- published: 25 Oct 2012
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William Henry Pratt (23 November 1887 – 2 February 1969), better known by his stage name Boris Karloff, was an English actor.
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, as well as the narrator, in the animated television special of Dr. Seuss’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas! (1966).
Karloff was born at 36 Forest Hill Road, Honor Oak, London, England, where a blue plaque can now be seen. His parents were Edward John Pratt, Jr. and Eliza Sarah Millard. His paternal grandparents were Edward John Pratt, an Anglo-Indian,[citation needed] and Eliza Julia (Edwards) Pratt, a sister of Anna Leonowens (whose tales about life in the royal court of Siam [now Thailand] were the basis of the musical The King and I). The two sisters were also of Anglo-Indian heritage.
Béla Ferenc Dezső Blaskó (20 October 1882 – 16 August 1956), commonly known as Bela Lugosi, was a Hungarian actor of stage and screen. He was best known for having played Count Dracula in the Broadway play and subsequent film version, as well as having starred in several of Ed Wood's low budget films in the last years of his career.
Lugosi, the youngest of four children, was born as Béla Ferenc Dezső Blaskó in Lugos (at the time part of Austria–Hungary, now Lugoj in Romania), to Paula de Vojnich and István Blaskó, a banker. He later based his last name on his hometown. He and his sister Vilma were raised in a Roman Catholic family. At the age of 12, Lugosi dropped out of school. He began his acting career probably in 1901 or 1902. His earliest known performances are from provincial theaters in the 1903–1904 season, playing small roles in several plays and operettas. He went on to Shakespeare plays and other major roles. Moving to Budapest in 1911, he played dozens of roles with the National Theater of Hungary in the period 1913–1919. Although Lugosi would later claim that he "became the leading actor of Hungary's Royal National Theater", almost all his roles there were small or supporting parts.
"Jack the Ripper" is the best-known name given to an unidentified serial killer who was active in the largely impoverished areas in and around the Whitechapel district of London in 1888. The name originated in a letter, written by someone claiming to be the murderer, that was disseminated in the media. The letter is widely believed to have been a hoax, and may have been written by a journalist in a deliberate attempt to heighten interest in the story. Other nicknames used for the killer at the time were "The Whitechapel Murderer" and "Leather Apron".
Attacks ascribed to the Ripper typically involved female prostitutes from the slums whose throats were cut prior to abdominal mutilations. The removal of internal organs from at least three of the victims led to proposals that their killer possessed anatomical or surgical knowledge. Rumours that the murders were connected intensified in September and October 1888, and letters from a writer or writers purporting to be the murderer were received by media outlets and Scotland Yard. The "From Hell" letter, received by George Lusk of the Whitechapel Vigilance Committee, included half of a preserved human kidney, supposedly from one of the victims. Mainly because of the extraordinarily brutal character of the murders, and because of media treatment of the events, the public came increasingly to believe in a single serial killer known as "Jack the Ripper".
Boris Karloff's Thriller - The Devil's Ticket
Rivals:Horror Movie Stars Bela Lugosi and Boris Karloff Documentary
Boris Karloff • The Ghoul (1933) • Action • Drama • Horror • FREE FULL MOVIE
The Raven (1935) Full Horror Movie | Stars: Boris Karloff, Bela Lugosi
Boris Karloff talks 'Frankenstein' in rare 1963 interview
Boris Karloff's Thriller - Yours Truly, Jack The Ripper
Tales Of The Frightened-Boris Karloff-1963-Volumes 1 & 2 (Full Length)
Boris Karloff Interview (1957)
Boris Karloff's Thriller S02E18 The Storm
The Mystery of Mr. Wong (1939) BORIS KARLOFF
Actors: Danielle Lozeau (actress), Conor Timmis (costume designer), Conor Timmis (producer), Conor Timmis (actor), Conor Timmis (actor), Conor Timmis (actor), Andrew Gernhard (miscellaneous crew), Vatche Arabian (editor), Vatche Arabian (producer), Vatche Arabian (writer), Vatche Arabian (director), Rick Burns (actor), Rick Burns (producer), Liesl Ehardt (actress), Liesl Ehardt (actress),
Genres: Documentary,Actors: Sam Irvin (producer), Stephen P. Jarchow (producer), Lynn Redgrave (actress), Jack Plotnick (actor), Clive Barker (producer), David Millbern (actor), Lolita Davidovich (actress), Ian McKellen (actor), David Dukes (actor), Curtis Harrington (actor), Jack Betts (actor), Brendan Fraser (actor), Jesse Long (actor), Bill Condon (writer), Paul Colichman (producer),
Plot: The story of 'James Whale (I)' (qv), the director of _Frankenstein (1931)_ (qv) and _Bride of Frankenstein (1935)_ (qv), in the time period following the Korean War. Whale is homosexual and develops a friendship with his gardener, an ex-Marine.
Keywords: 1950s, actor, actress, art, bar, bare-breasts, bare-chested-male, bartender, based-on-novel, bathroomActors: Paul Frees (actor), Paul Frees (actor), Paul Frees (actor), Paul Frees (actor), Paul Frees (actor), Paul Frees (actor), Paul Frees (actor), Paul Frees (actor), Paul Frees (actor), Paul Frees (actor), Bill Scott (actor), Bill Scott (actor), Bill Scott (actor), Bill Scott (actor), Bill Scott (actor),
Genres: Comedy,Actors: Luis Alberni (actor), Lew Ayres (actor), Frank Albertson (actor), Brooks Benedict (actor), Jack Chefe (actor), Norman Foster (actor), Robert Greig (actor), Harry Barris (actor), Ben Hall (actor), Eddie Kane (actor), Boris Karloff (actor), Norman Kerry (actor), Eddie Lee (actor), Edwin Maxwell (actor), Tom Mix (actor),
Plot: Small town America: the Cohens own a movie theater; the Kellys own a diner. Kitty Kelly and Maurice Cohen are young lovers; Maurice sends Kitty's picture to a movie studio, and they accept her and make her a star. Soon, the Kelly family is living the high life; they write a postcard to the Cohens, who take a polite "wish you were here" as an invitation to sell everything. The Kellys shun the Cohens, who they now see as gauche. But when sound films are introduced, Kitty is no longer a star, and composer Maurice suddenly makes his family rich (for a while) .
Keywords: actor-shares-first-name-with-character, character-name-in-title, city-country-contrast, composer, dancing, diner, filmmaking, hollywood, movie-star, movie-theater