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In 1931, Universal Pictures enlisted James Whale, a seasoned stage director, to helm a film adaptation of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. Whale faced the daunting task of casting an actor who could embody the monster—someone who appeared terrifying yet conveyed a hint of humanity beneath the stitched-together corpse.
Boris Karloff masterfully brought the misunderstood creature to life, blending vulnerability with an eerie presence. The film Frankenstein became a blockbuster, propelling Karloff to fame and cementing his status as a horror icon. Dive into these 13 intriguing facts about the legendary actor.
1. Boris Karloff was not the name he was born with.
Born on November 23, 1887, in South London as William Henry Pratt, he later chose the stage name Boris Karloff in the late 1910s. His daughter, Sara, revealed that he believed the name Pratt might not bring luck on a marquee, possibly due to its association with pratfalls. (Interestingly, the Frankenstein star never legally changed his name.) He also claimed that some of his ancestors used the surname “Karloff,” though this remains unverified.
2. Before landing his iconic role in Frankenstein, Boris Karloff appeared in over 70 films, often in minor roles.
Karloff’s journey in acting started on stage, including a decade-long tour in theaters across Canada. After entering the film industry in 1919, he took on numerous small, often uncredited roles in both silent films and talkies.
These roles were far from prestigious—Karloff frequently portrayed stereotypical Native American and Arabic villains in low-budget Westerns and serials. However, he did occasionally work alongside notable actors, such as his supporting role in the 1931 Best Picture nominee Five Star Final, which starred Edward G. Robinson.
3. To make ends meet between acting jobs, Boris Karloff worked as a cement truck driver.
Even with consistent movie appearances, Karloff faced financial difficulties throughout the 1920s. To make ends meet, he took on various odd jobs, including driving a cement truck in Los Angeles. After a quick driving lesson from a friend one Sunday, Karloff secured the job the very next day. He continued to pursue his acting career, often needing to take days off from trucking to attend auditions and shoots.
4. The opportunity to play Frankenstein’s Monster first came to Boris Karloff in a studio cafeteria.
During a lunch break at the Universal Studios commissary, Karloff was approached by James Whale, who invited him for coffee. Whale asked if Karloff would test for a role the following day. When Karloff inquired about the part, Whale replied, “For a damned awful monster!” Though initially taken aback by the description, Karloff was thrilled at the prospect of another job. He later recalled feeling slightly offended, as he was dressed in his best suit and makeup at the time.
5. Boris Karloff endured lengthy makeup sessions to transform into his iconic monster roles.
For the original
6. Boris Karloff formed a close bond with child actress Marilyn Harris during the filming of Frankenstein.
Marilyn Harris, who played little Maria—the girl tragically drowned by Frankenstein’s monster during a lakeside scene—was just 7 years old during production. Unlike others, she wasn’t intimidated by Karloff’s monstrous appearance. Noticing that no one wanted to share a limo with Karloff in his monster costume, Harris grabbed his hand and offered, “I’ll ride with you.” Karloff responded warmly, “Will you, darling?” Harris later recalled, “There was something about him. He was very special, a kind and gentle man.”
7. Boris Karloff appeared in the original version of Scarface.
While many know the 1983 Al Pacino remake of this gangster film, Karloff played mobster Tom Gaffney in the 1932 original. (Spoiler: His character meets a grim end in a bowling alley.)
8. Boris Karloff was one of the founding members of the Screen Actors Guild.
Karloff not only endured grueling hours in Jack Pierce’s makeup chair but also suffered a severe back injury during the filming of Frankenstein. Advocating for fair treatment and safer working conditions, he became an early member of the Screen Actors Guild (SAG), founded in 1933. Karloff was the ninth actor to receive a membership card in what would become one of Hollywood’s most influential unions.
Today, SAG-AFTRA, formed by the 2012 merger of SAG and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, represents approximately 160,000 actors and media professionals.
9. Boris Karloff made memorable appearances on TV shows like Route 66 and The Red Skelton Show.
In 1968, Karloff performed a horror-themed duet with Vincent Price on The Red Skelton Show. Though his final film portrayal of the Frankenstein monster was in 1939’s Son of Frankenstein, he reprised the role for a 1962 episode of CBS’s Route 66. Additionally, his 1966 Butter-Nut Coffee commercial remains a delightful gem for fans.
10. Boris Karloff humorously mocked his own career in the popular play Arsenic & Old Lace.
Written by Joseph Kesselring, the darkly comedic play Arsenic & Old Lace debuted on Broadway in January 1941. The role of Jonathan Brewster, a killer who alters his appearance through plastic surgery, was tailored for Karloff. Initially hesitant due to his limited Broadway experience, Karloff was convinced when producer Russel Crouse recited one of Jonathan’s lines during a meeting.
“You’ve just killed a man,” Crouse explained, setting the scene. “[And] when asked why, you reply, ‘I killed him because he said I looked like Boris Karloff.’” Amused by the self-deprecating humor, Karloff accepted the role. The play enjoyed a successful run of 1444 performances. However, Karloff couldn’t reprise his role in the 1944 film version, as Raymond Massey took over the part.
11. Val Lewton’s horror films offered Boris Karloff a refreshing change of pace.
The House of Frankenstein (1944) is often considered the first “monster mash,” uniting Dracula, the Wolf Man, and Frankenstein’s monster in one Universal production. Karloff played Dr. Gustav Niemann, the mad scientist orchestrating the chaos. Though he passed the monster role to Glenn Strange, Karloff grew weary of such creature-centric films.
Val Lewton, head of RKO Studios’ horror division, reinvigorated Karloff’s career by focusing on atmospheric suspense rather than monster-driven plots. He cast Karloff as a grave robber in The Body Snatcher (1945), a stranded soldier in Isle of the Dead (1945), and a cruel asylum director in Bedlam (1946). Karloff appreciated the shift, with the Los Angeles Times noting, “Mr. Karloff deeply admired Mr. Lewton for rescuing him from the monotony of monster roles and reviving his passion for acting.”
12. Boris Karloff was passionate about playing cricket.
“I wasn’t very good, but I gave it my all,” Karloff remarked about his cricket skills. He was a dedicated member of the Hollywood Cricket Club, an amateur team that included notable figures like Laurence Olivier, Errol Flynn, Elizabeth Taylor, and writer P.G. Wodehouse.
13. Boris Karloff’s love for poetry led to his role in Chuck Jones’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas.
Karloff had a deep appreciation for poetry and often enthusiastically recited classic poems on film sets. In the 1950s and 1960s, he narrated Rudyard Kipling stories for children’s albums, which impressed Chuck Jones, the director of the 1966 TV special How the Grinch Stole Christmas. Karloff was chosen as the show’s narrator, delivering a memorable performance just three years before his passing.
In a letter to Karloff’s widow, Jones wrote, “It’s clear that How the Grinch Stole Christmas will remain a holiday classic for generations. Much of its success is due to Mr. Karloff’s thoughtful and heartfelt narration. His talent will continue to bring joy and Christmas spirit to children for years to come.”
