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Boris Karloff
1887-1969
Updated 4/20/2008 with more films available on DVD!
biography
Born William Henry Pratt in London, England, in November 1887, Boris Karloff was born into a family of British diplomats. He married stage actress Olive Wilton in 1909, and Karloff himself was bitten by the acting bug. The marriage didn't last long, and he soon left Britain for North America, where he honed his skills as an actor. He made his film bow in 1916, and by 1919 Karloff was appearing in films frequently. Throughout the 1920s, Karloff acted in dozens of films but never had the breakthrough role he needed. But in 1931, when Bela Lugosi turned down the role of the monster in the Universal Studios film Frankenstein, Karloff finally found success.
Universal's horror films kept the struggling studio afloat in the difficult times of Depression-era America. Studio executives hit upon the idea of putting their two most famous horror actors, Karloff and Bela Lugosi, in a film to boost box office revenues. Karloff and Lugosi first costarred in the 1934 film The Black Cat. The film was indeed a success, ensuring Karloff and Lugosi would be teamed again. In total, they made seven films together, including The Raven (1935), The Invisible Ray (1936), and Black Friday (1940). Their final film teaming came in the 1945 RKO release The Body Snatcher.
the films of boris karloff
Frankenstein (1931)
Karloff in Universal's Frankenstein
The Mask of Fu Manchu (1932)
Boris Karloff begins to torture Charles Starrett in MGM's horror flick The Mask of Fu Manchu
The Mummy (1932)
From Universal's The Mummy, my favorite Karloff film. RIGHT: With Zita Johann. CENTER and RIGHT: As Imhotep, aka Ardath Bey
The Black Cat (1934)
Still from Universal's The Black Cat, the studio's top earner for 1934
The Lost Patrol (1934)
As a prisoner in RKO's The Lost Patrol
The Bride of Frankenstein (1935)
From The Bride of Frankenstein. LEFT: Horror make-up artists softened the look of Frankenstein's monster to make him look less menacing and more deserved of sympathy. RIGHT: Karloff has a smoke on the set
Mr. Wong, Detective (1938)
As the title character, Karloff made five films in Monogram's Mr. Wong series; this photo is from the first, Mr. Wong, Detective
Devil's Island (1939)
Karloff in an uncharacteristic role as the victim in the drama Devil's Island
Son of Frankenstein (1939)
LEFT: Bela Lugosi as Ygor supports Boris Karloff in his last outing as Frankenstein's monster in the stylish Son of Frankenstein. RIGHT: With Basil Rathbone
Black Friday (1940)
From Universal's noirish horror flick Black Friday
The Fatal Hour (1940)
As Chinese detective Mr. Wong in Monogram's The Fatal Hour
The Body Snatcher (1945)
From RKO's The Body Snatcher
Isle of the Dead (1945)
With Marc Cramer in RKO's horror flick Isle of the Dead
The Black Castle (1952)
As Doctor Meissen in Universal's The Black Castle
Frankenstein 1970 (1958)
From the Allied Artists' release Frankenstein 1970
Corridors of Blood (1962)
As Dr. Thomas Bolton in the effective thriller Corridors of Blood
The Terror (1963)
With Jack Nicholson in AIP's cult favorite The Terror
later years
Although he was very ill and often confined to a wheelchair, into the 1960s Boris Karloff worked steadily, often for American International Pictures in such films as The Ghost in the Invisible Bikini (1966; with Aron Kincaid and Tommy Kirk) and Bikini Beach (1964; with Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello). One of his final acting assignments came in the brilliant low-budget Peter Bogdanovich effort Targets (1968), in which Bogdanovich also acted. Karloff passed away at age 81 in February 1969 after a long battle with emphysema. A few Mexican and Spanish-made films, shot between 1966 and 1968, were released after his death, including Cauldron of Blood (1970; with Jean-Pierre Aumont).
Frankenstein: The Legacy Collection [DVD] DVD
Mary Shelley's man-made monster is the focus of this two-disc boxed set. Boris Karloff is unforgettable as the creature who comes to life, takes a mate (briefly), and terrorizes his master's scion in "Frankenstein" (1931), with Colin Clive and Mae Clarke; "Bride of Frankenstein" (1935), co-starring Clive and Elsa Lanchester; and "Son of Frankenstein" (1939), with Basil Rathbone and Bela Lugosi as Ygor. Then, Lon Chaney, Jr. portrays the monster in "Ghost of Frankenstein" (1942), co-starring Lugosi; and mad doctor Karloff must deal with Chaney's Wolf Man, John Carradine's Count Dracula, and Glenn Strange as the monster in "House of Frankenstein" (1945). 6 1/2 hrs. total. Standard; Soundtrack: English Dolby Digital mono; Subtitles: French, Sp
The Mummy: The Legacy Collection [DVD] DVD
You're certain to get wrapped up in this two-disc set. Boris Karloff embarks on a murderous search for his reincarnated lover in "The Mummy" (1932), with Edward Van Sloan, David Manners. Next, "The Mummy's Hand" (1940) belongs to Tom Tyler, as he attempts to kill the defilers of an ancient tomb. Then, Lon Chaney, Jr. emerges from "The Mummy's Tomb" (1942) and proceeds to terrorize Dick Foran and Elyse Knox; and "The Mummy's Ghost" (1944) has him finding his dead love reborn in the guise of a college student. John Carradine, George Zucco co-star. Finally, Chaney, Jr. and princess Virginia Christine reveal "The Mummy's Curse" (1944) to scientists in Louisiana. 5 1/2 hrs. total. Standard; Soundtrack: English Dolby Digital mono; audio commentary.
