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You are here: Home / Archives for Boris Karloff

The Wonderful Boris Karloff as The Grinch…. CHEF’S KISS!

December 14, 2022 By Joi

Boris Karloff, How the Grinch Stole Christmas

Boris Karloff

Boris Karloff was the narrator as well as the voice of the Grinch in How the Grinch Stole Christmas (1966) and I cannot possibly imagine anyone else doing either.

Was there anything this man couldn’t do?

You can find How the Grinch Stole Christmas (1966) on dvd or Blu-ray (Amazon link) or watch the timeless classic on Prime Video.

I love the photo of Boris Karloff behind the scenes of How the Grinch Stole Christmas (below). I’m afraid I don’t know who the woman working with Boris is. If I ever find out, I will certainly come back here and credit her!

Boris Karloff behind the scenes of How the Grinch Stole Christmas

Boris Karloff Behind the Scenes of How the Grinch Stole Christmas

Filed Under: Boris Karloff, Christmas Movies & Specials Tagged With: Boris Karloff, Christmas movies, Christmas specials, How the Grinch Stole Christmas

Boris Karloff: Behind the Scenes of The Bride of Frankenstein

October 20, 2022 By Joi

Boris Karloff, Behind the Scenes of The Bride of Frankenstein

Boris Karloff, Behind the Scenes of The Bride of Frankenstein

As I’ve often confessed, my love for behind the scenes pictures knows no limits. I am completely and joyfully obsessed with them and, let me tell you, Boris Karloff NEVER disappoints. There’s just something extraordinary about his behind the scenes presence.

This “on set” photo from The Bride of Frankenstein is one of my favorites. What a mood!

You can find The Bride of Frankenstein on dvd or Blu-ray or watch the classic horror on Prime Video.


Filed Under: Behind the Scenes Pictures, Boris Karloff, Horror Movies, Picture of the Day Tagged With: Behind the Scenes pictures, Boris Karloff, Classic Horror Films, The Bride of Frankenstein

Boris Karloff and James Whale on the Set of The Bride of Frankenstein

October 19, 2022 By Joi

Boris Karloff and James Whale The Bride of Frankenstein

Boris Karloff and James Whale, The Bride of Frankenstein

While we give the wonderful Boris Karloff and Elsa Lanchester their due credit for the brilliance of The Bride of Frankenstein, we need to always remember to mention the name of its brilliant director James Whale. He’s also the director responsible for Frankenstein (1931).

(About Boris Karloff) “His face fascinated me. I made drawings of his head, adding sharp bony ridges where I imagined the skull might have joined.” ~ James Whale

You can find The Bride of Frankenstein on dvd or Blu-ray or watch the classic horror on Prime Video.


Filed Under: Behind the Scenes Pictures, Boris Karloff, Horror Movies, Picture of the Day Tagged With: Boris Karloff, classic horror movies, The Bride of Frankenstein

Beautiful Valerie Hobson, The Bride of Frankenstein Promotional Picture

September 5, 2022 By Joi

Valerie Hobson and Boris Karloff

Valerie Hobson and Boris Karloff, The Bride of Frankenstein

Actress Valerie Hobson was born in Ireland in 1917. She was married to John Profumo from 1954 to her death in 1998. Their youngest son, David Profumo (Amazon link), wrote “Bringing the House Down.” It dealt with the British scandal his father caused in 1963.

Valerie’s filmography is a colorfully entertaining one with films that include The Bride of Frankenstein, Great Expectations, Kind Hearts and Coronets, and Werewolf of London.

The wonderful picture of Valerie Dobson and Boris Karloff, above, is from The Bride of Frankenstein (1935), as is the promotional picture below.

She truly was a great beauty!

You can find The Bride of Frankenstein (Amazon link) on dvd or Blu-ray or watch the legendary horror movie on Prime Video.

Valerie Hobson, The Bride of Frankenstein

Valerie Hobson

Filed Under: Boris Karloff, Picture of the Day, Valerie Hobson Tagged With: Boris Karloff, The Bride of Frankenstein, Valerie Hobson

Boris Karloff and Makeup ARTIST Jack Pierce: Behind the Scenes of The Bride of Frankenstein

October 11, 2021 By Joi

Boris Karloff and Jack Pierce, Behind the Scenes of The Bride of Frankenstein

Boris Karloff and Jack Pierce

When watching my BELOVED old Hollywood movies or reading about them, I often come across men and women who I desperately wish had written a book. Makeup artist extraordinaire Jack Pierce is one of them. This man worked on some of the most legendary movies of all time and with some of their most extraordinary stars.

He had some stories to tell and I want to know every one of them!

You can find The Bride of Frankenstein on dvd (Amazon link) or watch the movie on Prime Video.

