Cushions (1927)

The Phantom Buster (1927)

The Meddlin' Stranger (1927)

Tarzan and the Golden Lion (1927)

The Princess from Hoboken (1927)

Let It Rain (1927)

Valencia (1926) (uncredited)

Old Ironsides (1926)

The Nickel-Hopper (1926) (uncredited)

Flaming Fury (1926)

The Eagle of the Sea (1926) (uncredited)

Flames (1926)

The Golden Web (1926)

The Bells (1926)

Her Honor, the Governor (1926)

The Man in the Saddle (1926)

The Greater Glory (1926)

Perils of the Wild (1925)

Never the Twain Shall Meet (1925) (uncredited)

Lady Robinhood (1925)

Parisian Nights (1925)

The Prairie Wife (1925)

Forbidden Cargo (1925)

Dynamite Dan (1924)

Riders of the Plains (1924)

The Hellion (1924)

The Prisoner (1923)

The Gentleman from America (1923) (uncredited)

The Woman Conquers (1922)

Omar the Tentmaker (1922)

The Altar Stairs (1922)

The Man from Downing Street (1922)

The Infidel (1922)

Nan of the North (1922) (uncredited)

The Cave Girl (1921)

Cheated Hearts (1921)

Without Benefit of Clergy (1921)

The Hope Diamond Mystery (1921)

The Last of the Mohicans (1920) (uncredited)

The Courage of Marge O'Doone (1920)

The Deadlier Sex (1920)

The Prince and Betty (1919)

His Majesty, the American (1919) (uncredited)

The Masked Rider (1919)

The Lightning Raider (1919)
Boris Karloff biography




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