The Boris Karloff Collection [DVD] DVD
Boris Karloff is an ailing scientist who gets abducted by a gang of thieves who want to get their hands on his latest invention: a device that neutralizes burglar alarms, in "Night Key" (1937). Jean Rogers co-stars. The bloody reign of King Richard III is chronicled in "Tower of London" (1939), with Basil Rathbone as the crippled monarch who eliminates all rivals with the help of bald, clubfooted executioner Karloff. A young Vincent Price also stars. "The Climax" (1944) has Karloff as a Paris Opera House physician obsessed with a beautiful singer he believes to be the reincarnation of the star he murdered years earlier. Based on a Robert Louis Stevenson story, "The Strange Door" (1951) stars Charles Laughton as a 17th-century nobleman who imprisons his brother in a dungeon after he marries Laughton's true love. Karloff co-stars as Laughton's reluctant henchman. And, "The Black Castle" (1952) follows an English aristocrat who vows revenge against the 18th-century Austrian count who murdered two of his friends. Karloff and Lon Chaney, Jr. star. 6 3/4 hrs. total on three discs. Standard; Soundtrack: English Dolby Digital mono; Subtitles: English (SDH), French.
Boris Karloff: Icons Of Horror Collection [DVD] DVD
It's four times the terror from Boris Karloff with this quartet of shockers. First, Boris stars as twin brothers, one good and one evil, under the influence of an ancient curse. The wicked one follows a path of depravity and evil that leads to the secret of "The Black Room" (1935). With Marian Marsh, Robert Allen. Scientist Karloff is executed for his illegal work in organ transplants and suspended animation, only to be revived by his assistant so the two can plot a campaign of revenge, in "The Man They Could Not Hang" (1939). Byron Foulger, Lorna Gray co-star. Next, Karloff is a doctor experimenting with ways of arresting the aging process who becomes younger thanks to a blood transfusion, but the blood came from a condemned murderer! Edward Van Sloan and Evelyn Keyes co-star in "Before I Hang" (1940). And, the horror/comedy "The Boogie Man Will Get You" (1942) finds deranged doc Karloff selling his house to a woman who turns it into a hotel, providing endless subjects for Boris' plan to breed a race of superhumans. Peter Lorre and Maxie Rosenbloom co-star. 4 1/2 hrs. total on two discs. Standard; Soundtrack: English.
The Best Of Bud Abbott And Lou Costello, Vol. 3 [DVD] DVD
The laughs are out of this world as "Abbott & Costello Go to Mars" (1959); they star as wrestling promoters who get involved with a sexy spy in "Abbott & Costello in the Foreign Legion" (1950); "Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein" (1948) while trying to dodge Bela Lugosi (as Dracula); it takes a doctor's invisibility serum to help catch a crook in "Abbott & Costello Meet the Invisible Man" (1950); Bud and Lou suspect a swami of murder in "Abbott & Costello Meet the Killer, Boris Karloff" (1949); the fellows search for gold in backwoods Kentucky in "Comin' Round the Mountain" (1951); they get "Lost in Alaska" (1952) while trying to help a prospector; and a stock scheme sends the duo south of the border in "Mexican Hayride" (1948). 10 3/4 hrs. on two discs. Standard; Soundtrack: English Dolby Digital mono; Subtitles: Spanish, French.
The Best Of Bud Abbott And Lou Costello, Vol. 4 [DVD] DVD
Two American cops are sent to London where they find themselves in the throes of terror when they become mixed up with the menacing mad doc (Boris Karloff) with the split personality in "Abbott and Costello Meet Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" (1953); the boys are duped into purchasing a ramshackle silent film studio and head from Hollywood to New York to catch the culprit in "Abbott and Costello Meet the Keystone Kops" (1955); Bud and Lou get wrapped up in riotous comedy when they head to Egypt in search of hidden treasure in "Abbott and Costello Meet the Mummy" (1955); "The World of Abbott and Costello" (1965) is a collection of the pair's greatest movie bits, including the classic "Who's on First?"; "Abbott and Costello Meet Jerry Seinfeld" (1994) in this clip-laden tribute, hosted by Seinfeld, to the duo that served as one of his early influences; and the documentary "Abbott and Costello Meet the Monsters" (2000) features interviews with Chris Costello and Bela Lugosi, Jr., as well as rare outtakes, production stills and a poster slideshow. 6 1/2 hrs. total. Standard; Soundtrack: English Dolby Digital mono; Subtitles: English (SDH), Spanish, French.
Boris Karloff Double Feature [DVD] DVD
Includes "Mr. Wong, Detective" and "The Fatal Hour." Standard; Soundtrack: English mono; scene access.
Boris Karloff Classics [DVD] DVD
Two-disc set includes "The Ghoul" (1933), "The Ape," "Dick Tracy Meets Gruesome," and "The Terror" (1963).
Tales Of Tomorrow, Vol. 4 VHS
A trio of time-travel stories opens with scientist Boris Karloff using his time machine to go back to 1910 and become the "discoverer" of penicillin in "Past Tense." Then, small-time crook Leslie Nielsen gets an opportunity to change his identity and relive the last seven years of his life, but will history repeat itself, in "Another Chance"; and a gang of art thieves makes a deal with a mystery woman from the future in Arthur C. Clarke's "All the Time in the World," with Don Hamner and Esther Ralston. 78 min.
This Is Your Life: The Ultimate Collection, Vol. 1 [DVD] DVD
Eighteen episodes--including salutes to Laurel and Hardy, Lou Costello, Bette Davis, Jayne Mansfield, Roy Rogers, Johnny Cash, Milton Berle, Betty White, Bobby Darin, Dick Clark, The Carpenters, Shirley Jones, Jesse Owens, Duke Kahanamoku, Boris Karloff, Vincent Price, and others--are featured in a three-disc set. 8 hrs. total. Standard; Soundtrack: English.