Filed Under: Behind the Scenes Pictures, Boris Karloff, Horror Movies, Picture of the Day Tagged With: Behind the Scenes pictures, The Bride of Frankenstein

Collin Clive, Elsa Lanchester, Boris Karloff, and Ernest Thesiger: The Bride of Frankenstein

October 9, 2021 By Joi

Collin Clive, Elsa Lanchester, Boris Karloff, and Ernest Thesiger: The Bride of Frankenstein

Collin Clive, Elsa Lanchester, Boris Karloff, and Ernest Thesiger

Okay, admittedly, I have been obsessed with posting The Bride of Frankenstein pictures of the day this month but I simply cannot help myself. Elsa Lanchester’s Bride is my favorite movie monster of all time and I want everyone else to appreciate her and her iconic film as much as I do!

I know I’ve gone on record as saying I am (overall) somewhat disappointed in this film but I want to clear something up while I have the chance. The disappointment comes only from the fact that she wasn’t given more scenes. I SO wish her character had been introduced earlier in the film and that she and her intended had wreaked havoc together.

Having said all of that, I do love many things about this film. The makeup, acting, and directing are all perfection… right to their core. Perhaps that’s why I get a bit disappointed when I watch it – it’s the realization of how MAGNIFICENT it would have been with more of the wonderful Elsa Lanchester.

It’s an iconic film to be sure and it is absolutely one of my favorite horror films.

You can find The Bride of Frankenstein on dvd (Amazon link) or watch the movie on Prime Video.


Filed Under: Boris Karloff, Colin Clive, Elsa Lanchester, Ernest Thesiger, Horror Movies, Picture of the Day Tagged With: Boris Karloff, Collin Clive, Elsa Lanchester, Ernest Thesiger, The Bride of Frankenstein

Boris Karloff: Behind the Scenes of The Bride of Frankenstein

October 6, 2021 By Joi

Boris Karloff, Behind the Scenes of The Bride of FrankensteinBoris Karloff

As I’ve stated often, I am obsessed with “on set” and “behind the scenes” pictures. I’m not sure WHY exactly, but they make my world spin.

This great photo of Boris Karloff kicked back enjoying a sandwich while filming The Bride of Frankenstein makes my day. Hopefully, serving as picture of the day, it’ll make your day as well.

You can find The Bride of Frankenstein on dvd (Amazon link) or watch the movie on Prime Video.

Filed Under: Behind the Scenes Pictures, Boris Karloff, Horror Movies, Picture of the Day Tagged With: Behind the Scenes pictures, Boris Karloff, old horror movies, On Set Pictures, The Bride of Frankenstein

Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein: My Idea of a Scary Movie (and I’m perfectly okay with that!)

October 7, 2020 By Joi

Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein

While I love, love, love this time of year and Halloween – you are looking at my favorite kind of “scary film” the funny kind! I watch Dracula (only the 1931 version with the wonderful Boris Karloff) each year and would watch Frankenstein and Bride of Frankenstein too…. IF I liked them!

I watch Abbott and Costello movies and clips year-round, but save their “Meet the Monsters” (link to the dvd collection on Amazon) films for October. Makes them even more special!

Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein is one of my favorites. In addition to the phenomenal Lou Abbott and Bud Costello, the movie also stars Boris Karloff, Lenore Aubert, Glenn Strange, and Lon Chaney Jr. Wonderful film… wonderful fun… and I am able to sleep after watching it.

Always a plus!


Filed Under: Abbott and Costello, Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein, Boris Karloff, Glenn Strange, Lon Chaney Jr, Picture of the Day

Lucille Ball and Boris Karloff, Lured (1947)

September 20, 2020 By Joi

Lucille Ball and Boris Karloff, LuredLucille Ball and Boris Karloff, Lured

Anyone who knows anything about me knows how much I adore Lucille Ball. Always have, always will. Whether it’s one of her hilarious, timeless sitcoms or one of her wonderful movies, this redhead is always, always, always welcome in my den.

Lured (1947, directed by Douglas Sirk) is somewhat of a hidden gem in the world of classic film fans. The only reason it isn’t wildly popular or known is that it isn’t shown on television more often. If it were, it’d be just as known and loved as celebrated film-noirs Indemnity, The Postman Always Rings Twice, and The Killers.

It’s that good.

The cast includes Lucille Ball, George Sanders, Charles Coburn (always wonderful), and Boris Karloff… in a very small but memorable role. He seemed to relish this part and it’s a lot of fun to watch.

Ball and Sanders have an unexpected chemistry and it practically sizzles. I’m not sure why I consider it “unexpected” but it absolutely caught me off guard.

If you’ve never seen this excellent film, I hope you’ll watch it as soon as possible. If you have seen it… see it again. It’s every bit as good when re-watched.

You can find Lured on dvd on Amazon or watch it on Prime Video.

