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Boris Karloff

Personal Information

Known ForActing
GenderMale
Born / DiedNov 23, 1887 (Died at 82)
Zodiac Sign♐Sagittarius
Place of BirthCamberwell, London, England, UK
Career Span1920 – 1969
Known Credits258 Titles
ActingPopularity Score 1.7

Boris Karloff

Also known as:William Henry Prattبوریس کارلوف
Total Works

258

229 movies • 29 shows

Avg Rating

6.1 / 10

across rated releases

Box Office

—

worldwide gross

Global Reach

#2

TMDB star index

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.

Signature Roles & Milestones

Frankenstein
7.5
Frankenstein
1931•movie
as The Monster
How the Grinch Stole Christmas!
7.5
as Narrator / The Grinch (voice)
Bride of Frankenstein
7.5
as The Monster
The Mummy
6.7
The Mummy
1932•movie
as Imhotep / Ardath Bey

Full Filmography & Credits

Showing 258 titles featuring Boris Karloff

Frankenstein
7.5
Frankenstein
1931•movie

as The Monster

How the Grinch Stole Christmas!
7.5

as Narrator / The Grinch (voice)

Bride of Frankenstein
7.5

as The Monster

The Mummy
6.7
The Mummy
1932•movie

as Imhotep / Ardath Bey

Scarface
7.4
Scarface
1932•movie

as Gaffney

Black Sabbath
7.2
Black Sabbath
1963•movie

as Gorca (segment "The Wurdalak")

The Black Cat
6.7
The Black Cat
1934•movie

as Hjalmar Poelzig

The Old Dark House
6.7
The Old Dark House
1932•movie

as Morgan

The Raven
6.3
The Raven
1963•movie

as Dr. Scarabus

Son of Frankenstein
6.7

as The Monster

Targets
7.1
Targets
1968•movie

as Byron Orlok

The Body Snatcher
7.0
The Body Snatcher
1945•movie

as John Gray

House of Frankenstein
6.1

as Dr. Gustav Niemann

The Terror
5.1
The Terror
1963•movie

as Baron Victor Frederick Von Leppe

The Comedy of Terrors
6.5

as Amos Hinchley

The Raven
6.6
The Raven
1935•movie

as Edmond Bateman

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty
6.8

as Dr. Hollingshead

Madhouse
6.2
Madhouse
1974•movie

as (archive footage)

Isle of the Dead
6.0
Isle of the Dead
1945•movie

as Gen. Nikolas Pherides

Hatchet for the Honeymoon
6.4

as Gorca (archive footage)

The Mummy's Hand
5.7
The Mummy's Hand
1940•movie

as Kharis (archive footage / uncredited)

Abbott and Costello Meet Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
6.2

as Dr. Henry Jekyll / Mr. Hyde

The Walking Dead
6.3
The Walking Dead
1936•movie

as John Ellman

Lured
6.3
Lured
1947•movie

as Charles van Druten

The Mask of Fu Manchu
5.4

as Dr. Fu Manchu

Bedlam
6.6
Bedlam
1946•movie

as George Sims

The Wild Wild West
7.6
1 eps
The Wild Wild West
1965•series

as Mr. Singh

Curse of the Crimson Altar
5.2

as Professor John Marsh

The Lost Patrol
6.6
The Lost Patrol
1934•movie

as Sanders

The Mummy's Curse
5.5
The Mummy's Curse
1944•movie

as Kharis in Flashback (archive footage / uncredited)

Mad Monster Party?
6.5
Mad Monster Party?
1967•movie

as Baron Boris von Frankenstein (voice)

Die, Monster, Die!
5.7
Die, Monster, Die!
1965•movie

as Nahum Witley

The Sorcerers
6.2
The Sorcerers
1967•movie

as Prof. Marcus Monserrat

Unconquered
6.5
Unconquered
1947•movie

as Guyasuta, Chief of the Senecas

The Ghoul
5.6
The Ghoul
1933•movie

as Prof. Morlant

The Black Room
6.5
The Black Room
1935•movie

as Baron Gregor de Berghman / Anton de Berghman

The Invisible Ray
6.4
The Invisible Ray
1936•movie

as Dr. Janos Rukh

Black Friday
6.0
Black Friday
1940•movie

as Dr. Ernest Sovac

Tower of London
6.2
Tower of London
1939•movie

as Mord

McCloud
7.2
1 eps
McCloud
1970•series

as Hjalmar Poelzig (archive footage) (uncredited)