Dynamite Dan [DVD](1924) DVD
After decking his boss, fast-fisted freight company worker Dan becomes a fugitive when he is framed for robbing his employers. While trying to avoid the law, he takes a job at the school where his girlfriend works and is forced to protect her from some vicious thugs. But when he accidentally knocks out a boxing champ, Dan discovers that he may have a career as a pugilist. Kenneth MacDonald, Diana Alden, Boris Karloff, and Frank Rice star in this silent melodrama. 61 min. Standard; Soundtrack: music score. Plays All Regions. Silent with music score.
The Bells [DVD](1926) DVD
Silent melodrama of murder and guilt in a small European village stars Lionel Barrymore as the town's burgomeister, who harbors a murderous secret, and Boris Karloff as the sinister-looking mesmerist who may uncover Barrymore's crime. Along with the restored and tinted print, this disc also includes Rene Clair's 1923 experiment in cinematic surrealism, "The Crazy Ray." 88 min. Standard; Soundtrack: English Dolby Digital mono.
Tarzan And The Golden Lion [DVD](1927) DVD
Action-packed silent Tarzan film stars James Pierce (who originated the role on radio and was married to Edgar Rice Burroughs' daughter Joan) as the loincloth-clad hero. After searching for a legendary city of diamonds, the jungle-dwelling hero and his pet lion help rescue a beautiful maiden from worshippers seeking to sacrifice her in order to please their god. With Frederick Murphy, Edna Murphy, Harold Goodwin, and Boris Karloff. 59 min. Standard; Soundtrack: music score. Plays All Regions. Silent with music score.
Frankenstein (75th Anniversary Edition) [DVD](1931) DVD
One of the all-time chillers. Boris Karloff became a screen legend for his portrayal of the monster brought to life by mad scientist Colin Clive. With Mae Clarke, Dwight Frye, Edward Van Sloan; restored version contains scenes not shown since the film's original release (how did that girl get in the lake?). 71 min. Standard; Soundtrack: English Dolby Digital mono; Subtitles: English (SDH), French, Spanish. Two-disc set.
King Of The Wild [DVD](1931) DVD
The whereabouts of a fabulous diamond mine in India is a secret that men will kill for, as adventurer Walter Miller learns in a thrill-packed chapterplay that also features a pre-"Frankenstein" Boris Karloff as a wicked lascar. 12 wild episodes. Standard; Soundtrack: English.
Tonight Or Never [DVD](1931) DVD
Gloria Swanson is an opera singer on holiday in Venice with her teacher/lover who is intrigued by handsome Melvyn Douglas, whom she believes to be a gigolo. After spending an evening with him, though, Swanson not only falls for him but learns to sing with the passion she lacked before. Ferdinand Gottschalk, Boris Karloff also star; directed by Mervyn LeRoy ("Little Caesar") and photographed by Gregg Toland ("Citizen Kane"). 80 min. Standard; Soundtrack: English mono; scene access.
Smart Money [DVD](1931) DVD
The only screen pairing of Edward G. Robinson and James Cagney, this snappy crime drama finds them playing small-town barbers who ride a winning streak on Robinson's gambling skills. But when they lose to some swindlers, the duo heads to the big city and are soon running their own high-stakes racket. Evalyn Knapp, Margaret Livingston, and an uncredited Boris Karloff also star. 81 min. Standard; Soundtrack: English Dolby Digital mono; Subtitles: English (SDH), French; audio commentary; newsreel footage; bonus shorts "George Jessel and His Russian Art Choir" (1931), "The Smart Set-Up" (1931), "Big Man from the North" (1931); theatrical trailers.
Scarface [DVD](1932) DVD
One of the earliest and most powerful gangster films ever made, courtesy of producer Howard Hughes, director Howard Hawks and co-writer Ben Hecht. Paul Muni became a star with his portrayal of bloodthirsty mobster Tony Carmonte (modeled after "Scarface" Al Capone). With Ann Dvorak, Boris Karloff, Osgood Perkins (father of Anthony), and coin-flipper George Raft. 94 min. Standard; Soundtrack: English Dolby Digital mono; Subtitles: English (SDH), French; alternate ending.
The Old Dark House [DVD](1932) DVD
A classic mix of thrills, scares and laughs from "Frankenstein" director James Whale in which six travelers seek refuge from a storm in a decrepit mansion in Wales, only to be frightened by the creepy, eccentric family living there (especially hideously scarred butler Boris Karloff). With Charles Laughton, Melvyn Douglas, Ernest Thesiger, Gloria Stuart. 72 min. Standard; Soundtrack: English; audio commentary by Stuart; interview; photo gallery.
The Mummy [DVD](1932) DVD
Karloff is mesmerizing as the 3,700-year-old mummy brought to life when his tomb is uncovered by archeologists. He then sets out in a bloody path of vengeance while searching for his reincarnated lover. Edward Van Sloan, David Manners and Zita Johann co-star; Karl Freund directs. 72 min. Standard; Soundtrack: English Dolby Digital 2.0; audio commentary; "making of" documentary; theatrical trailer; production notes; biographies; filmographies; web links. NOTE: This Title Is Out Of Print; Limit One Per Customer.
