Actor
Boris Karloff
Born 23 November 1887 · Camberwell, London, England, UK — died 2 February 1969
Boris Karloff (born William Henry Pratt in London) was an English actor who became the defining face of 1930s Hollywood horror. He is best known for playing Frankenstein's monster and for voicing the Grinch. His career lasted until the late 1960s.
Key films
Frankenstein (1931)On Cinespective
His breakthrough as the monster made him a star and created an enduring horror icon.
The Mummy (1932)On Cinespective
Showed his range as the haunting Imhotep, cementing his place as Universal's top horror star.
Bride of Frankenstein (1935)
Acclaimed sequel in which he gave the monster more depth and pathos.
Targets (1968)
Late-career role as an ageing horror star, a poignant reflection on his own legacy.
How the Grinch Stole Christmas! (1966)
His narration and voice of the Grinch became his best-known work outside horror.
Key awards
No major awards from the listed categories are documented here.
On Cinespective
Full filmography · 241
- 1919His Majesty, the American · as Henchman in cloth capActor
- 1919The Prince and Betty · as Undetermined RoleActor
- 1919The Lightning RaiderActor
- 1920The Last of the Mohicans · as Indian (uncredited)Actor
- 1920The Deadlier Sex · as Jules BorneyActor
- 1920The Woman and the Puppet · as (uncredited)Actor
- 1920The Courage of Marge O'Doone · as TavishActor
- 1921Cheated Hearts · as Nei HamidActor
- 1921The Cave Girl · as BaptisteActor
- 1921Without Benefit of Clergy · as Ahmed KhanActor
- 1921The Hope Diamond Mystery · as Priest of Kama-Sita / DakarActor
- 1922Omar the Tentmaker · as Imam MowaffakActor
- 1922The Altar Stairs · as HugoActor
- 1922The Woman Conquers · as Raoul MarisActor
- 1922The Infidel · as The NabobActor
- 1922The Man from Downing Street · as Maharajah JehanActor
- 1922Nan of the North · as Undetermined Role (uncredited)Actor
- 1923The Prisoner · as Prince KapolskiActor
- 1924Dynamite Dan · as Tony GarciaActor
- 1924The White Panther · as Shere Ali's Aide (as Karloff Boris)Actor
- 1924The Hellion · as The OutlawActor
- 1924Riders of the PlainsActor
- 1925Parisian Nights · as PierreActor
- 1925Never the Twain Shall MeetActor
- 1925Lady Robinhood · as CabrazaActor
- 1925Without Mercy · as Madame Gordon's 2nd Henchman (uncredited)Actor
- 1925The Prairie Wife · as DiegoActor
- 1925Perils of the WildActor
- 1925Forbidden Cargo · as Pietro CastillanoActor
- 1926The Bells · as The MesmeristActor
- 1926Old Ironsides · as Saracen Guard (uncredited)Actor
- 1926The Nickel-Hopper · as Dance Hall MasherActor
- 1926The Eagle of the Sea · as Pirate (uncredited)Actor
- 1926The Golden Web · as Dave SinclairActor
- 1926Flames · as Blackie BlanchetteActor
- 1926Flaming Fury · as GaspardActor
- 1926Her Honor, the Governor · as Snipe CollinsActor
- 1926The Man in the Saddle · as Robber (uncredited)Actor
- 1926The Greater Glory · as Scissors GrinderActor
- 1927Two Arabian Knights · as PurserActor
- 1927Tarzan and the Golden Lion · as OwazaActor
- 1927Soft Cushions · as The Chief ConspiratorActor
- 1927The Meddlin' Stranger · as Al MeggsActor
- 1927The Phantom Buster · as RamonActor
- 1927Let It Rain · as CrookActor
- 1927The Princess from Hoboken · as PavelActor
- 1927The Love Mart · as FlemingActor
- 1928The Little Wild Girl · as Maurice KentActor
- 1928The Vanishing Rider · as The VillainActor
- 1928Vultures of the Sea · as GrouchyActor
- 1928Sharp Shooters · as Cafe Proprietor (uncredited)Actor
- 1929Behind That Curtain · as Beetham's ManserventActor
- 1929The Unholy Night · as Abdul Mohammed Bey - the Hindu Lawyer (uncredited)Actor
