Born Henry William Pratt, he is one of the true legends of horror on both the large and small screen. He was born in London on the 23rd of November 1887 and with a university education was expected to go into the diplomatic service. However, young Henry had other ideas and he emigrated to Canada where he changed his name to Boris Karloff on joining a small theatre company. He finally arrived in Hollywood and appeared in a number of silent movies through the 1920’s.
Along with a line of films came a line of marriages, his fifth marriage producing his only child, a daughter, Sara, with his sixth and final wife surviving him.
Having spent most of his acting career in Canada and the United States, Boris Karloff returned to England and reunited with family. It was in England where he died on the 2nd of February 1969. He is said to haunt his old home, a house named ‘Roundabout’ set in the village of Bramshott, Hampshire.
