Without Boris Karloff, the Frankenstein monster would have been nothing but a lumbering oaf, a cariacature. But who could ever imagine that the horrific creature would be such a kind and gentle soul? Boris is the genius who imbued it with real humanity. RIP.
He shows great insight into the character of the monster and the appeal of the story and even greater modesty in giving credit for the success of “Frankenstein” to everyone but himself.
Well said, Mr. Karloff was one of the early Hollywood greats! His performance as the creature was remarkable. The expressions he gave to the monster were inimitable.
@@billmitchell3329 My absolute favorite screen moment with Karloff was when he sat down at the dinner table with the blind man. INCREDIBLE. As you know, Bela Legosi was their first choice for the role, but he turned it down because the monster had no dialogue. Boris was spotted accidentally at the Universal studio commissary having lunch!
@@billmitchell3329 What makes "Frankenstein" so memorable is just how well it still stands up today, in spite of our CGI and high tech prosthetics. Jack Pierce did everything with latex and tissue paper, and it still beats everything today.
@@tiffsaver Karloff hated the creature having lines in "Bride of". He thought it diluted the creatures weirdness and made it too human. Wonder If he ever read the book?
Sadly when the horror films were made, most critics felt they were not important and ignorant the talent of the performers. Now they have been proven wrong, the horror films were not given respect that they should have gotten. Overdue respect.
@@randyacuna3248 They are still largely disrespected, as are comedians. It's extremely rare that horror or comedy films get awards such as Oscars, unless they're technical awards for the horror fx. That's why there are other awards that focus on the genius of such films. Unfortunately, this was not taking place back in the '30s. The Oscars had just recently started anyhow.
+Tony From Coney Hi TFC. My best friend still LOVES to go to Coney Island. I remember meeting Dean Martin in his final days. I would hang out at his favorite bar on the Sunset Strip. It was right after his son, Dino Jr. died in that terrible jet fighter crash. He looked so sad, just sitting there getting drunk. I think Dino's death took away his reason for living. These were two very sweet men. RIP.
Classy? BAHAHAHA!! Boris Karloff was a FAKE! Stop by my twitter @ireneboroff to find out proof about saint Boris' secret life from gay affairs to his "love" of little children including how he slept with producers to get to the top & get Bela Lugosi fired.
will you shut up?....every comment you make is just you plugging your damn blog.....and that's all you do on there....get some new material.....who cares what the guy did?.....obviously you because you're so obsessed with it.....and guess what? it's Hollywood....pretty much everyone who works there has skeletons in their closet
Thank you for allowing me to hear him speak. He strikes me as a kind, gentle, modest man who is the kind of person that improves the world by being in it.
One of greatest character actors. That he never received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Oscars is to the everlasting shame of Hollywood. He created an iconic film character that is still a part of the lexicon.
rickw1100 That's a really good point. If there was a way to do so posthumously, he would be the first in the line. I think Hollywood thinks of him asa B" film actor and that is just wrong.
So right. And he never shied away from controversial roles. i.e peter bogdanovich's film 'Targets' . Probably the first 'gun control' advocacy film ever.
Then as now, one HAS to play the politics in Hollywood to get the big awards. The ones you see now who get awarded CONSTANTLY “play it” and many good good ones like the late Kirk Douglas refused to “play it” did not get the awards they should have -
Karloff's portrayal of the creature is one of the very best acting performances I have ever seen. He essentially played an irrational animal, not a hateful villain.
No other actor has played the part of "The Monster" with as much understanding as Karloff. He is just so amazing in this role. I was mesmerised as a child and I still watch this film with awe 45 years later.
Boris Karloff is simply one of the finest actors that ever drew breath. Were it not for the fact that he’s primarily known for “horror” movies, there would be no disputing that with anyone in the world. The same can be said of Peter Cushing.
@@muchmorecoffee was it Boris Karloff or the director that got a phone call at 3am when Frankenstein was released, I can't recall? But the caller said he'd seen the movie and cannot sleep, and be damned if he was going to let him sleep either! You guy's are 100% correct, what a terrific person and great actor.
Ha, he never did lose that famous lisp. A delightful gentleman and an absolute legend. What a presence he was, and still is on film. RIP Mr. William Pratt.
In this lighting, Boris's Anglo-Indian heritage becomes obvious. He had both an interesting family history and an interesting life himself. His aunt was none other than Anna Loenowens, whose real-life adventures in Thailand (then Siam) became the inspiration for "The King and I."
What a lovely talented Gentleman he was. But that Frankenstein 's monster look still scares & creeps me out. What an Iconic look from 3 great films. His Daughter said, he stopped doing the Film series as it didn't want the Film or character to get watered down. I agree, best to leave on top with people wanting more.
