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Acting

Boris Karloff

Career: Active from 1920 to 2026, with a break from 1972 to 2000, busiest in 1931 with 10 main titles.

Leading roles: 93
top three billing

Average score: 60/100

Highest rated: How the Grinch Stole Christmas!
91/100

What stands out

Compared with the average well-known movie, over 106 of their titles. Select a trait to filter titles.

Boris Karloff Catalog average

Rarely in their work

Contemporary Realism
1.1, average 5.4
Coming of Age
1.2, average 3.0
Family Dynamics
3.1, average 4.8
Catharsis
3.7, average 5.1

Main genres

Select a genre to see those titles.

Recurring tags

Psychological Thriller 15
Gothic Horror 10
Classic Horror 8
Historical Setting 8
Historical Drama 7
Classic Hollywood 7
Social Commentary 7
Mad Scientist 6
Cult Classic 5
Mystery 5
Psychological Horror 5
Political Intrigue 5

Works often with

People in at least two of their main titles.

Movies and TV shows

219

Type

Role

Score

Decade

Genre

Group by

Upcoming

1 title

Suspense: A Night at an Inn

as Toff

2020s

2 titles · average score 74

The Orbit of Minor Satellites

as Roger Ashley Norton

The Last Repair Shop

74

as The Monster (archive footage) (uncredited)

2010s

1 title

Monster Madness: The Golden Age of the Horror Film

as Various roles (archive footage)

2000s

5 titles

Ian Rankin Investigates: Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde

as Cabman John Gray (archive footage)

Terror in the Tropics

as Mr. Wong (archive footage)

The Mesmerist

as (archive footage)

Heroes of Horror

as (archive footage)

The Many Faces of Dracula

as The Monster (archive footage)

1990s

8 titles · average score 76

Universal Horror

73

as (archive footage)

How the Grinch Stole Christmas! Special Edition

as (voice - archive footage)

Dracula in the Movies

as (archive footage)

Frankenstein: A Cinematic Scrapbook

as The Monster / Gustav Niemann / Dr. Jekyll / Mr. Hyde / etc.

Dracula: A Cinematic Scrapbook

as Doctor Gustav Niemann (archive footage)

Halloween Monster Bash

as Baron Von Leppe (archive footage)

Myrna Loy: So Nice to Come Home To

79

as (archive footage)

Abbott and Costello in the Movies

as Archival

1980s

5 titles · average score 52

Transylvania Twist

52

as Man in Room (archive footage)

Hollywood Scandals and Tragedies

as (archive footage) (uncredited)

Creepy Classics

as Dr. Scarabus - (archive footage)

Going Hollywood: The '30s

as (archive footage)

The Horror of It All

as Frankenstein / Cabman John Gray (archive footage)

1970s

6 titles · average score 49

The Horror Show

as (archive footage)

Madhouse

57

as (archive footage)

Isle of the Snake People

25

as Carl van Molder / Damballah

Alien Terror

34

as Prof. John Mayer

McCloud

71

TV show · as Hjalmar Poelzig (archive footage) (uncredited)

Hatchet for the Honeymoon

60

as Gorca (archive footage)

1960s

27 titles · average score 58

Targets

82

as Byron Orlok

Macabre Serenade

25

as Matthias Morteval

Curse of the Crimson Altar

45

as Professor John Marsh

Mad Monster Party?

66

as Baron Boris von Frankenstein (voice)

The Sorcerers

62

as Prof. Marcus Monserrat

How the Grinch Stole Christmas!

91

as Narrator / The Grinch (voice)

Die, Monster, Die!

64

as Nahum Witley

The Comedy of Terrors

83

as Amos Hinchley

Black Sabbath

80

as Gorca (segment "The Wurdalak")

The Raven

76

as Dr. Scarabus

The Terror

45

as Baron Victor Frederick Von Leppe

The Incredible Doktor Markesan

76

as Dr. Konrad Markesan

1950s

31 titles · average score 60

Corridors of Blood

59

as Dr. Thomas Bolton

Grip of the Strangler

55

as James Rankin

Frankenstein 1970

40

as Baron Viktor von Frankenstein

Voodoo Island

33

as Phillip Knight

The Juggler of Our Lady

as Narrator (voice)

Colonel March of Scotland Yard

73

TV show · as Colonel March Of Scotland Yard

Sabaka

43

as General Pollegar

The Island Monster

23

as Don Gaetano

Abbott and Costello Meet Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

64

as Dr. Henry Jekyll / Mr. Hyde

Colonel March Investigates

60

as Colonel March

The Black Castle

63

as Dr. Meissen

The Strange Door

53

as Voltan

1940s

26 titles · average score 61

Bud Abbott and Lou Costello Meet the Killer, Boris Karloff

64

as Swami Talpur

Tap Roots

72

as Tishomingo

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty

70

as Dr. Hollingshead

Dick Tracy Meets Gruesome

51

as Gruesome

Bedlam

77

as George Sims

The Body Snatcher

76

as John Gray

Isle of the Dead

60

as Gen. Nikolas Pherides

House of Frankenstein

55

as Dr. Gustav Niemann

The Boogie Man Will Get You

59

as Prof. Nathaniel Billings

Before I Hang

57

as Dr. John Garth

Black Friday

79

as Dr. Ernest Sovac

The Man with Nine Lives

63

as Dr. Leon Kravaal

1930s

52 titles · average score 64

Son of Frankenstein

82

as The Monster

Devil's Island

55

as Dr. Charles Gaudet

The Walking Dead

62

as John Ellman

Bride of Frankenstein

88

as The Monster

The Raven

64

as Edmond Bateman

The Black Room

66

as Baron Gregor de Berghman / Anton de Berghman

The Black Cat

78

as Hjalmar Poelzig

The Lost Patrol

71

as Sanders

The Mummy

79

as Imhotep / Ardath Bey

The Old Dark House

83

as Morgan

The Mask of Fu Manchu

66

as Dr. Fu Manchu

Frankenstein

85

as The Monster

1920s

53 titles · average score 59

The King of the Kongo

as Scarface Macklin

Behind That Curtain

44

as Beetham's Manservent

Two Arabian Knights

61

as Purser

Tarzan and the Golden Lion

49

as Owaza

The Bells

63

as The Mesmerist

Her Honor, the Governor

as Snipe Collins

Forbidden Cargo

as Pietro Castillano

Lady Robinhood

as Cabraza

Dynamite Dan

as Tony Garcia

The Man from Downing Street

as Maharajah Jehan

Without Benefit of Clergy

as Ahmed Khan

The Hope Diamond Mystery

as Priest of Kama-Sita / Dakar

1910s

2 titles

His Majesty, the American

as Henchman in cloth cap

The Prince and Betty

as Undetermined Role