Highest rated as cast or director
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.
Acted in 217
2010s
- 2014
Monster Madness: The Golden Age of the Horror Film
Various roles (archive footage)
- 2012
The Complete Bob Wilkins Creature Features
Movie
2000s
- 2007
Ian Rankin Investigates: Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde
Cabman John Gray (archive footage)
- 2006
Terror in the Tropics
Mr. Wong (archive footage)
- 2004
Monster Movie Trivia Quiz
Movie
- 2003
The Mesmerist
(archive footage)
- 2000
The Many Faces of Dracula
The Monster (archive footage)
1990s
- 1998
Universal Horror
(archive footage)
- 1994
How the Grinch Stole Christmas! Special Edition
(voice - archive footage)
- 1992
Dracula in the Movies
(archive footage)
- 1991
Halloween Monster Bash
Baron Von Leppe (archive footage)
Dracula: A Cinematic Scrapbook
Doctor Gustav Niemann (archive footage)
- 1990
Myrna Loy: So Nice to Come Home To
(archive footage)
Abbott and Costello in the Movies
Archival
1980s
- 1989
Transylvania Twist
Man in Room (archive footage)
- 1988
Hollywood Scandals and Tragedies
(archive footage) (uncredited)
- 1987
Creepy Classics
Dr. Scarabus - (archive footage)
- 1984
Going Hollywood: The '30s
(archive footage)
- 1983
- 1980
Monsters on the March (and a Pair of Marvels!)
Movie
1970s
- 1979
The Horror Show
(archive footage)
- 1974
- 1971
Alien Terror
Prof. John Mayer
Isle of the Snake People
Carl van Molder / Damballah
- 1970
1960s
- 1968
Targets
Byron Orlok
Fear Chamber
Dr. Carl Mandel
Cauldron of Blood
Franz Badulescu
- 1967
The Sorcerers
Prof. Marcus Monserrat
Mad Monster Party?
Baron Boris von Frankenstein (voice)
- 1966
The Venetian Affair
Dr. Pierre Vaugiroud
The Ghost in the Invisible Bikini
The Corpse
- 1965
- 1964
- 1963
- 1962
Lizard's Leg and Owlet's Wing
Movie
The Incredible Doktor Markesan
Dr. Konrad Markesan
Arsenic & Old Lace
Jonathan Brewster
The Storm
Movie
- 1960
1950s
- 1958
Corridors of Blood
Dr. Thomas Bolton
Heart of Darkness
Mr. Kurtz
Grip of the Strangler
James Rankin
The Veil
TV
- 1957
The Lark
Bishop Cauchon
Voodoo Island
Phillip Knight
- 1956
Rendezvous in Black
Ward Allen
- 1955
A Connecticut Yankee
King Arthur
Sting of Death
Mr. Mycroft
- 1954
The Island Monster
Don Gaetano
- 1953
Abbott and Costello Meet Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
Dr. Henry Jekyll / Mr. Hyde
Colonel March Investigates
Colonel March
General Electric Theater
Mr. Blue Ocean, Henry E. Church · 1 episode
- 1952
The Black Castle
Dr. Meissen
- 1951
Hallmark Hall of Fame
Cauchon, Jonathan Brewster · 1 episode
The Strange Door
Voltan
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
Charles Brandon · 1 episode
- 1950
1940s
- 1949
Bud Abbott and Lou Costello Meet the Killer, Boris Karloff
Swami Talpur
- 1948
- 1947
- 1946
Bedlam
George Sims
- 1945
The Body Snatcher
John Gray
- 1944
The Mummy's Curse
Kharis in Flashback (archive footage / uncredited)
House of Frankenstein
Dr. Gustav Niemann
The Climax
Dr. Friedrich Hohner
- 1942
The Boogie Man Will Get You
Prof. Nathaniel Billings
- 1941
The Devil Commands
Dr. Julian Blair
- 1940
You'll Find Out
Judge Spencer Mainwaring
The Ape
Dr. Bernard Adrian
The Mummy's Hand
Kharis (archive footage / uncredited)
Before I Hang
Dr. John Garth
Doomed to Die
James Lee Wong
The Man with Nine Lives
Dr. Leon Kravaal
The Fatal Hour
James Lee Wong
1930s
- 1939
Tower of London
Mord
British Intelligence
Valdar
The Man They Could Not Hang
Dr. Henryk Savaard
Devil's Island
Dr. Charles Gaudet
- 1938
The Invisible Menace
Jevries
- 1937
West of Shanghai
"General" Wu Yen Fang
Night Key
David Mallory
- 1936
Charlie Chan at the Opera
Gravelle
The Man Who Changed His Mind
Dr. Laurence
Juggernaut
Dr. Victor Sartorius
The Invisible Ray
Dr. Janos Rukh
- 1935
- 1934
The House of Rothschild
Count Ledrantz
- 1933
- 1932
Boo
Frankenstein's Monster (edited from "Frankenstein")
The Mask of Fu Manchu
Dr. Fu Manchu
The Old Dark House
Morgan
Skyscraper Souls
Man Approaching Ticket Counter
Night World
'Happy' MacDonald
The Miracle Man
Nikko
The Cohens and Kellys in Hollywood
Boris Karloff
Behind the Mask
Jim Henderson
Business and Pleasure
Sheik Ali-Ben Joseph
- 1931