@@cheswajda9803 that's interesting. i can remember seeing him for the first time when i was about 5 or 6 yrs. old.when my mom let me stay up for the late show. i have been mesmerized by the character ever since. the introduction at the beginning when everett sloan comes out on stage with a warning of the horror to come still scares me a bit even now, 65 years later.
His daughter must have been thinking about how the character of Tarzan went down the tubes after so many movies. The last ones were almost comic in nature.
One of my favorite scenes ever with Karloff playing in the monster was in the Bride of Frankenstein, when he was roaming around and heard the violin and found the blind hermit. He invited him in and became friends, sharing food and cigars. Also, when he finally meets the Bride (Elsa Lanchester) and says "friend" ? she scowls at him and his face quivers in disappointment, great actor.
Have you read the book? If not , please do. It shows the "monster" in a completely different light to the films. Large parts of the book are actually first person narrative by the creature himself.
Great guy? Yeah sure if you're in deep denial! Boris Karloff was a FAKE! Stop by my twitter @ireneboroff to find out proof about saint Boris' secret life from gay affairs to his "love" of little children including how he slept with producers to get to the top & get Bela Lugosi fired.
I think the original movie with Boris Karloff was the best. As a boy I was fascinated and empathized with the monster. It was everything Boris said here.
Great actor and a fine gentleman. Truly gifted and humble. Frankenstein's Monster is one of the greatest performances in movie history and it was a result of fine acting from Karloff and an iconic makeup from Jack Pierce. :)
Gentleman? LOL! Boris Karloff was a FAKE! Stop by my twitter @ireneboroff to find out proof about saint Boris' secret life from gay affairs to his "love" of little children including how he slept with producers to get to the top & get Bela Lugosi fired.
@@irened. What a crock of shit. Give the man his due and credit for a landmark film. Whether he was a pedophile or got Lugosi fired is inconsequential as to the movie and its impact on American life. "Psycho" may have had the same impact on society 30 years later and movie goers were just as freaked out by "Frankenstein" in that time frame. "Godzilla" became a corollary to "King Kong." In "Frankenstein" the scene where the monster is with the little girl by the lake was classic. Evil versus innocence with death coming on the edge of our seats.
"the monster has become my best friend " I love that line! How many actors can say that about a character they have played. My son got me the Red Skelton show DVD of color episodes. One show on there has Boris Karloff and Vincent Price just dancing, singing, doing sketches. It looks like they are having the time of their lives on this show. I watch it whenever I need a smile.
People always ask the question: If there was one person throughout history that you would love to just sit down and have a coffee with for an hour and chat who would it be. Well for me Boris ranks up there a true legend for classic horror movie fans!
Well you're in for the shock of your life then! Your denial runs deep! Boris Karloff was a FAKE! Stop by my twitter @ireneboroff to find out proof about saint Boris' secret life from gay affairs to his "love" of little children including how he slept with producers to get to the top & get Bela Lugosi fired.
an Englishman from South London called William Henry Pratt presented himself as the screen star Boris Karloff, pretty sure the studio press department composed a very exotic eastern European heritage for him too! Karloff never officially change his name so he signed all his movie contracts with the name on his passport William H Pratt. In his final years he went back to England and lived in a small village in Sussex. I love all the modest normality behind such a great screen legend with such an exotic stage name, back in those days there was so much showmanship and mystique attached to being a movie star, it seemed so much more romantic and exciting, he was a marvelous actor and a very kind and generous man in real life from many accounts I have read.
Gentleman? Royalty? You fanbots make me sick! Boris Karloff was a FAKE! Stop by my twitter @ireneboroff to find out proof about saint Boris' secret life from gay affairs to his "love" of little children including how he slept with producers to get to the top & get Bela Lugosi fired.
@@irened. WHAT'S THE EVIDENCE for him firing Lugosi? And to combat your claim that he got Bela blacklisted, it was never said that Bela was. He was just tossed aside as a relic, but there is no proof I can find in the vast multitudes of the internet or literature I own on the subjects that even mentions Bela as being outright blacklisted. As for his gay sex with James Whale, that's another claim I'd like to see you back up since I've found absolutely nothing on the subject.
@@shawnmulligan2894 Your fault is in believing the vermin who pass as biographers: all BK fanboys. Read my blog it is all answered there: I merely connected the dots. Google it or use my channel for the links. I get ghosted if I post a link, sorry. Right and Harvey W didn't exist and J-Law never slept her way to the top! Get your head out of your ass and smell the FACTS!