The Black Castle
6.4
The Black Castle
1952•movie

as Dr. Meissen

Corridors of Blood
6.2
Corridors of Blood
1958•movie

as Dr. Thomas Bolton

The Man They Could Not Hang
6.6

as Dr. Henryk Savaard

Five Star Final
6.6
Five Star Final
1931•movie

as T. Vernon Isopod

The Last of the Mohicans
6.4

as Indian (uncredited)

Frankenstein 1970
5.4
Frankenstein 1970
1958•movie

as Baron Viktor von Frankenstein

The Last Repair Shop
7.5

as The Monster (archive footage) (uncredited)

The Ape
4.9
The Ape
1940•movie

as Dr. Bernard Adrian

Grip of the Strangler
6.0

as James Rankin

The Climax
5.5
The Climax
1944•movie

as Dr. Friedrich Hohner

The American Nightmare
6.8

as Self

Charlie Chan at the Opera
6.8

as Gravelle

Before I Hang
6.3
Before I Hang
1940•movie

as Dr. John Garth

Night Key
6.2
Night Key
1937•movie

as David Mallory

Dick Tracy Meets Gruesome
5.5

as Gruesome

The Devil Commands
6.3
The Devil Commands
1941•movie

as Dr. Julian Blair

The Man Who Changed His Mind
6.1

as Dr. Laurence

The Strange Door
6.2
The Strange Door
1951•movie

as Voltan

The Ghost in the Invisible Bikini
5.1

as The Corpse

The Criminal Code
6.1
The Criminal Code
1931•movie

as Ned Galloway

Smart Money
6.9
Smart Money
1931•movie

as Sport Williams

Isle of the Snake People
3.1

as Carl van Molder / Damballah

The Boogie Man Will Get You
6.2

as Prof. Nathaniel Billings

Mr. Wong, Detective
5.6

as James Lee Wong

Transylvania Twist
5.4
Transylvania Twist
1989•movie

as Man in Room (archive footage)

Bikini Beach
5.6
Bikini Beach
1964•movie

as Art Dealer

What's My Line?
7.0
1 eps
What's My Line?
1950•series

as Self

Doomed to Die
5.7
Doomed to Die
1940•movie

as James Lee Wong

Fear Chamber
4.4
Fear Chamber
1968•movie

as Dr. Carl Mandel

You'll Find Out
5.6
You'll Find Out
1940•movie

as Judge Spencer Mainwaring

Two Arabian Knights
5.8

as Purser

Alien Terror
3.6
Alien Terror
1971•movie

as Prof. John Mayer

The Man with Nine Lives
6.3

as Dr. Leon Kravaal

British Intelligence
5.8

as Valdar

Voodoo Island
4.6
Voodoo Island
1957•movie

as Phillip Knight

Mr. Wong in Chinatown
5.4

as Mr. James Lee Wong

The Mystery of Mr. Wong
5.9

as James Lee Wong

The House of Rothschild
6.2

as Count Ledrantz

The Fatal Hour
5.7
The Fatal Hour
1940•movie

as James Lee Wong

The Mad Genius
6.4
The Mad Genius
1931•movie

as Fedor's Father (uncredited)

Macabre Serenade
4.0
Macabre Serenade
1968•movie

as Matthias Morteval

Universal Horror
7.1
Universal Horror
1998•movie

as (archive footage)

Route 66
6.7
1 eps
Route 66
1960•series
Thriller
6.7
1 eps
Thriller
1960•series

as Clayton Mace

The Movie Orgy
6.8
The Movie Orgy
1968•movie

as Self (archive footage)

The Bells
6.2
The Bells
1926•movie

as The Mesmerist

The Red Skelton Show
7.4
1 eps

as Professor Townsend

Night World
6.8
Night World
1932•movie

as 'Happy' MacDonald

Old Ironsides
6.4
Old Ironsides
1926•movie

as Saracen Guard (uncredited)