- 1929The Fatal Warning · as MullinsActor
- 1929Two Sisters · as CecilActor
- 1929The King of the Kongo · as Scarface MacklinActor
- 1929Anne Against the WorldActor
- 1929The Devil's Chaplain · as BorisActor
- 1929Burning the Wind · as Pug DoranActor
- 1929The Phantom of the North · as Jules GreggActor
- 1930The Sea Bat · as CorsicanActor
- 1930The Bad One · as Monsieur GastonActor
- 1930The Utah Kid · as Henchman BaxterActor
- 1931Frankenstein · as The MonsterActor
- 1931Five Star Final · as T. Vernon IsopodActor
- 1931The Criminal Code · as Ned GallowayActor
- 1931Smart Money · as Sport WilliamsActor
- 1931The Mad Genius · as Fedor's Father (uncredited)Actor
- 1931The Yellow Ticket · as Drunken OrderlyActor
- 1931Tonight or Never · as WaiterActor
- 1931The Guilty Generation · as Tony RiccaActor
- 1931I Like Your Nerve · as Luigi - Pacheco's ButlerActor
- 1931King of the Wild · as MustaphaActor
- 1931The Public Defender · as The ProfessorActor
- 1931Graft · as TerryActor
- 1931Cracked Nuts · as Boris - First RevolutionaryActor
- 1931The Vanishing Legion · as The Voice (voice)Actor
- 1931Young Donovan's Kid · as Cokey JoeActor
- 1932The Mummy · as Imhotep / Ardath BeyActor
- 1932Scarface · as GaffneyActor
- 1932The Old Dark House · as MorganActor
- 1932The Mask of Fu Manchu · as Dr. Fu ManchuActor
- 1932Night World · as 'Happy' MacDonaldActor
- 1932Behind the Mask · as Jim HendersonActor
- 1932Skyscraper Souls · as Man Approaching Ticket CounterActor
- 1932Boo · as Frankenstein's Monster (edited from "Frankenstein")Actor
- 1932The Miracle Man · as NikkoActor
- 1932Business and Pleasure · as Sheik Ali-Ben JosephActor
- 1932The Cohens and Kellys in Hollywood · as Boris KarloffActor
- 1933The Ghoul · as Prof. MorlantActor
- 1934The Black Cat · as Hjalmar PoelzigActor
- 1934The Lost Patrol · as SandersActor
- 1934The House of Rothschild · as Count LedrantzActor
- 1934Gift of Gab · as HimselfActor
- 1934Screen Snapshots No. 11 · as HimselfActor
- 1935Bride of Frankenstein · as The MonsterActor
- 1935The Raven · as Edmond BatemanActor
- 1935The Black Room · as Baron Gregor de Berghman / Anton de BerghmanActor
- 1935Hollywood Hobbies · as HimselfActor
- 1936The Walking Dead · as John EllmanActor
- 1936The Invisible Ray · as Dr. Janos RukhActor
- 1936Charlie Chan at the Opera · as GravelleActor
- 1936The Man Who Changed His Mind · as Dr. LaurenceActor
- 1936Juggernaut · as Dr. Victor SartoriusActor
- 1937Night Key · as David MalloryActor
- 1937West of Shanghai · as "General" Wu Yen FangActor
- 1937Breakdowns of 1937 · as SelfActor
- 1937Cinema Circus · as HimselfActor
- 1938Mr. Wong, Detective · as James Lee WongActor
- 1938The Invisible Menace · as JevriesActor
- 1939Son of Frankenstein · as The MonsterActor
- 1939Tower of London · as MordActor
- 1939The Man They Could Not Hang · as Dr. Henryk SavaardActor
- 1939British Intelligence · as ValdarActor
- 1939The Mystery of Mr. Wong · as James Lee WongActor
- 1939Mr. Wong in Chinatown · as Mr. James Lee WongActor
- 1939Devil's Island · as Dr. Charles GaudetActor
- 1940The Mummy's Hand · as Kharis (archive footage / uncredited)Actor
- 1940Black Friday · as Dr. Ernest SovacActor
- 1940The Ape · as Dr. Bernard AdrianActor
- 1940Before I Hang · as Dr. John GarthActor
- 1940Doomed to Die · as James Lee WongActor
- 1940You'll Find Out · as Judge Spencer MainwaringActor
- 1940The Man with Nine Lives · as Dr. Leon KravaalActor
- 1940The Fatal Hour · as James Lee WongActor
- 1941The Devil Commands · as Dr. Julian BlairActor
- 1941Information Please: Series 2, No. 12 · as SelfActor