A true gentleman. Gracious, thankful for his opportunities and humble. Thanks so much for bringing the monster and so many other great characters to life. RIP
Boris Karloff was so absolutely magnificent. Even his interviews show him in such a good light. He was also very private for such a famous figure. I can't even imagine how aghast he'd be at so many of today's movie stars twattering every boring detail of their absurd lives. You're actors: do your jobs, just like a teacher, a physician, a grocery bagger, and the list goes on. I don't need to know or care about your relationships, I just care about your JOB OUTPUT. Just as I don't need to know details of my plumber's divorce. Not that I wish ill on him, but unless we become friends, I'm interested in his job output. And actors are also supposed to be doing a JOB. Sorry about the rant, but I see the golden few like Boris Karloff as supreme role models for how people should be as regards their professional and private lives. Maybe especially for actors, but for all of us. I love how he expresses gratitude for the role that became so iconic for him. Many actors get upset, sometimes even throw public tantrums when they get pigeon-holed to some extent for some super-famous role they've played. You know what? YOU WERE LUCKY! We should all be so lucky, you're freaking rich, get over it. If that's the worst thing you have to deal with, you need to shut the.... I'm done. Sorry. I meant this to be all positive about Boris Karloff, someone about whom I have nothing negative to say, and instead ended up contrasting him with a ton of modern movie actors. That's not fair to Karloff, and VERY not fair to the modern actors... not many of them are fit to shine his boots.
MAGNIFICENT? ECH! You fanbots in denial make me sick! Boris Karloff was a FAKE! Stop by my twitter @ireneboroff to find out proof about saint Boris' secret life from gay affairs to his "love" of little children including how he slept with producers to get to the top & get Bela Lugosi fired.
A very underrated actor his performance as Gray the Grave Robber inThe Body Snatcher was chilling but yet compelling as well as in Bedlam the Master of the asylum. Yet he could play comedy with great aplomb... Arsenic and Old Lace and Captain Hook on stage!
My favorite thing about Mr. Karloff was his voice, which he didn't get to use in either the Mummy or Frankenstein, yet his presence (& Pierce's makeup) made those 2 films winners (although Bride was a stronger film than either). Go listen to Karloff's rendition of Peter & the Wolf.
He is the one who narrates The Grinch who stole Christmas! Love it! Love actors "back in the day". Sure beats a lot of the actors today! Boris Karloff, Lon Chaney and Bela Lugosi...... AWESOME!!! 🤗
Karloff had been in movies since 1919. He played Sport Williams in "Smart Money", with Cagney and Robinson, and was Tom Gaffney in Howard Hawks' "Scarface" (he comes to a bad end in a bowling alley).
Class act? YUCK! Boris Karloff was also a sicko and a FAKE! Stop by my twitter @ireneboroff to find out proof about saint Boris' secret life from gay affairs to his "love" of little children including how he slept with producers to get to the top & get Bela Lugosi fired.
An absolute gentleman. And from what I have heard and read he was a gentle, charming, modest man. In fact, it comes across here. Thank you for posting this.
To me, Karloff is the perfect example of an actor who embraced the role which made him famous. Think of the many actors through the years who had a break-thru success with an iconic character & then did nothing but complain about people seeing them only as that character. Usually it results in hollywood gradually moving on from them. Karloff never did that & while continuing to make many horror films, also did many excellent roles on stage & screen. Talent + class.
Karloff is explaining that "Frankenstein" is an "archetype", a "foundation story" for humanity that keeps on appearing generation after generation with different forms and characters but always with the same basic theme that resonates with all human beings. It's not a coincidence that Mary Shelly subtitled her book: "The Modern Prometheus."
Correct. It shares a lot with Milton's Paradise Lost. A being lost, cut off, lonely and desperate to be reconciled with his maker in order to find inner peace. It's essentially the story of mankind as a whole framed in Gothic horror.
Karloff reminds me of the men my dad grew up with, though they were American Farmers not English actors their lives spanned the changing of worlds and they were willing to share the stories with anyone who would listen rather they ever told them the same way twice is another question
You are correct. She had a dream once that her dead child came back to life. At the same time, she saw an experiment in a lab. They put electrodes and electricity to a dead body and the bodies hand moved. As she put 2 and 2 together, she wrote a story. Hence, Frankenstein was born. No pun...
A great movie with him portraying the monster. Consider viewing this movie with Karloff with the perspective of the monster is actually a portrayal of the fears, bias’, prejudices within ourselves. How we respond with learning, understanding, kindness, and love overcomes those fears. The newer remakes are cool looking with great special effects but sometimes difficult to see past the surface level that many old movies having achieved the ability to look within the person.
Boris Karloff was to Frankenstein what Johnny Weissmuller was to Tarzan, the best fit for an actor and the characters they played. They did such a great job playing the part that everyone else were doomed to fail trying.
The difference between the creature created in Mary Shelly’s novel and Hollywood’s take on him is striking. In the book, the creature has learned to speak and speak well. In addition, instead of being the lumbering creation in the movies, the creature was very fleet of foot and could outrun any normal man. At the end of the novel and after retrieving the body of his creator, the creature moves to a fast moving piece of ice and then as Ms. Shelly writes, “He is soon borne away by the waves and lost in darkness and distance”.