Behind the Mask
5.8
Behind the Mask
1932•movie

as Jim Henderson

Behind That Curtain
4.2

as Beetham's Manservent

Cauldron of Blood
4.3
Cauldron of Blood
1968•movie

as Franz Badulescu

The Yellow Ticket
5.1
The Yellow Ticket
1931•movie

as Drunken Orderly

Devil's Island
5.7
Devil's Island
1939•movie

as Dr. Charles Gaudet

Juggernaut
4.5
Juggernaut
1936•movie

as Dr. Victor Sartorius

Tarzan and the Golden Lion
4.8

as Owaza

Skyscraper Souls
5.5
Skyscraper Souls
1932•movie

as Man Approaching Ticket Counter

The Island Monster
3.2
The Island Monster
1954•movie

as Don Gaetano

Boo
5.6
Boo
1932•movie

as Frankenstein's Monster (edited from "Frankenstein")

Mummy Dearest: A Horror Tradition Unearthed
7.0

as Self (archive footage)

Studio One
5.4
1 eps
Studio One
1948•series

as Skaggs

The Name of the Game
7.0
1 eps

as Mikhail Orlov

The Sea Bat
4.4
The Sea Bat
1930•movie

as Corsican

The Invisible Menace
4.3

as Jevries

The Daydreamer
5.1
The Daydreamer
1966•movie

as The Rat (voice)

Climax!
3.8
1 eps
Climax!
1954•series

as Dr. Philip Nestri

Suspense
5.1
1 eps
Suspense
1949•series

as Toff

Tap Roots
6.9
Tap Roots
1948•movie

as Tishomingo

The Unholy Night
5.7
The Unholy Night
1929•movie

as Abdul Mohammed Bey - the Hindu Lawyer (uncredited)

The Venetian Affair
4.9

as Dr. Pierre Vaugiroud

The 'Frankenstein' Files: How Hollywood Made a Monster
7.7

as Self (archive footage)

Tonight or Never
6.2
Tonight or Never
1931•movie

as Waiter

West of Shanghai
5.8
West of Shanghai
1937•movie

as "General" Wu Yen Fang

Monster by Moonlight! The Immortal Saga of 'The Wolf Man'
7.2
The Guilty Generation
6.2

as Tony Ricca

Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?
6.3

as Self (archive footage)

This Is Your Life
6.7
1 eps
This Is Your Life
1955•series

as Self

Suspicion
6.2
1 eps
Suspicion
1957•series

as Judge Winthrop Gelsey

A Fool's World
3.4
A Fool's World
1964•movie

as Narrator

Sabaka
4.6
Sabaka
1955•movie

as General Pollegar

The Girl from U.N.C.L.E.
6.9
1 eps

as Mother Muffin

Hallmark Hall of Fame
8.8
1 eps

as Cauchon

Robert Montgomery Presents
6.0
1 eps

as Bennett Kimball

Colonel March of Scotland Yard
7.5
26 eps

as Colonel March Of Scotland Yard

Boris Karloff: The Man Behind the Monster
6.3

as Self (archive footage)

Creepy Classics
6.4
Creepy Classics
1987•movie

as Dr. Scarabus - (archive footage)

The Miracle Man
5.9
The Miracle Man
1932•movie

as Nikko

I Like Your Nerve
5.9
I Like Your Nerve
1931•movie

as Luigi - Pacheco's Butler

How the Grinch Stole Christmas! Special Edition
7.2

as (voice - archive footage)

Lux Video Theatre
6.7
1 eps
Lux Video Theatre
1950•series

as Sir Arthur Strangeways

Tales of Tomorrow
6.4
2 eps
Tales of Tomorrow
1951•series
King of the Wild
4.2
King of the Wild
1931•movie

as Mustapha

The Horror of It All
8.3

as Frankenstein / Cabman John Gray (archive footage)

General Electric Theater
6.8
1 eps

as Mr. Blue Ocean

The Veil
7.8
10 eps
The Veil
1958•series
The United States Steel Hour
6.3
1 eps

as George Redford

Shirley Temple's Storybook
6.5
1 eps

as Narrator (voice) / Father Knickerbocker

He Who Made Monsters: The Life and Art of Jack Pierce
8.4

as Self (archive footage)