- 1942The Boogie Man Will Get You · as Prof. Nathaniel BillingsActor
- 1942Hedda Hopper’s Hollywood No. 6 · as SelfActor
- 1944House of Frankenstein · as Dr. Gustav NiemannActor
- 1944The Mummy's Curse · as Kharis in Flashback (archive footage / uncredited)Actor
- 1944The Climax · as Dr. Friedrich HohnerActor
- 1945The Body Snatcher · as John GrayActor
- 1945Isle of the Dead · as Gen. Nikolas PheridesActor
- 1946Bedlam · as George SimsActor
- 1947The Secret Life of Walter Mitty · as Dr. HollingsheadActor
- 1947Lured · as Charles van DrutenActor
- 1947Unconquered · as Guyasuta, Chief of the SenecasActor
- 1947Dick Tracy Meets Gruesome · as GruesomeActor
- 1948Tap Roots · as TishomingoActor
- 1949Bud Abbott and Lou Costello Meet the Killer, Boris Karloff · as Swami TalpurActor
- 1951The Strange Door · as VoltanActor
- 1952The Black Castle · as Dr. MeissenActor
- 1953Abbott and Costello Meet Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde · as Dr. Henry Jekyll / Mr. HydeActor
- 1953Colonel March Investigates · as Colonel MarchActor
- 1954The Island Monster · as Don GaetanoActor
- 1955Sabaka · as General PollegarActor
- 1955A Connecticut Yankee · as King ArthurActor
- 1955Sting of Death · as Mr. MycroftActor
- 1956Rendezvous in Black · as Ward AllenActor
- 1957Voodoo Island · as Phillip KnightActor
- 1957The Juggler of Our Lady · as Narrator (voice)Actor
- 1957The Lark · as Bishop CauchonActor
- 1958Corridors of Blood · as Dr. Thomas BoltonActor
- 1958Frankenstein 1970 · as Baron Viktor von FrankensteinActor
- 1958Grip of the Strangler · as James RankinActor
- 1958Destination Nightmare · as Host / Ira Perry / Pete Wade Sr. / Professor Charles Goncourt / Morgan DebsActor
- 1958Jack the Ripper · as Host / Capt. John Elwood / Jonas Atterbury / Dr. Francis MasonActor
- 1958Heart of Darkness · as Mr. KurtzActor
- 1960The Fatal Impulse · as SelfActor
- 1960Who Killed Chung Ling Soo? · as NarratorActor
- 1961Days of Thrills and Laughter · as Self (archive footage)Actor
- 1961The Grim Reaper · as SelfActor
- 1962Little Lost Robot · as HostActor
- 1962Arsenic & Old Lace · as Jonathan BrewsterActor
- 1962The Incredible Doktor Markesan · as Dr. Konrad MarkesanActor
- 1962Lizard's Leg and Owlet's WingActor
- 1962The StormActor
- 1963Black Sabbath · as Gorca (segment "The Wurdalak")Actor
- 1963The Raven · as Dr. ScarabusActor
- 1963The Terror · as Baron Victor Frederick Von LeppeActor
- 1964The Comedy of Terrors · as Amos HinchleyActor
- 1964Bikini Beach · as Art DealerActor
- 1964A Fool's World · as NarratorActor
- 1964Horror!!! · as SelfActor
- 1964Today's Teens · as NarratorActor
- 1965Die, Monster, Die! · as Nahum WitleyActor
- 1966How the Grinch Stole Christmas! · as Narrator / The Grinch (voice)Actor
- 1966The Ghost in the Invisible Bikini · as The CorpseActor
- 1966The Daydreamer · as The Rat (voice)Actor
- 1966The Venetian Affair · as Dr. Pierre VaugiroudActor
- 1967Mad Monster Party? · as Baron Boris von Frankenstein (voice)Actor
- 1967The Sorcerers · as Prof. Marcus MonserratActor
- 1968Targets · as Byron OrlokActor
- 1968Curse of the Crimson Altar · as Professor John MarshActor
- 1968Fear Chamber · as Dr. Carl MandelActor
- 1968Macabre Serenade · as Matthias MortevalActor
- 1968The Movie Orgy · as Self (archive footage)Actor
- 1968Cauldron of Blood · as Franz BadulescuActor
- 1970Hatchet for the Honeymoon · as Gorca (archive footage)Actor
- 1971Isle of the Snake People · as Carl van Molder / DamballahActor
- 1971Alien Terror · as Prof. John MayerActor
- 1974Madhouse · as (archive footage)Actor