Honestly, I was very disappointed in the Mary Shelley monster. Too intelligent. But on the other hand, she was trying to use the monster to make points about things I don't give much thought to, so that probably skews my opinions. I also didn't like many other movie characters as they were portrayed in the novels that were written before the movies about them were filmed.
@@normanacree1635 Here’s one to ponder that I’ve never been able to figure out . In the book the primary character is Victor Frankenstein and is best friend whom the creature eventually kills is Henry Clervel (sp). In the movie for some inexplicable reason Victor Frankenstein is renamed Henry Frankenstein. Why, who knows?
No. He had the perfect face for Jack Pierce's interpretation of the creature. His description in the novel is quite different, eight feet tall. long lank, jet black hair, sinewy and athletic, pale, watery eyes and no neck studs!
In 1945 When my dad was 10 years old and living in Los Angeles he got Boris Karlof’s autograph. He was shopping with my grandfather and Karlof was simply walking by.
If you appreciate the content on my channel and would like to support me, please visit: www.buymeacoffee.com/eyesoncineW
Thanks, EOC
Without Boris Karloff, the Frankenstein monster would have been nothing but a lumbering oaf, a cariacature. But who could ever imagine that the horrific creature would be such a kind and gentle soul? Boris is the genius who imbued it with real humanity. RIP.
He shows great insight into the character of the monster and the appeal of the story and even greater modesty in giving credit for the success of “Frankenstein” to everyone but himself.
Well said, Mr. Karloff was one of the early Hollywood greats! His performance as the creature was remarkable. The expressions he gave to the monster were inimitable.
@@billmitchell3329
My absolute favorite screen moment with Karloff was when he sat down at the dinner table with the blind man. INCREDIBLE.
As you know, Bela Legosi was their first choice for the role, but he turned it down because the monster had no dialogue. Boris was spotted accidentally at the Universal studio commissary having lunch!
@@billmitchell3329
What makes "Frankenstein" so memorable is just how well it still stands up today, in spite of our CGI and high tech prosthetics. Jack Pierce did everything with latex and tissue paper, and it still beats everything today.
@@tiffsaver Karloff hated the creature having lines in "Bride of". He thought it diluted the creatures weirdness and made it too human. Wonder If he ever read the book?
It seems that the actors who played the "monsters" on screen always turned out to be some of the nicest people in existence.
Sadly when the horror films were made, most critics felt they were not important and ignorant the talent of the performers. Now they have been proven wrong, the horror films were not given respect that they should have gotten. Overdue respect.
That’s irony for you
Same in pro wrestling
That seems to be reflected in society.
@@randyacuna3248
They are still largely disrespected,
as are comedians.
It's extremely rare
that horror or comedy films
get awards such as Oscars,
unless they're technical awards
for the horror fx.
That's why there are other awards
that focus on the genius
of such films. Unfortunately,
this was not taking place
back in the '30s. The Oscars
had just recently started anyhow.
A gracious, humble and classy man: a rarity in Hollywood. I loved his work, especially in the Frankenstein films.
+Tony From Coney
Hi TFC. My best friend still LOVES to go to Coney Island. I remember meeting Dean Martin in his final days. I would hang out at his favorite bar on the Sunset Strip. It was right after his son, Dino Jr. died in that terrible jet fighter crash. He looked so sad, just sitting there getting drunk. I think Dino's death took away his reason for living. These were two very sweet men. RIP.
Boris was the man,one or a kind. I really liked him.
tiffsaver you met Dean Martin? I love Dino. Can you and I be friends on Facebook?
Classy? BAHAHAHA!! Boris Karloff was a FAKE! Stop by my twitter @ireneboroff to find out proof about saint Boris' secret life from gay affairs to his "love" of little children including how he slept with producers to get to the top & get Bela Lugosi fired.
will you shut up?....every comment you make is just you plugging your damn blog.....and that's all you do on there....get some new material.....who cares what the guy did?.....obviously you because you're so obsessed with it.....and guess what? it's Hollywood....pretty much everyone who works there has skeletons in their closet
The joy of these kinds of videos is that history has been preserved and is handed out freely to those who are interested.
Thank you for allowing me to hear him speak. He strikes me as a kind, gentle, modest man who is the kind of person that improves the world by being in it.
He narrated “The Grinch”.
@@joesantamaria5874
Quite so, and Chuck Jones did the animation.
Apparently every year he would bring presents to sick children at Christmas there's a this is your life video you might enjoy
@@krugerfuchs
A good pick for the Grinch (ending).
@@joesantamaria5874 I didn't know that? Neat!
One of greatest character actors. That he never received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Oscars is to the everlasting shame of Hollywood. He created an iconic film character that is still a part of the lexicon.
rickw1100 That's a really good point. If there was a way to do so posthumously, he would be the first in the line. I think Hollywood thinks of him asa B" film actor and that is just wrong.