The Horror Show
3.4
The Horror Show
1979•movie

as (archive footage)

The Public Defender
6.4

as The Professor

Lugosi: The Dark Prince
7.6

as Self (archive footage)

His Majesty, the American
6.6

as Henchman in cloth cap

Karloff: The Gentle Monster
7.6

as Self (archive footage)

Shindig!
6.4
1 eps
Shindig!
1964•series

as Self - Guest Host / Singer

Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
7.2
1 eps

as Charles Brandon

The Dinah Shore Chevy Show
6.4
2 eps

as Self

Lights Out
6.0
1 eps
Lights Out
1949•series
DuPont Show of the Month
7.4
1 eps
The Bad One
7.0
The Bad One
1930•movie

as Monsieur Gaston

Gift of Gab
5.2
Gift of Gab
1934•movie

as Himself

Graft
5.0
Graft
1931•movie

as Terry

The Nickel-Hopper
7.5
The Nickel-Hopper
1926•movie

as Dance Hall Masher

Monster Madness: The Golden Age of the Horror Film
7.5

as Various roles (archive footage)

Classic Movie Bloopers: Uncensored
5.5

as Self (archive footage)

Colonel March Investigates
6.2

as Colonel March

The Mesmerist
8.0
The Mesmerist
2003•movie

as (archive footage)

Myrna Loy: So Nice to Come Home To
8.5

as (archive footage)

The Universal Story
8.0

as Self (archive footage)

Out of This World
5.8
14 eps
Out of This World
1962•series

as Host

Telephone Time
6.5
1 eps
Telephone Time
1956•series
The Prince and Betty
8.3

as Undetermined Role

Business and Pleasure
6.3

as Sheik Ali-Ben Joseph

Cracked Nuts
8.0
Cracked Nuts
1931•movie

as Boris - First Revolutionary

The Utah Kid
4.7
The Utah Kid
1930•movie

as Henchman Baxter

The Juggler of Our Lady
7.7

as Narrator (voice)

Bela Lugosi: The Fallen Vampire
6.3

as Himself (archive footage)

Days of Thrills and Laughter
6.0

as Self (archive footage)

Little Lost Robot
7.0
Little Lost Robot
1962•movie

as Host

A Connecticut Yankee
6.0

as King Arthur

Breakdowns of 1937
6.0
Breakdowns of 1937
1937•movie

as Self

Parisian Nights
4.0
Parisian Nights
1925•movie

as Pierre

Two Sisters
6.5
Two Sisters
1929•movie

as Cecil

The Fatal Warning
5.0
The Fatal Warning
1929•movie

as Mullins

The Vanishing Legion
8.5

as The Voice (voice)

Dracula: A Cinematic Scrapbook
9.5

as Doctor Gustav Niemann (archive footage)

The Many Faces of Dracula
3.5

as The Monster (archive footage)

Dynamite Dan
6.0
Dynamite Dan
1924•movie

as Tony Garcia

The King of the Kongo
8.0

as Scarface Macklin

Going Hollywood: The '30s
9.0

as (archive footage)

The Deadlier Sex
7.5
The Deadlier Sex
1920•movie

as Jules Borney

Ian Rankin Investigates: Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde
8.0

as Cabman John Gray (archive footage)

Arsenic & Old Lace
6.5
Arsenic & Old Lace
1962•movie

as Jonathan Brewster

Famous Monster: Forrest J Ackerman
9.0

as Self (archive footage)

Abbott and Costello Meet Jerry Seinfeld
8.5

as Self (archive footage)

The White Panther
7.0
The White Panther
1924•movie

as Shere Ali's Aide (as Karloff Boris)

The Hellion
8.0
The Hellion
1924•movie

as The Outlaw

The Lightning Raider
9.0
Riders of the Plains
10.0
Forbidden Cargo
9.0
Forbidden Cargo
1925•movie

as Pietro Castillano

Perils of the Wild
10.0
Perils of the Wild
1925•movie
Lady Robinhood
9.0
Lady Robinhood
1925•movie

as Cabraza

The Courage of Marge O'Doone
8.0

as Tavish

Without Mercy
10.0
Without Mercy
1925•movie

as Madame Gordon's 2nd Henchman (uncredited)

