Karloff, Boris (1887-1969), was a British actor known for his chilling performances in American horror motion pictures. Karloff gained fame playing the role of the monster in Frankenstein (1931). Thereafter, he played a monster or a villain in most of his movies. Karloff made about 50 silent films and more than 100 sound films from 1919 to 1968.
Karloff’s real name was William Henry Pratt. He was born in London on Nov. 23, 1887, and moved to Canada in 1909. Karloff toured Canada and the United States with small theatrical companies for several years before making his film debut. Karloff’s best-known motion pictures include The Mummy (1932), The Bride of Frankenstein (1935), Tower of London (1939), The Body Snatcher (1945), Isle of the Dead (1945), and The Raven (1962). In addition, Karloff appeared in Broadway plays, including Arsenic and Old Lace (1941) and The Lark (1955). Karloff died on Feb. 2, 1969.