Lucille Ball, Lured

Lucille Ball, Lured

 

Filed Under: Boris Karloff, Lucille Ball, Picture of the Day Tagged With: Boris Karloff, Lucille Ball, Lured

Boris Karloff: One of the Pioneers of Classic Horror Films (The Man Behind Frankenstein and The Mummy)

September 19, 2017 By Joi

Boris Karloff as the Monster in Frankenstein

Boris Karloff as Frankenstein’s Monster

Hello, handsome! The face above needs no introductions. Frankenstein’s monster is as synonymous with horror movies and Halloween as Fred Astaire is with musicals. You could argue that the wonderful Boris Karloff is the Fred Astaire of horror films and, as far as I’m concerned you’d be right. Dead right. Sorry, I couldn’t pass that one up.

With Halloween right around the creepy corner, I thought it’d be the ideal time to look at classic horror movies and the stars who brought them to life.

When they first hit the scene in 1912, Universal Studios focused primarily on melodramas and action films (such as Westerns). However, in 1923 they found a deliciously fun new niche and rode it like a cowboy on caffeine. This is the year Lon Chaney (one of the studios biggest silent movie stars) rocked the movie world when he starred as Quasimodo in The Hunchback of Notre Dame.

It was also around this time (late 1920s – early 1930s) that several actors and directors from Germany immigrated to America and went to work at Universal.

Universal, and the world, would never be the same!

 “Most had worked in German Expressionism, which they introduced to Hollywood through low-key lighting techniques, set design preferences, and a penchant for visual symbolism.  This was the birth of the American horror genre as we know it.” – Armchair Reader Goes Hollywood

William Henry Pratt was born on November 23, 1887, in London, England. When he entered the entertainment industry, he took the stage name Boris Karloff. When he came to Hollywood, he worked as a truck driver to help support himself while picking up work in the silent film industry.

The Deadlier Sex (1920), Omar the Tentmaker (1922), Dynamite Dan(1924) and Tarzan and the Golden Lion (1927) are a few of his pre-Horror movie films.

His big.. and I mean huge… break came in 1931 when he was cast as “the monster” in Universal’s  Frankenstein (1931). While the film ultimately made Boris Karloff a star, he was actually billed as a punctuation mark in this film’s credits! He’s listed simply as “?” in the opening credits. The movie and Boris were hits and he quickly racked up other memorable roles in movies including  the  The Old Dark House (1932),  The Mask of Fu Manchu (1932), The Mummy (1932), The Ghoul (1933), and  The Lost Patrol (1934).

Karloff returned to his neck bolts in 1935 with the wonderful Bride of Frankenstein (1935) and in 1939 film, Son of Frankenstein, which if we’re being honest, is one we Karloff fans want to forget.

I mean, everyone else has.

The Mummy was directed by Karl Freund, Germany’s greatest Cinematographer. Karloff starred as Im-Ho-Tep (the monster who returns to life).  The lighting, angles, and use of shadows Freund employed in The Mummy defined classic horror films for years to come.

Karloff is also remembered for his appearances in several Abbott and Costello monster movies (always FUN!): Abbott and Costello Meet the Killer, Boris Karloff in 1949 and Abbott and Costello Meet Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde in 1953.

While his career included a wealth of interesting roles and movies, he is most associated with his monstrous performances and for being one of the talents that defined the horror film industry.

Personally, I remember him for these wonderful roles and for one another, equally wonderful role… as the narrator of How the Grinch Stole Christmas! “You’re a mean one, Mr. Grinch…”

Boris Karloff died in 1969 at the age of 81.

Boris Karloff

Boris Karloff


Filed Under: Boris Karloff, Horror Movies Tagged With: Boris Karloff, classic horror movies, old horror movies

Welcome to Hollywood Yesterday!

Ann Sheridan, It All Came True

Ann Sheridan
My name is Joi (“Joy”) and I created Hollywood Yesterday as my personal tribute to Old Hollywood. It’s my effort to help keep the stars from Old Hollywood, Classic Television, and Old Radio Shows alive and shining forever. Old Hollywood was positively magical and I see no reason for the magic to ever die.

Be warned, I am (by nature) overtly positive, I never take anything too seriously, I say extraordinary so often you’d think I invented the word, and I overuse exclamation points to distraction. I’m perpetually over-caffeinated.. we’ll blame that.

Read more about Hollywood Yesterday (and see my personal favorites) here!

Old Hollywood Actresses

Lena Horne, Meet Me in Las Vegas

See the Old Hollywood Actresses page for the index of Classic Hollywood Actresses and Classic TV Actresses.

Old Hollywood Actors

Henry Fonda, Behind the Scenes The Grapes of Wrath

See the Old Hollywood Actors page for the index of Old Hollywood and Classic TV actors.