So right. And he never shied away from controversial roles. i.e peter bogdanovich's film 'Targets' . Probably the first 'gun control' advocacy film ever.
Yeah, but remember The Academy of Motion Pictures was the same organization that saw fit to give a Best Actor to John Wayne.
I strongly agree.
Then as now, one HAS to play the politics in Hollywood to get the big awards. The ones you see now who get awarded CONSTANTLY “play it” and many good good ones like the late Kirk Douglas refused to “play it” did not get the awards they should have -
Karloff's portrayal of the creature is one of the very best acting performances I have ever seen. He essentially played an irrational animal, not a hateful villain.
He was a very gentle man. Everyone who knew him said he was gracious.
No other actor has played the part of "The Monster" with as much understanding as Karloff. He is just so amazing in this role. I was mesmerised as a child and I still watch this film with awe 45 years later.
Boris Karloff is simply one of the finest actors that ever drew breath. Were it not for the fact that he’s primarily known for “horror” movies, there would be no disputing that with anyone in the world. The same can be said of Peter Cushing.
Boris Karloff never received the awards that this fine actor deserved. He was a kind man who preferred to work in his garden.
Well said!
@@muchmorecoffee was it Boris Karloff or the director that got a phone call at 3am when Frankenstein was released, I can't recall? But the caller said he'd seen the movie and cannot sleep, and be damned if he was going to let him sleep either! You guy's are 100% correct, what a terrific person and great actor.
Boris Karloff's two characters that will be eternal in pop culture : ( 1 ) The Frankenstein monster and ( 2 ) The Grinch !
and the mummy!
I didn't know the Grinch until recent years, but I always reckognized the voice.
Dennis; You should watch Karloff in The Tower of London. Outstanding movie
I liked his work on the old Thriller tv series.
😂😂👍
Ha, he never did lose that famous lisp. A delightful gentleman and an absolute legend. What a presence he was, and still is on film. RIP Mr. William Pratt.
I really don't hear the lisp. Maybe it's just a subtle one?
He pioneered the malevolent lisp and others took it up afterwards - Emperor Palpatine of the Star Wars films being one famous example.
In this lighting, Boris's Anglo-Indian heritage becomes obvious. He had both an interesting family history and an interesting life himself. His aunt was none other than Anna Loenowens, whose real-life adventures in Thailand (then Siam) became the inspiration for "The King and I."
The epitome of a gentleman....A generation lost and unlike fashions, shall never return I'm afraid
He was 76 here looked great and very lucid 😮
He was such a lovely gentleman, God Bless Sir.❤️
What a lovely talented Gentleman he was.
But that Frankenstein 's monster look still scares & creeps me out.
What an Iconic look from 3 great films.
His Daughter said, he stopped doing the Film series as it didn't want the Film or character to get watered down. I agree, best to leave on top with people wanting more.
yes, universal pictures really watered the character down, karloff was the original ?.
James Wale based his look on the emaciated rotting corpses he saw strewn on the battlefields of WW1.
@@cheswajda9803 that's interesting. i can remember seeing him for the first time when i was about 5 or 6 yrs. old.when my mom let me stay up for the late show. i have been mesmerized by the character ever since. the introduction at the beginning when everett sloan comes out on stage with a warning of the horror to come still scares me a bit even now, 65 years later.
i meant edward van sloan not everett sloan, i stand corrected.
His daughter must have been thinking about how the character of Tarzan went down the tubes after so many movies. The last ones were almost comic in nature.
He was a delightful man with a great sense of humor and immense talent.
One of my favorite scenes ever with Karloff playing in the monster was in the Bride of Frankenstein, when he was roaming around and heard the violin and found the blind hermit. He invited him in and became friends, sharing food and cigars. Also, when he finally meets the Bride (Elsa Lanchester) and says "friend" ? she scowls at him and his face quivers in disappointment, great actor.
Have you read the book? If not , please do. It shows the "monster" in a completely different light to the films. Large parts of the book are actually first person narrative by the creature himself.
Wow, how cool to watch this. What a lovely person he seemed to be.
BORIS KARLOFF: “The Consummate Monster and the Ultimate Grinch”.
" the original horror show", i stole that from one of the movie posters.
What a great guy Karloff was.
Great guy? Yeah sure if you're in deep denial! Boris Karloff was a FAKE! Stop by my twitter @ireneboroff to find out proof about saint Boris' secret life from gay affairs to his "love" of little children including how he slept with producers to get to the top & get Bela Lugosi fired.
@@irened. yet you spend your time watching videos featuring interviews with him
Such a lovely gentle soul! Missed a bunch.
Love Boris Karloff Bela Lugosi and Lon Chaney
Way to go Frankenstein , Dracula & Wolfman the 3 top horror loves 💙of my life 😉 May 28,2020
An amazing interview.Karloff is my favorite.this is a treasure.Thank you.