Hollywood Legends Of Horror Collection [DVD] DVD
"Doctor X" (1932) is an early shock classic with Lionel Atwill as a Long Island scientist suspected to be behind a series of gruesome slayings. Fay Wray co-stars. Humphrey Bogart's first--and last--horror role was in the in-name-only sequel "The Return of Doctor X" (1939), as a reporter tries to link a medical researcher to a succession of corpses that have been drained of blood. With Wayne Morris, Rosemary Lane. "The Mask of Fu Manchu" (1932) finds the infamous Asian mastermind (Boris Karloff) and his diabolical daughter (Myrna Loy) raiding the tomb of Genghis Khan. "Mad Love" (1935) stars Peter Lorre as a deranged surgeon obsessed with an actress in Paris' gory Grand Guignol theatre. Director Tod Browning's chiller "Mark of the Vampire" (1935) stars Lionel Barrymore as a vampire hunter who goes up against an undead family led by Bela Lugosi. And Browning's classic "The Devil Doll" (1936) stars Barrymore as a prison escapee who sends unique assassins after the men who wronged him...human beings shrunken to 12 inches high! With Maureen O'Sullivan. 7 hrs. total on three discs. Standard; Soundtrack: English Dolby Digital mono.
The Ghoul [DVD](1933) DVD
Boris Karloff's first starring film role in his native England, and Britain's first true horror feature, was this long-lost tale of a famed Egyptologist who returns from the dead to wreak vengeance on the thieves of a sacred jewel. With Cedric Hardwicke, Ernest Thesiger, and the screen debut of Ralph Richardson. 73 min. Standard; Soundtrack: English Dolby Digital mono; Subtitles: English, French, Spanish.
The Bela Lugosi Collection [DVD] DVD
"Murders in the Rue Morgue" (1932) stars Bela Lugosi as a mad doctor whose sideshow is a front for bizarre experiments that involve kidnapping beautiful young women and injecting them with blood from his pet gorilla. Then, Lugosi and Boris Karloff team up for the first time in "The Black Cat" (1934), Edgar G. Ulmer's macabre chiller about a Balkan castle, built over a WWI graveyard, that becomes the site for a battle of wills between psychiatrist Lugosi and devil-worshipper Karloff. Next, "The Raven" (1935) stars Lugosi as a Poe-obsessed plastic surgeon who invites a beautiful patient, her fiance and her father to his retreat and, with the aid of criminal Karloff, imprisons and tortures them. With Irene Ware, Samuel Hinds. A radioactive meteorite infects a scientist with a touch of death in "The Invisible Ray" (1936), which features Lugosi and Karloff as feuding researchers. And, in "Black Friday" (1940), scientist Karloff transfers the brain of a gangster into the body of an injuredEnglish professor who takes on the hood's traits and seeks revenge against rival mobster Lugosi. 5 1/2 hrs. total. Standard; Soundtrack: English Dolby Digital mono; Subtitles: French, Spanish.
Bride Of Frankenstein [DVD](1935) DVD
Boris Karloff's back as the monster and Elsa Lanchester's got him! This teaming results in one of the greatest horror films ever, filled with terror, suspense, miniature people, mad doctors and wit. Colin Clive is the creator; Ernest Thesiger is Dr. Pretorious; James Whale directs. 75 min. Standard; Soundtrack: English Dolby Digital mono; Subtitles: French; audio commentary; "making of" documentary; filmographies; theatrical trailer.
Charlie Chan, Vol. 2 [DVD] DVD
Warner Oland returns as Charlie Chan for another round of whodunits. Considered by many to be the best of the Chan films, "Charlie Chan at the Opera" (1936) has Charlie and Lee Chan (Keye Luke) looking into the murder of a diva and finding the prime suspect is her ex-asylum inmate husband (Boris Karloff). Charlotte Henry co-stars. Then, the death of a prominent horse breeder looks like a work-related accident, but Chan's investigation leads to a connection to a gambling ring, in "Charlie Chan at the Race Track" (1936). Luke also stars. The Asian gumshoe must sift through a wild list of suspects when a murder occurs under the big top, in "Charlie Chan at the Circus" (1936). And, working for the U.S. Navy, Chan heads to Berlin, where he clashes with a local policeman while trying to rescue #1 son Lee from a cadre of international spies, in "Charlie Chan at the Olympics" (1937). With Luke, Fredrick Vogeding. 4 2/3 hrs. total on four discs. Standard; Soundtrack: English Dolby Digital mono; featurettes; theatrical trailers.
The Man Who Changed His Mind (The Man Who Lived Again) [DVD](1936) DVD
One of Karloff's best mad scientist roles was in this British melodrama, about a deranged inventor with a matter transfer machine he uses to switch men's brains from one body to another. With Anna Lee, John Loder, Cecil Parker; directed by Robert Stevenson. 65 min. Standard; Soundtrack: English.
Juggernaut [DVD](1937) DVD
Unusual crime drama stars Boris Karloff as a doctor, forced to give up his research for lack of funds, who gets an offer of money from a millionaire's wife...if he'll help her murder her husband. 62 min. Standard; Soundtrack: English. Plays All Regions.
Mr. Wong Mystery Collection (4-DVD Set) [DVD] DVD
Packaged in a lacquered wooden display case, this four-disc set includes "The Mystery of Mr. Wong," "Doomed to Die," "The Fatal Hour," and "Phantom of Chinatown."
Mr. Wong, Detective [DVD](1938) DVD
Following in the inscrutable footsteps of Charlie Chan and Mr. Moto, Boris Karloff portrayed Chinese-born crimefighter Mr. Wong in a series of classic "whodunits." Here Wong investigates a deadly gas that is also sought by foreign agents. With Grant Withers, John Hamilton. 70 min. Plays All Regions.