Old Hollywood Book Reviews

Ann Dvorak: Hollywood's Forgotten Rebel by Christina Rice

I love reading old Hollywood biographies and memoirs as much as I love watching classic movies, and that’s truly saying something!

To see my Old Hollywood book reviews, please see the index listed here: Book Reviews.

Pictures of the Day

Maureen O'Hara, The Parent Trap

Maureen O’Hara

The Old Hollywood & Classic TV Pictures of the Day are published as regularly as possible. If I miss a few days, please just know that the husband, daughters, sons-in-law, grandbabies, and/or my cats were demanding my attention. I’ll be honest, nothing comes before any of them! Not even Maureen O’Hara or Henry Fonda.

Priorities, y’all.

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Recent Posts

  • Shirley Jones: Beautiful and Talented Star of Film, Musicals, and Television
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Paulette Goddard and Charlie Chaplin, Modern Times
Thank you so much for visiting Hollywood Yesterday! You truly HONOR me with your presence. ~ Joi (“Joy”)

Olivia de Havilland

Olivia de Havilland, The Adventures of Robin Hood

My main goal with Hollywood Yesterday is to keep the names, faces, and films of the stars that mean so much to me shining brightly. When I’m guilty of focusing more time on my personal favorites (such as Olivia de Havilland) than other stars, I hope you’ll forgive me. I am, by all indications, very human!

Also, please know that I try to keep my posts (except for book reviews) short and to the point, so you can enjoy the pictures, grab the information, and get back to your life. I don’t appreciate anything that’s overly wordy, so I don’t want to do that to others. For better or worse, I write as I talk, so if you ever feel like you’re reading the words of someone who’s a cross between Lucy Ricardo, Daisy Duck, and a Jerry Lewis character, that’s just because you are!

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Barbara Stanwyck Quotes

Another personal absolute favorite of mine is Barbara Stanwyck. Not only was she beautiful and outrageously talented, she was exceptionally bright, charismatic, and colorful. This growing collection of Barbara Stanwyck Quotes will give you an idea of just how colorful she was!

Old Hollywood Movies

Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire Top Hat Cheek to Cheek

There’s nothing quite like watching a movie from the Golden Age of Hollywood. Whether it’s a Musical, Western, Comedy, Romance, Film Noir, or Drama – if it’s on, I’m not too far away… with popcorn and raspberry tea in hand and a couple of cats nearby.

Below are a few Old Hollywood movie reviews I’ve done on the blog. There are, as you’d imagine, a lot more to come. – Joi (“Joy”)

We’re in the Money (Joan Blondell, Glenda Farrell)

The Naked Spur (James Stewart, Janet Leigh)

The Prince and the Showgirl (Marilyn Monroe, Laurence Olivier)

The White Sister (Helen Hayes, Clark Gable)

Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (Howard Keel, Jane Powell, Russ Tamblyn, Julie Newmar)

Rio Bravo (John Wayne, Dean Martin, Angie Dickinson, Ricky Nelson, Walter Brennan)

El Dorado (John Wayne, Robert Mitchum, James Caan, Charlene Holt, Michele Carey)

Rio Grande (John Wayne, Maureen O’Hara)

Frankenstein and Bride of Frankenstein (What is it With Me and These Movies??)

The Stooge (Jerry Lewis’ favorite Lewis and Martin Movie… for good reason.)

Critic’s Choice (Hilarious movie starring Bob Hope and Lucille Ball)

To Please a Lady (Clark Gable and Barbara Stanwyck team up in a fast track movie)

Grand Hotel (Joan Crawford, Greta Garbo, John Barrymore, Lionel Barrymore)

Hearts Divided (Marion Davies, Dick Powell)

The Quiet Man (John Wayne, Maureen O’Hara, Barry Fitzgerald)

More Old Hollywood Movie Reviews

Classic Hollywood Books & Biographies (Reviews)

Maureen O'Hara's Autobiography 'Tis Herself

‘Tis Herself by Maureen O’Hara
I Know Where I'm Going (Katharine Hepburn Biography) and Princess

I Know Where I’m Going: Katharine Hepburn

 

Debbie Reynolds Unsinkable
Unsinkable: A Memoir by Debbie Reynolds

 

Ginger Rogers Autobiography - Ginger: My Story

Ginger by Ginger Rogers
Love, Lucy by Lucille Ball

Love, Lucy by Lucille Ball
Vitagraph by Andrew A. Erish
Vitagraph by Andrew A. Erish
More Old Hollywood Book Reviews!

Dorothy Dandridge

Dorothy Dandridge Carmen Jones Poster

Getting to Know the Gorgeous and Talented Dorothy Dandridge

My Lucy Obsession

Lucille Ball

Find out just how much I (truly) Love Lucy in the Lucille Ball category. I’m warning you, I call it an obsession for a very good reason…

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