The Guilty Generation
Tony Ricca
The Yellow Ticket
Drunken Orderly
The Mad Genius
Fedor's Father (uncredited)
Graft
Terry
I Like Your Nerve
Luigi - Pacheco's Butler
The Public Defender
The Professor
Young Donovan's Kid
Cokey Joe
The Vanishing Legion
The Voice (voice)
Cracked Nuts
Boris - First Revolutionary
King of the Wild
Mustapha
- 1930
The Utah Kid
Henchman Baxter
The Sea Bat
Corsican
The Bad One
Monsieur Gaston
1920s
- 1929
The Unholy Night
Abdul Mohammed Bey - the Hindu Lawyer (uncredited)
The King of the Kongo
Scarface Macklin
Behind That Curtain
Beetham's Manservent
Two Sisters
Cecil
The Devil's Chaplain
Boris
The Fatal Warning
Mullins
Burning the Wind
Pug Doran
- 1928
The Little Wild Girl
Maurice Kent
Vultures of the Sea
Grouchy
The Vanishing Rider
The Villain
- 1927
The Love Mart
Fleming
Two Arabian Knights
Purser
The Phantom Buster
Ramon
The Meddlin' Stranger
Al Meggs
Tarzan and the Golden Lion
Owaza
The Princess from Hoboken
Pavel
Let It Rain
Crook
- 1926
Old Ironsides
Saracen Guard (uncredited)
Flaming Fury
Gaspard
The Nickel-Hopper
Dance Hall Masher
The Eagle of the Sea
Pirate (uncredited)
Flames
Blackie Blanchette
The Golden Web
Dave Sinclair
The Bells
The Mesmerist
Her Honor, the Governor
Snipe Collins
The Man in the Saddle
Robber (uncredited)
The Greater Glory
Scissors Grinder
- 1925
Without Mercy
Madame Gordon's 2nd Henchman (uncredited)
Parisian Nights
Pierre
Never the Twain Shall Meet
Movie
Perils of the Wild
Movie
Lady Robinhood
Cabraza
The Prairie Wife
Diego
Forbidden Cargo
Pietro Castillano
- 1924
Dynamite Dan
Tony Garcia, The Foreman
Riders of the Plains
Movie
The Hellion
The Outlaw
The White Panther
Shere Ali's Aide (as Karloff Boris)
- 1923
The Prisoner
Prince Kapolski
- 1922
Omar the Tentmaker
Imam Mowaffak
The Altar Stairs
Hugo
The Woman Conquers
Raoul Maris
The Man from Downing Street
Maharajah Jehan
The Infidel
The Nabob
Nan of the North
Undetermined Role (uncredited)
- 1921
The Cave Girl
Baptiste
Cheated Hearts
Nei Hamid
Without Benefit of Clergy
Ahmed Khan
The Hope Diamond Mystery
Priest of Kama-Sita / Dakar
- 1920
The Courage of Marge O'Doone
Tavish
The Woman and the Puppet
(uncredited)
The Deadlier Sex
Jules Borney
1910s
- 1919
The Prince and Betty
Undetermined Role
His Majesty, the American
Henchman in cloth cap
The Lightning Raider
Movie
No release date
Suspense: A Night at an Inn
Toff
Appearances42
2020s
- 2025
Legacy of Screams: The Evolution of Horror Movies
Self (archive footage)
- 2021
2010s
- 2015
True Fear: The Making of Psycho
Self
Jack Pierce: The Man Who Made the Monsters
Self (archive footage)
- 2013
Classic Movie Bloopers: Uncensored
Self (archive footage)
2000s
- 2008
He Who Made Monsters: The Life and Art of Jack Pierce
Self (archive footage)
- 2007
Bela Lugosi: The Fallen Vampire
Himself (archive footage)
Famous Monster: Forrest J Ackerman
Self (archive footage)
- 2006
Lugosi: The Dark Prince
Self (archive footage)
Karloff: The Gentle Monster
Self (archive footage)
- 2000
The American Nightmare
Self
Mummy Dearest: A Horror Tradition Unearthed
Self (archive footage)
1990s
- 1999
The 'Frankenstein' Files: How Hollywood Made a Monster
Self (archive footage)
Monster by Moonlight! The Immortal Saga of 'The Wolf Man'
Self (archive footage)
- 1996
The Universal Story
Self (archive footage)
- 1994
Abbott and Costello Meet Jerry Seinfeld
Self (archive footage)
1980s
- 1985
Don't Scream: It's Only a Movie!
Self
- 1982
Oops, Those Hollywood Bloopers!
Self (archive footage)
1970s
- 1975
Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?
Self (archive footage)
1960s
- 1968
The Movie Orgy
Self (archive footage)
- 1966
- 1964
Horror!!!
Self
A Fool's World
Narrator
- 1962
Little Lost Robot
Host
Out of This World
Host · 14 episodes
- 1961
The Remarkable Mrs. Hawk
Self
The Devil's Ticket
Self
Days of Thrills and Laughter
Self (archive footage)
- 1960
Who Killed Chung Ling Soo?
Narrator
The Fatal Impulse
Self
1950s
- 1958
- 1957
The Juggler of Our Lady
Narrator (voice)
- 1956
- 1955
- 1950
1940s
- 1942
Hedda Hopper’s Hollywood No. 6
Self
1930s
- 1937
Breakdowns of 1937
Self
- 1934
Gift of Gab
Himself
Screen Snapshots No. 11
Himself
Thanked in the credits1
1960s
- 1964