Mr. Wong In Chinatown [DVD](1939) DVD
Boris Karloff stars as the wily Oriental sleuth, out to solve the mysterious murder of a Chinese princess. He uncovers an international munitions plot and soon finds himself in danger, too. With Grant Withers, Marjorie Reynolds. 63 min. Standard; Soundtrack: English mono; scene access. Plays All Regions.
The Mystery Of Mr. Wong [DVD](1939) DVD
A priceless Chinese sapphire with a death curse is smuggled into America, and only Mr. Wong (Boris Karloff) can find the culprit. With Grant Withers, Craig Reynolds. 69 min. Standard; Soundtrack: English mono.
Son Of Frankenstein (1939)/The Ghost Of Frankenstein [DVD](1942) DVD
Third entry in the series stars Basil Rathbone as Wolf von Frankenstein, returning to the ancestral estate with his family to atone for his father's mistakes. With the aid of crippled shepherd Ygor (Bela Lugosi), he brings the monster (Boris Karloff) back to murderous life. Lionel Atwill co-stars. Then, Lon Chaney, Jr. replaces Karloff in the eerie fourth entry in Universal's series. Ygor (Lugosi) saves the monster from a sulphur pit and takes him to Baron Frankenstein (Cedric Hardwicke), who plans on giving the creature a "normal" brain. Ralph Bellamy, Lionel Atwill star. 168 min. total. Standard; Soundtrack: English Dolby Digital mono; Subtitles: French, Spanish; theatrical trailer; filmographies.
The Ape (1940)/British Intelligence [DVD](1940) DVD
Boris Karloff is a scientist experimenting with a cure for spinal disease: the transfusion of an ape's spinal fluid into humans. The result: monsters, shocks and screams. Then, taut suspense and a sinister performance by Boris Karloff, as a German spy posing as a butler in the British War Office, highlight this film about a plot to bomb the English cabinet. A remake of "Three Faces East," with Margaret Lindsay. 128 min. total. Standard; Soundtrack: English Dolby Digital mono; theatrical trailer.
Doomed To Die [DVD](1940) DVD
A mysterious fire destroys a luxury liner with 400 passengers and a fortune in Chinese bonds aboard, and only Mr. Wong (Boris Karloff) can solve the riddle. 67 min. Standard; Soundtrack: English mono. Plays All Regions.
British Intelligence [DVD](1940) DVD
Taut suspense and a sinister performance by Boris Karloff, as a German spy posing as a butler in the British War Office, highlight this film about a plot to bomb the English cabinet. A remake of "Three Faces East," with Margaret Lindsay. 62 min. Standard; Soundtrack: English mono. Plays All Regions.
The Fatal Hour [DVD](1940) DVD
The fourth entry in the Mr. Wong series stars Boris Karloff as the inscrutable detective, enlisted by baffled police to solve a series of murders surrounding a smuggling ring. Grant Withers and Marjorie Reynolds also appear. 67 min. Standard; Soundtrack: English mono. Plays All Regions.
The Man With Nine Lives [DVD](1940) DVD
Offbeat sci-fi tale stars Boris Karloff as a scientist who develops a cancer cure that involves placing the patient in a state of suspended animation and treating him or her with his controversial new serum. Accidentally frozen along with a group of test subjects, Karloff is thawed out years later, only to learn that his miracle drug has long been lost, driving him to the brink of madness in an attempt to make another batch. With Roger Pryor, Jo Ann Sayers, Wally Wales. AKA: "Behind the Door." 73 min. Standard; Soundtrack: English Dolby Digital mono; Subtitles: English, Japanese, French.
The Devil Commands [DVD](1941) DVD
Rarely seen and eerily effective sci-fi/horror shocker stars Boris Karloff as a scientist who, after his wife is killed in an auto accident, becomes obsessed with developing a machine for communicating with the dead. Anne Revere, Amanda Duff and Richard Fiske also star. 65 min. Standard; Soundtrack: English Dolby Digital mono; Subtitles: English, French.
Isle Of The Dead (1945)/Bedlam (1945) [DVD] DVD
Boris Karloff stars in a pair of eerie Val Lewton films. First, a plague quarantine strands some visitors on an isolated Greek island. Does a female vampire dwell among them, and can the travellers escape the "Isle of the Dead"? With Ellen Drew, Alan Napier. Next, the final Lewton thriller for RKO features Karloff as the sadistic keeper of the infamous 18th-century English asylum known as "Bedlam." When a young woman threatens to expose his abuses, Karloff has her committed to his less-than-tender mercies. Anna Lee, Richard Fraser co-star. 151 min. total. Standard; Soundtrack: English Dolby Digital mono; Subtitles: English, Spanish, French; audio commentary.
The Val Lewton Horror Collection [DVD] DVD
Along with "Cat People" (1942), "I Walked with a Zombie," "The Curse of the Cat People," "The Body Snatcher," "Isle of the Dead," "Bedlam," and "Martin Scorsese Presents: Val Lewton: The Man in the Shadows," this six-disc also includes two exclusive double features. First, a New Mexico town is filled with fear when a killer jungle cat is on the loose in "The Leopard Man" (1943), with Dennis O'Keefe and Jean Brooks; and the new third mate aboard a vessel discovers that his captain is sadistic maniac in "The Ghost Ship" (1943), starring Richard Dix and Russell Wade. Next, a women comes to New York City to look for her missing sister and uncovers a devil-worshipping cult in "The Seventh Victim" (1943), with Kim Hunter, Tom Conway and Jean Brooks; followed by "Shadows in the Dark: The Val Lewton Legacy," a documentary look at how the producer's '40s RKO tenure changed the face of screen horror. 13 1/4 hrs. total. Standard; Soundtrack: English; audio commentary; theatrical trailers.