Wonderful seeing Borish karloff as himself. What a lovely, cultured modest gentleman. Thanks for sharing!!
Great actor, i love his work in the body snatcher as the cabman grey
yes... Grey-"that's no way to treat an old friend Toddy"
John Grey: Karloff's best film role.
A Val Luten production. Val Luten's films are worth studying for their wonderful development of dark and moody atmospheres on low budgets.
Wow! What a contrast. A Hollywood actor that is both grateful and humble...
I think the original movie with Boris Karloff was the best. As a boy I was fascinated and empathized with the monster. It was everything Boris said here.
What a marvelous gentleman. What he did in those three Frankenstein roles was nothing short of astounding.
What seems to be missing from Hollywood today that was present during the time Mr Karloff worked class and respect
1st time i ever seen him as himself! im 63 hes got great narrator voice too
he did the monster mash
@@vincentfalsaperla No, that was Bobby "Boris" Pickett
@@judith_thordarson no we are both right ,yes bobby did also but boris was authentic...its the one i like best....you can check it out on you tube
If "The Monster Mash" didn't get 'em Michael Jackson's "Thriller" surely did.
A famously nice man with a great voice.
WHAT AN INTELLIGENT MAN!...HE WAS ALSO IF U NOTICE VERY ATHLETIC,THE WAY HE WAS ABLE TO MOVE AROUND IN THEM BIG BOOTS AND SUIT PADDING WAS AMAZING!!
A true British gentleman. What a role model for young men today.
Why is this one of the greatest UA-cam channels of all time?! 🎉 love all the stuff you share
He will always be my favorite Frankenstein monster. No other actor could have portrayed the monster's feelings and movements like Boris Karoff.
I think Glenn Strange was pretty good, too. Even in a 'comedy' movie (A and C meet Frankenstein).
Great actor and a fine gentleman. Truly gifted and humble. Frankenstein's Monster is one of the greatest performances in movie history and it was a result of fine acting from Karloff and an iconic makeup from Jack Pierce. :)
Gentleman? LOL! Boris Karloff was a FAKE! Stop by my twitter @ireneboroff to find out proof about saint Boris' secret life from gay affairs to his "love" of little children including how he slept with producers to get to the top & get Bela Lugosi fired.
@@irened. How many times did you cut and paste the same comments. YOU ARE SAD AND PATHETIC IMO
@@irened. What a crock of shit. Give the man his due and credit for a landmark film. Whether he was a pedophile or got Lugosi fired is inconsequential as to the movie and its impact on American life. "Psycho" may have had the same impact on society 30 years later and movie goers were just as freaked out by "Frankenstein" in that time frame. "Godzilla" became a corollary to "King Kong." In "Frankenstein" the scene where the monster is with the little girl by the lake was classic. Evil versus innocence with death coming on the edge of our seats.
Boris karloff is a king, a master, a gentleman and a man of great talent .. and to think he lived in BushHill park Enfield near where i live!!
The real monsters are the other people.
What an elegant man.
Wow. Fantastic answers. Great actor and warm person.
One of the Greatest Voices in Cinema
He was terrific in "The Body Snatcher"
Karloff was amazing in the stage play "arsenic and old lace".
William Henry Pratt...Boris Karloff, great actor,and the best frankenstein.
Karloff was an elegant gentleman and terrific actor.
"the monster has become my best friend " I love that line! How many actors can say that about a character they have played. My son got me the Red Skelton show DVD of color episodes. One show on there has Boris Karloff and Vincent Price just dancing, singing, doing sketches. It looks like they are having the time of their lives on this show. I watch it whenever I need a smile.
S distinguished gentleman, who once lived in the Dakota building near Central Park@!
Superb talent!
What a remarkable individual. Enormously talented, humble and grateful.
Wonderful man.
People always ask the question: If there was one person throughout history that you would love to just sit down and have a coffee with for an hour and chat who would it be. Well for me Boris ranks up there a true legend for classic horror movie fans!
Well you're in for the shock of your life then! Your denial runs deep! Boris Karloff was a FAKE! Stop by my twitter @ireneboroff to find out proof about saint Boris' secret life from gay affairs to his "love" of little children including how he slept with producers to get to the top & get Bela Lugosi fired.
@@irened. FUCK OFF
@@irened. you gag on mule penis
Karloff elevated every film he was in. Charisma personified.
A very well spoken and articulate gentleman without airs. We need more like him these days!
an Englishman from South London called William Henry Pratt presented himself as the screen star Boris Karloff, pretty sure the studio press department composed a very exotic eastern European heritage for him too! Karloff never officially change his name so he signed all his movie contracts with the name on his passport William H Pratt. In his final years he went back to England and lived in a small village in Sussex. I love all the modest normality behind such a great screen legend with such an exotic stage name, back in those days there was so much showmanship and mystique attached to being a movie star, it seemed so much more romantic and exciting, he was a marvelous actor and a very kind and generous man in real life from many accounts I have read.