- 1974The Horror Hall of Fame: A Monster Salute · as Self (archive footage)Actor
- 1975Brother, Can You Spare a Dime? · as Self (archive footage)Actor
- 1979The Horror Show · as (archive footage)Actor
- 1980Monsters on the March (and a Pair of Marvels!)Actor
- 1982Oops, Those Hollywood Bloopers! · as Self (archive footage)Actor
- 1983The Horror of It All · as Frankenstein / Cabman John Gray (archive footage)Actor
- 1984Going Hollywood: The '30s · as (archive footage)Actor
- 1985Don't Scream: It's Only a Movie! · as SelfActor
- 1987Creepy Classics · as Dr. Scarabus - (archive footage)Actor
- 1988Hollywood Scandals and Tragedies · as (archive footage) (uncredited)Actor
- 1989Transylvania Twist · as Man in Room (archive footage)Actor
- 1990Myrna Loy: So Nice to Come Home To · as (archive footage)Actor
- 1990Abbott and Costello in the Movies · as ArchivalActor
- 1991Frankenstein: A Cinematic Scrapbook · as The Monster / Gustav Niemann / Dr. Jekyll / Mr. Hyde / etc.Actor
- 1991Dracula: A Cinematic Scrapbook · as Doctor Gustav Niemann (archive footage)Actor
- 1991Halloween Monster Bash · as Baron Von Leppe (archive footage)Actor
- 1992Dracula in the Movies · as (archive footage)Actor
- 1994How the Grinch Stole Christmas! Special Edition · as (voice - archive footage)Actor
- 1994Abbott and Costello Meet Jerry Seinfeld · as Self (archive footage)Actor
- 1996The Universal Story · as Self (archive footage)Actor
- 1998Universal Horror · as (archive footage)Actor
- 1999The 'Frankenstein' Files: How Hollywood Made a Monster · as Self (archive footage)Actor
- 1999Monster by Moonlight! The Immortal Saga of 'The Wolf Man' · as Self (archive footage)Actor
- 2000The American Nightmare · as SelfActor
- 2000Mummy Dearest: A Horror Tradition Unearthed · as Self (archive footage)Actor
- 2000The Many Faces of Dracula · as The Monster (archive footage)Actor
- 2001Heroes of Horror · as (archive footage)Actor
- 2003The Mesmerist · as (archive footage)Actor
- 2004Monster Movie Trivia QuizActor
- 2006Karloff: The Gentle Monster · as Self (archive footage)Actor
- 2006Lugosi: The Dark Prince · as Self (archive footage)Actor
- 2006Terror in the Tropics · as Mr. Wong (archive footage)Actor
- 2007Bela Lugosi: The Fallen Vampire · as Himself (archive footage)Actor
- 2007Famous Monster: Forrest J Ackerman · as Self (archive footage)Actor
- 2007Ian Rankin Investigates: Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde · as Cabman John Gray (archive footage)Actor
- 2008He Who Made Monsters: The Life and Art of Jack Pierce · as Self (archive footage)Actor
- 2012The Complete Bob Wilkins Creature FeaturesActor
- 2013Classic Movie Bloopers: Uncensored · as Self (archive footage)Actor
- 2013A Masque of Madness (Notes on Film 06-B, Monologue 02) · as Self (archive footage)Actor
- 2014Monster Madness: The Golden Age of the Horror Film · as Various roles (archive footage)Actor
- 2015Jack Pierce: The Man Who Made the Monsters · as Self (archive footage)Actor
- 2015True Fear: The Making of Psycho · as SelfActor
- 2021Boris Karloff: The Man Behind the Monster · as Self (archive footage)Actor
- 2021Hollywood in the Atomic Age: Monsters! Martians! Mad Scientists! · as Self (archive footage)Actor
- 2022Boris Karloff: The Rest of the Story · as Self - IntervieweeActor
- 2024The Last Repair Shop · as The Monster (archive footage) (uncredited)Actor
- 2025Legacy of Screams: The Evolution of Horror Movies · as Self (archive footage)Actor
- 2026The Orbit of Minor Satellites · as Roger Ashley NortonActor
Filmography data from TMDB. The profile text is a draft written for Cinespective.