Dick Tracy Collection (4-DVD Set) [DVD] DVD
Packaged in a lacquered wooden display case, this four-disc set includes "Dick Tracy, Detective," "Dick Tracy vs. Cueball," "Dick Tracy Meets Gruesome," and "Dick Tracy's Dilemma."
Dick Tracy Meets Gruesome [DVD](1947) DVD
Boris Karloff is the perfect "Gruesome," and he intends to freeze the whole town so that he can do his evil stuff. But he's no match for Dick Tracy, who's an expert at cooling him down. Ralph Byrd stars as Tracy. 65 min. Standard; Soundtrack: English. Plays All Regions.
Lured [DVD](1947) DVD
After her friend falls victim to a serial killer prowling the streets of London, American showgirl Lucille Ball agrees to work with Scotland Yard inspector Charles Coburn and serve as a decoy to trap the murderer. Glossy thriller from director Douglas Sirk also stars Boris Karloff and George Sanders as a dress designer and nightclub owner, respectively, who are among the prime suspects. 103 min. Standard; Soundtrack: English.
Unconquered [DVD](1947) DVD
On the American frontier of the mid-1700s, Virginia militia leader Gary Cooper has his hands full defending Fort Pitt from marauding Indians (led by chief Boris Karloff and supplied with guns by villainous trader Howard da Silva) while also romancing pretty colonist Paulette Goddard in this thrilling costume saga from Cecil B. DeMille. 146 min. Standard; Soundtrack: English Dolby Digital mono; Subtitles: English (SDH), French.
Island Monster (1953)/Chamber Of Fear [DVD](1968) DVD
King of Horror Boris Karloff stars in a pair of offbeat shockers. First, Italian narcotics smuggling ring leader Karloff must flee from the authorities, taking a government agent's young daughter hostage, in "Island Monster." With Franca Marzi, Patrizia Remiddi. AKA: "Monster of the Island." Next, Boris plays a demented scientist who needs the blood of frightened women to feed to a living rock creature that dwells inside a volcano in "Chamber of Fear," co-starring Carlos East and Julissa. AKA: "Fear Chamber," "The Torture Zone." 178 min. total. Widescreen; Soundtrack: English (dubbed) Dolby Digital mono; featurette.
Sabaka [DVD](1955) DVD
Exciting adventure film in the style of "Jungle Book" about an Indian elephant boy who searches for the human sacrificial cult that killed his parents. Nino Marcel, Boris Karloff, Victor Jory and June Foray star. AKA: "The Hindu." 89 min. Standard; Soundtrack: English mono. Plays All Regions.
Monsters And Madmen [DVD] DVD
First, "The Haunted Strangler" (1957) stars Boris Karloff as a novelist who has a startling revelation while investigating the case of the notorious "Haymarket Strangler," a man responsible for a series of gruesome murders. With Jean Kent, Elizabeth Allan. AKA: "Grip of the Strangler." Then, a 19th-century British doctor (Karloff) experimenting with anesthetics becomes addicted to his new drug and is later blackmailed by two Burke-and-Hare types to assist in their graverobbing, in "Corridors of Blood" (1958). Co-stars Christopher Lee. Next, "The Atomic Submarine" (1959) journeys to the North Pole to find the cause of disasters occurring in the world's oceans and finds a UFO controlled by a cyclopean creature on a mission of world destruction. Arthur Franz, Dick Foran, Tom Conway, and Sid Melton star. And, an American test pilot becomes the "First Man Into Space" (1959), only to turn into a hideous monster, in an early blending of horror and space-age sci-fi. Marshall Thompson, Maria Landi star. 5 1/4 hrs. total on four discs. Standard; Soundtrack: English Dolby Digital mono; Subtitles: English; audio commentary; interviews; photo gallery; theatrical trailers; more.
Voodoo Island (1957)/The Four Skulls Of Jonathan Drake [DVD](1960) DVD
First, "Voodoo Island" stars Boris Karloff as a professional debunker hired by a wealthy land developer to prove that the remote Pacific island he just purchased is free from any supernatural goings-on. But Karloff finds himself hip-deep in trouble after encountering a tribe of vicious savages and a carnivorous plant. Beverly Tyler, Elisha Cook, Jr. co-star. And, after his brother literally loses his head, Jonathan Drake realizes that his family is in the grip of an ancient South American curse--and he's the next victim. "The Four Skulls of Jonathan Drake" stars Eduard Franz, Paul Wexler, Valerie French. 148 min. total. Standard; Soundtrack: English Dolby Digital mono; Subtitles: English, French, Spanish.
Destination Nightmare [DVD](1958) DVD
A further trip into terror awaits, as Boris Karloff hosts this compilation of stories from his early TV entry "The Veil": "What Happened to Peggy" stars Denise Alexander, Olive Blakeney and Frances O'Farrell in the story of a young woman who awakens to find she's possessed by the spirit of a 10-year-old girl; Boris warns a man that the woman he recently met is his late niece in "Girl on the Road"; George Hamilton stars in "The Return of Madame Vernoy," in which a young woman plans to wed the older man she believes she was married to in a prior life; finally, in "Destination Nightmare," Karloff and his son see the ghostly face of a man who died in World War II in the clouds. 99 min. Standard; Soundtrack: English.
Jack The Ripper [DVD](1958) DVD
Third in a series of feature-length compilations from a British TV series made by Boris Karloff, who hosts and stars in each episode. A man witnesses a killing but can't prove it in "The Murder That Never Happened"; a missing will holds the key to saving a farm in "Where There's a Will"; and get a killer's-eye view of England's most famous criminal in "Jack the Ripper." 98 min. Standard; Soundtrack: English.
