Biographies: Boris Karloff - Actor

Biographies

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An English actor, born in Camberwell, London, England, United Kingdom, as William Henry Pratt. He received two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for his film and television work. Boris Karloff married 6 women and had one daughter. His most important works include The Mummy (1932), Bride of Frankenstein (1935), The Black Cat (1934), and Black Friday (1940). Boris Karloff was an English film and television actor, famous for being a polite and kind-hearted man with a sincere affection for children and their well-being. He played the role of Frankenstein's monster in the horror movie Frankenstein (1931), which established him as a horror icon. He reprised the role in the movies Bride of Frankenstein (1935) and Son of Frankenstein (1939). He was born the youngest of nine children and his parents died when he was young, so he was raised by his half-sister along with his older siblings. He received his education at Enfield Grammar School, Uppingham School, and Merchant Taylors' School, then he joined King's College London, but he dropped out of university. He traveled to Canada, worked on a farm, and moved between several jobs before starting acting. He began appearing in theatrical productions in Canada, working in theatrical stock companies, and touring throughout the United States, and when he arrived in Hollywood, he made many silent films. He often played an Arab or Indian in his early films. After working in around 80 films until the early thirties, he appeared in the movie Frankenstein, followed by a series of horror movies. Karloff became a star through horror movies. which became widely popular. He returned to England to work in a number of movies, then worked in a non-horror movie with John Ford, which achieved great success. When horror movies declined after the actual implementation of film censorship (The Code) in 1934, Boris Karloff presented other types of movies, especially science fiction movies and British intelligence movies, and returned to theatrical acting on Broadway while performing dramatic and comedic roles in cinema. Boris also worked extensively in radio shows and presented a radio show for children. He also played music for children and told stories and riddles. He became a frequent guest on radio shows. In the mid-fifties, he worked on British television, moving between America and England, and worked in cinema and television in both countries. He worked in animation on American television, participated in many musical films, and sang in them. He ended his career by appearing in 4 Mexican horror movies. Boris Karloff died in Midhurst, Sussex, England, United Kingdom, on February 2, 1969, from emphysema.

• 18 December 2023
• Dalia Saad