Cheated Hearts
8.0
Cheated Hearts
1921•movie

as Nei Hamid

The Golden Web
10.0
The Golden Web
1926•movie

as Dave Sinclair

Flames
10.0
Flames
1926•movie

as Blackie Blanchette

Flaming Fury
10.0
Flaming Fury
1926•movie

as Gaspard

Let It Rain
7.0
Let It Rain
1927•movie

as Crook

The Princess from Hoboken
8.0

as Pavel

The Meddlin' Stranger
9.0

as Al Meggs

Soft Cushions
7.0
Soft Cushions
1927•movie

as The Chief Conspirator

The Vanishing Rider
7.0

as The Villain

Sharp Shooters
7.0
Sharp Shooters
1928•movie

as Cafe Proprietor (uncredited)

Vultures of the Sea
9.0

as Grouchy

Burning the Wind
10.0
Burning the Wind
1929•movie

as Pug Doran

The Little Wild Girl
10.0

as Maurice Kent

The Devil's Chaplain
9.0

as Boris

Nan of the North
10.0
Nan of the North
1922•movie

as Undetermined Role (uncredited)

The Man from Downing Street
10.0

as Maharajah Jehan

The Infidel
8.0
The Infidel
1922•movie

as The Nabob

Omar the Tentmaker
10.0
Omar the Tentmaker
1922•movie

as Imam Mowaffak

The Woman Conquers
10.0
The Woman Conquers
1922•movie

as Raoul Maris

The Altar Stairs
8.0
The Altar Stairs
1922•movie

as Hugo

The Prisoner
7.0
The Prisoner
1923•movie

as Prince Kapolski

Oops, Those Hollywood Bloopers!
6.0

as Self (archive footage)

The Eagle of the Sea
10.0

as Pirate (uncredited)

The Phantom Buster
8.0
The Phantom Buster
1927•movie

as Ramon

The Fatal Impulse
1.0
The Fatal Impulse
1960•movie

as Self

The Cave Girl
9.0
The Cave Girl
1921•movie

as Baptiste

The Cohens and Kellys in Hollywood
7.0

as Boris Karloff

Hedda Hopper’s Hollywood No. 6
6.0
Young Donovan's Kid
10.0

as Cokey Joe

The Love Mart
8.0
The Love Mart
1927•movie

as Fleming

The Hope Diamond Mystery
10.0

as Priest of Kama-Sita / Dakar

The Greater Glory
8.0
The Greater Glory
1926•movie

as Scissors Grinder

The Prairie Wife
8.0
The Prairie Wife
1925•movie

as Diego

Without Benefit of Clergy
9.0

as Ahmed Khan

Her Honor, the Governor
10.0

as Snipe Collins

Jack Pierce: The Man Who Made the Monsters
10.0

as Self (archive footage)

The Man in the Saddle
10.0

as Robber (uncredited)

The Incredible Doktor Markesan
7.0

as Dr. Konrad Markesan

Horror!!!
1.0
Horror!!!
1964•movie

as Self

The Grim Reaper
2.0
The Grim Reaper
1961•movie

as Self

The Woman and the Puppet
9.0

as (uncredited)

Dracula in the Movies
10.0

as (archive footage)

Halloween Monster Bash
3.0

as Baron Von Leppe (archive footage)

Don't Scream: It's Only a Movie!
10.0
The Lark
The Lark
1957•movie

as Bishop Cauchon

Sting of Death
Sting of Death
1955•movie

as Mr. Mycroft

Abbott and Costello in the Movies

as Archival

Terror in the Tropics

as Mr. Wong (archive footage)

Screen Snapshots No. 11

as Himself

Heart of Darkness
Heart of Darkness
1958•movie

as Mr. Kurtz

The Storm
The Storm
1962•movie
Rendezvous in Black

as Ward Allen

Hollywood Scandals and Tragedies

as (archive footage) (uncredited)

Who Killed Chung Ling Soo?

as Narrator

Legacy of Screams: The Evolution of Horror Movies

as Self (archive footage)

as Roger Ashley Norton