The Veil [DVD](1958) DVD
All 10 episodes--including "Vision of Crime," "Girl on the Raod," "The Doctors," "Genesis," and "Summer Heat"--are available in a two-disc set. 5 1/4 hrs. total. Standard; Soundtrack: English Dolby Digital mono; bonus episodes "13 Demon Street."
The Terror [DVD](1963) DVD
When "The Raven" finished shooting three days early, a thrifty Roger Corman used the cast and sets for this surprisingly effective chiller. Jack Nicholson plays a lieutenant in Napoleon's army who is haunted by a mysterious woman in mad baron Boris Karloff's sinister castle. With Sandra Knight and the great Dick Miller. 79 min. Standard; Soundtrack: English mono; theatrical trailer; scene access.
Black Sabbath (I Tre Volti Della Paura) [DVD](1963) DVD
Director Mario Bava offers a terrifying trilogy of shockers, hosted by Boris Karloff. A nurse steals a diamond ring from a corpse that doesn't take kindly to theft, a phone becomes a link between the living and the dead, and Karloff appears as a vampire fated to prey on his loved ones. AKA: "The Three Faces of Fear." 93 min. Widescreen (Enhanced); Soundtrack: Italian Dolby Digital mono; Subtitles: English; audio commentary; interview; TV spot; photo gallery; radio spot; biographies; theatrical trailer. In Italian with English subtitles.
Mondo Balordo [DVD](1964) DVD
Boris Karloff narrates this essential "mondo-mentary" that features transvestites, lesbian bars, native rituals, Hercules movies, Japanese bondage, a man who claims to be the reincarnation of Rudolph Valentino, and other weird, way-out subjects. 86 min. Standard; Soundtrack: English. Plays All Regions.
Die, Monster, Die! (1965)/The Dunwich Horror [DVD](1970) DVD
A recluse (Boris Karloff) given strange abilities from an unearthly meteor...a bloodthirsty cult worshipping obscene deities...and more chills per minute than the system can stand. Nick Adams, Suzan Farmer And Patrick Magee co-star in the shocker "Die, Monster, Die!," based on a short story by H.P. Lovecraft. And, also from the pen of Lovecraft comes the classic tale of suspense and terror "The Dunwich Horror." A young girl becomes a pawn in a deadly game of sorcery and a heritage of blood is unleashed. Sandra Dee, Dean Stockwell and, in his last film, Ed Begley, Sr. star. 157 min. total. Widescreen; Soundtracks: English Dolby Digital mono, French Dolby Digital mono; Subtitles: English, French, Spanish.
Ghost Of Dragstrip Hollow (1959)/Ghost In The Invisible Bikini (1966) [DVD] DVD
It's hot rods, hot bodies and haunted houses in this double bill of teen horror/comedies. Some rubber-burnin' guys and gals use an old mansion as their racing club's new hangout, but the building is apparently already home to the "Ghost of Dragstrip Hollow." Russ Bender, Jody Fair, and Leon Tyler as Bonzo the Clown star. Next, recently deceased Boris Karloff must perform a good deed to get into Heaven, so he convinces bikini-clad, ghostly ex-girlfriend Susan Hart to return to Earth and stop heir Tommy Kirk from being cheated out of his inheritance by crooked lawyer Basil Rathbone. The final official entry in the "Beach Party" series, "Ghost in the Invisible Bikini" also stars Deborah Walley, Nancy Sinatra, and Harvey Lembeck as Eric Von Zipper. 148 min. total. Standard/Widescreen (Enhanced); Soundtrack: English Dolby Digital mono; Subtitles: English, French, Spanish; theatrical trailer.
The Daydreamer [DVD](1966) DVD
The life of the young Hans Christian Andersen is shown in this delightful fantasy, with stop-motion animated sequences depicting his dreams of such stories as "The Little Mermaid," "Thumbelina" and "The Emperor's New Clothes." Paul O'Keefe, Jack Gilford and Margaret Hamilton star; Tallulah Bankhead, Patty Duke, Boris Karloff, Hayley Mills and Terry-Thomas are among the voice talents. 99 min. Standard; Soundtrack: English Dolby Digital mono; photo gallery; theatrical trailer.
Mad Monster Party? [DVD](1968) DVD
Boris Karloff and Phyllis Diller lend their voices to this spooky shindig that mixes marionettes, comedy and shivers. Old Dr. Frankenstein is retiring and throws a monster mash to announce his replacement. Dracula, the Werewolf, the Mummy, Dr. Jekyll and many other ghouls show up for some scary fun from Rankin-Bass Productions. 94 min. Standard; Soundtrack: English Dolby Digital mono; art gallery; theatrical trailer; photo gallery.
Dance Of Death [DVD](1968) DVD
A group of greedy relatives gathered to claim their inheritance, harmless musical toys that become mechanical monsters, and the legendary Boris Karloff are the elements of this Mexican-made shocker. With Andres Garcia, Julissa. AKA: "House of Evil," "Macabre Serenade." 73 min. Standard; Soundtrack: English Dolby Digital stereo.
The Snake People [DVD](1968) DVD
Zombies, an evil dwarf, a reptile woman, and scientist-turned-voodoo priest Boris Karloff turn up the terror on a South Pacific island. With Carlos East, Julissa. AKA: "Isle of the Snake People," "Cult of the Dead," "Isle of the Living Dead," "Cult of the Damned." 91 min. Standard; Soundtrack: English mono.