Boris Karloff....class act. 👍🏻😎
Nice to see him appreciate the role.
I love to listen to him reading Kipling's Just So stories. He seemed like everyone's grandpa as he got older. A lovely, lovely man.
Greatest horror movie ever made.
Brilliant all around
Miss great actors like Mr. Karloff.
Simply splendid. What a gentleman.
He is Royalty!
Gentleman? Royalty? You fanbots make me sick! Boris Karloff was a FAKE! Stop by my twitter @ireneboroff to find out proof about saint Boris' secret life from gay affairs to his "love" of little children including how he slept with producers to get to the top & get Bela Lugosi fired.
cowsongs I.just.got.a.lobby.card.from.his.movie,die.monster.die(1965).
@@irened. WHAT'S THE EVIDENCE for him firing Lugosi? And to combat your claim that he got Bela blacklisted, it was never said that Bela was. He was just tossed aside as a relic, but there is no proof I can find in the vast multitudes of the internet or literature I own on the subjects that even mentions Bela as being outright blacklisted. As for his gay sex with James Whale, that's another claim I'd like to see you back up since I've found absolutely nothing on the subject.
@@shawnmulligan2894 Your fault is in believing the vermin who pass as biographers: all BK fanboys. Read my blog it is all answered there: I merely connected the dots. Google it or use my channel for the links. I get ghosted if I post a link, sorry. Right and Harvey W didn't exist and J-Law never slept her way to the top! Get your head out of your ass and smell the FACTS!
Boris Karloff....a true English gentleman!
A true gentleman. Gracious, thankful for his opportunities and humble. Thanks so much for bringing the monster and so many other great characters to life. RIP
"All the Whos down in Whoville liked Christmas a lot. ..."
Karloff , the one and only ! Great and gracious at the same time.
Check out the black room ,and the body snatcher .two of his best.
Boris Karloff was so absolutely magnificent. Even his interviews show him in such a good light.
He was also very private for such a famous figure. I can't even imagine how aghast he'd be at so many of today's movie stars twattering every boring detail of their absurd lives. You're actors: do your jobs, just like a teacher, a physician, a grocery bagger, and the list goes on. I don't need to know or care about your relationships, I just care about your JOB OUTPUT. Just as I don't need to know details of my plumber's divorce. Not that I wish ill on him, but unless we become friends, I'm interested in his job output. And actors are also supposed to be doing a JOB.
Sorry about the rant, but I see the golden few like Boris Karloff as supreme role models for how people should be as regards their professional and private lives. Maybe especially for actors, but for all of us. I love how he expresses gratitude for the role that became so iconic for him. Many actors get upset, sometimes even throw public tantrums when they get pigeon-holed to some extent for some super-famous role they've played. You know what? YOU WERE LUCKY! We should all be so lucky, you're freaking rich, get over it. If that's the worst thing you have to deal with, you need to shut the....
I'm done. Sorry. I meant this to be all positive about Boris Karloff, someone about whom I have nothing negative to say, and instead ended up contrasting him with a ton of modern movie actors. That's not fair to Karloff, and VERY not fair to the modern actors... not many of them are fit to shine his boots.
MAGNIFICENT? ECH! You fanbots in denial make me sick! Boris Karloff was a FAKE! Stop by my twitter @ireneboroff to find out proof about saint Boris' secret life from gay affairs to his "love" of little children including how he slept with producers to get to the top & get Bela Lugosi fired.
A very underrated actor his performance as Gray the Grave Robber inThe Body Snatcher was chilling but yet compelling as well as in Bedlam the Master of the asylum. Yet he could play comedy with great aplomb... Arsenic and Old Lace and Captain Hook on stage!
My favorite thing about Mr. Karloff was his voice, which he didn't get to use in either the Mummy or Frankenstein, yet his presence (& Pierce's makeup) made those 2 films winners (although Bride was a stronger film than either).
Go listen to Karloff's rendition of Peter & the Wolf.
OMG THANK YOU FOR POSTING THIS ! Karloff us my fave monster actor .That scene when he turns around after coming through the door is PRICELESS. 👍🌹
I would have loved to speak with him may he Rest In Peace.
He is the one who narrates The Grinch who stole Christmas! Love it! Love actors "back in the day". Sure beats a lot of the actors today! Boris Karloff, Lon Chaney and Bela Lugosi...... AWESOME!!! 🤗
Boris Karloff was working right up until the time he died.
Even as a kid, I always sensed the menacing presence that he projected as the Monster, belied the true gentle nature of Boris Karloff.
"The monster turned out to be the best friend I ever had..."
Sylvester Stallone said something very similar about Rocky Balboa.
Pure class combined with tremendous talent. Watch him in Body Snatcher, if you have not already seen it.
If I could meet any person in history, it’d be Boris.