Fear Chamber (Chamber Of Fear) [DVD](1972) DVD
The King of Horror, Boris Karloff, stars in this terror tale of a mad scientist who needs the blood of frightened women to feed to a living rock creature. With Carlos East, Julissa. AKA: "The Torture Zone," "The Torture Chamber." 89 min. Widescreen (Enhanced); Soundtrack: English Dolby Digital 5.1; audio commentary.
Many Boris Karloff Posters Are Available at AllPosters.com!
filmography
FILM
The Fear Chamber (1972) with Isela Vega
Isle of the Snake People (1971)
Cauldron of Blood (1970) with Jean-Pierre Aumont and Viveca Lindfors
Mad Monster Party? (1969) with Phyllis Diller
The Crimson Cult (1968) with Christopher Lee and Barbara Steele
Dance of Death (1968)
Alien Terror (1968)
Targets (1968) with Peter Bogdanovich; written and directed by Peter Bogdanovich
The Sorcerers (1967) with Susan George
The Venetian Affair (1967) with Robert Vaughn, Elke Sommer, and Luciana Paluzzi
The Ghost in the Invisible Bikini (1966) with Tommy Kirk, Deborah Walley, Aron Kincaid, Quinn O'Hara, Pasty Kelly, Basil Rathbone, Susan Hart, and Francis X. Bushman
How the Grinch Stole Christmas! (1966)
Die, Monster, Die! (1965) with Nick Adams and Suzan Farmer
Mondo balordo (1964)
Bikini Beach (1964) with Frankie Avalon, Annette Funicello, John Ashley, Jody McCrea, and Donna Loren
The Comedy of Terrors (1963) with Vincent Price, Peter Lorre, and Joyce Jameson
The Raven (1963) with Vincent Price, Jack Nicholson, and Peter Lorre
The Terror (1963) with Jack Nicholson, Sandra Knight, and Dick Miller
Black Sabbath (1963) with Mark Damon
Corridors of Blood (1962) with Christopher Lee, Betta St. John, Nigel Green, and Yvonne Romain
The Haunted Strangler (1958)
Frankenstein 1970 (1958)
Voodoo Island (1957) with Rhodes Reason and Elisha Cook
Sabaka (1954) with Peter Coe
The Island Monster (1953)
Abbott and Costello Meet Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1953) with Bud Abbott and Lou Costello
The Black Castle (1952) with Lon Chaney Jr.
Colonel March Investigates (1952) with Dana Wynter
The Strange Door (1951) with Charles Laughton and Sally Forrest
Abbott and Costello Meet the Killer, Boris Karloff (1949) with Bud Abbott and Lou Costello
Tap Roots (1948) with Van Heflin and Julie London
Dick Tracy Meets Gruesome (1947) with Ralph Byrd
Lured (1947) with Lucille Ball and George Sanders
Unconquered (1947) with Gary Cooper and Paulette Goddard
The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (1947) with Danny Kaye and Virginia Mayo
Bedlam (1946) with Anna Lee
Isle of the Dead (1945) with Ellen Drew
The Body Snatcher (1945) with Bela Lugosi
The Climax (1944) with Turhan Bey
House of Frankenstein (1944) with Lon Chaney Jr., Lionel Atwill, and John Carradine
The Boogie Man Will Get You (1942) with Peter Lorre
The Devil Commands (1941) with Anne Revere
Before I Hang (1940) with Evelyn Keyes and Bruce Bennett
You'll Find Out (1940) with Bela Lugosi, Peter Lorre, and Kay Kyser
The Ape (1940)
Doomed to Die (1940)
The Man with Nine Lives (1940)
Black Friday (1940) with Bela Lugosi and Raymond Bailey
The Fatal Hour (1940)
The Man They Could Not Hang (1939)
Tower of London (1939) with Basil Rathbone and Vincent Price
Mr. Wong in Chinatown (1939)
The Mystery of Mr. Wong (1939)
Son of Frankenstein (1939) with Basil Rathbone, Bela Lugosi, and Lionel Atwill
Devil's Island (1939)
Mr. Wong, Detective (1938)
The Invisible Menace (1938)
Night Key (1937)
West of Shanghai (1937)
Juggernaut (1936)
The Man Who Lived Again (1936) with Anna Lee
The Walking Dead (1936) with Marguerite Churchill
The Invisible Ray (1936) with Bela Lugosi and Beulah Bondi
The Black Room (1935) with Katherine DeMille
The Raven (1935) with Bela Lugosi
Bride of Frankenstein (1935) with Colin Clive and Elsa Lanchester
The Ghoul (1934)
The Black Cat (1934) with Bela Lugosi and David Manners
The Lost Patrol (1934)
The Mummy (1932) with David Manners, Zita Johann, and Edward Van Sloan
The Mask of Fu Manchu (1932) with Myrna Loy and Charles Starrett
The Old Dark House (1932) with Melvyn Douglas, Raymond Massey, and Gloria Stuart
Scarface (1932) with Paul Muni and George Raft
The Criminal Code (1931)
Frankenstein (1931) with Colin Clive and Mae Clarke
Pardon Us (1931) with Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy
Cracked Nuts (1931) with Bert Wheeler and Robert Woolsey
King of the Wild (1931)
The Sea Bat (1930) with Raquel Torres and Charles Bickford
The Fatal Warning (1929)
King of the Kongo (1929) with Joe Bonomo
TELEVISION SERIES
Out of This World 1962 British TV series
Thriller 1960-1962 TV series
The Veil 1958 British TV series
Colonel March of Scotland Yard 1954-1955 British TV series
Down You Go 1951-1956 game show. Karloff was a panelist during the 1954-1955 season
Starring Boris Karloff 1949-1950 TV series
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This page premiered August 27, 2001.
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