The Bride of Frankenstein is one of the greatest films ever made!
My favourite actor of all time! What a fantastic career Boris had.
I loved Frankenstein as a kid. He scared the hell out me. I was 8 years old when I saw this classic
Karloff had been in movies since 1919. He played Sport Williams in "Smart Money", with Cagney and Robinson, and was Tom Gaffney in Howard Hawks' "Scarface" (he comes to a bad end in a bowling alley).
Such a class act. RIP and Happy Halloween Mr. Karloff
Class act? YUCK! Boris Karloff was also a sicko and a FAKE! Stop by my twitter @ireneboroff to find out proof about saint Boris' secret life from gay affairs to his "love" of little children including how he slept with producers to get to the top & get Bela Lugosi fired.
@@irened. you're a vile wretched whore
One of the greatest actors and a real gentleman of all time Period!!!!!
An absolute gentleman. And from what I have heard and read he was a gentle, charming, modest man. In fact, it comes across here. Thank you for posting this.
To me, Karloff is the perfect example of an actor who embraced the role which made him famous. Think of the many actors through the years who had a break-thru success with an iconic character & then did nothing but complain about people seeing them only as that character. Usually it results in hollywood gradually moving on from them. Karloff never did that & while continuing to make many horror films, also did many excellent roles on stage & screen. Talent + class.
Karloff is explaining that "Frankenstein" is an "archetype", a "foundation story" for humanity that keeps on appearing generation after generation with different forms and characters but always with the same basic theme that resonates with all human beings. It's not a coincidence that Mary Shelly subtitled her book: "The Modern Prometheus."
Correct. It shares a lot with Milton's Paradise Lost. A being lost, cut off, lonely and desperate to be reconciled with his maker in order to find inner peace. It's essentially the story of mankind as a whole framed in Gothic horror.
Karloff reminds me of the men my dad grew up with, though they were American Farmers not English actors their lives spanned the changing of worlds and they were willing to share the stories with anyone who would listen rather they ever told them the same way twice is another question
Also apreciation for Mary Shelly, who created the characters out of a dream. She was a genius and the writer of the first science fiction story. ❤
You are correct. She had a dream once that her dead child came back to life. At the same time, she saw an experiment in a lab. They put electrodes and electricity to a dead body and the bodies hand moved. As she put 2 and 2 together, she wrote a story. Hence, Frankenstein was born. No pun...
A great movie with him portraying the monster. Consider viewing this movie with Karloff with the perspective of the monster is actually a portrayal of the fears, bias’, prejudices within ourselves. How we respond with learning, understanding, kindness, and love overcomes those fears. The newer remakes are cool looking with great special effects but sometimes difficult to see past the surface level that many old movies having achieved the ability to look within the person.
Boris Karloff was to Frankenstein what Johnny Weissmuller was to Tarzan, the best fit for an actor and the characters they played. They did such a great job playing the part that everyone else were doomed to fail trying.
The difference between the creature created in Mary Shelly’s novel and Hollywood’s take on him is striking. In the book, the creature has learned to speak and speak well. In addition, instead of being the lumbering creation in the movies, the creature was very fleet of foot and could outrun any normal man. At the end of the novel and after retrieving the body of his creator, the creature moves to a fast moving piece of ice and then as Ms. Shelly writes, “He is soon borne away by the waves and lost in darkness and distance”.
Yes true but he was later found by Van Helsing, aka: Arch Angel Gabriel
Honestly, I was very disappointed in the Mary Shelley monster. Too intelligent. But on the other hand, she was trying to use the monster to make points about things I don't give much thought to, so that probably skews my opinions. I also didn't like many other movie characters as they were portrayed in the novels that were written before the movies about them were filmed.
@@normanacree1635 Here’s one to ponder that I’ve never been able to figure out . In the book the primary character is Victor Frankenstein and is best friend whom the creature eventually kills is Henry Clervel (sp). In the movie for some inexplicable reason Victor Frankenstein is renamed Henry Frankenstein. Why, who knows?
What an articulate handsome man....
WOW what an intresting, and fantastic interview. Thank you so much for sharing this.
He was one of the greatest he actually brought the Human Side to the monster Frankenstein love that movie
I'm so honoured to have breathed the same air as the immortal Boris.
He had the perfect face for Frankenstein. Nobody comes even close.
Is that supposed to be a compliment?
No. He had the perfect face for Jack Pierce's interpretation of the creature. His description in the novel is quite different, eight feet tall. long lank, jet black hair, sinewy and athletic, pale, watery eyes and no neck studs!
In 1945 When my dad was 10 years old and living in Los Angeles he got Boris Karlof’s autograph. He was shopping with my grandfather and Karlof was simply walking by.
In those days, actors were not mobbed by the paparazzi.
I love this man. Real fine talent here.
what an elegant and wise gentleman. unforgettable.
William Henry Pratt