Nov. 23, 2025

This Day in Halloween: Horror icon Boris Karloff -- star of "Frankenstein" -- is born William Henry Pratt in London, England in 1887. / Illustration by Sarah Ryan

Boris Karloff is born William Henry Pratt in London, England in 1887. The horror icon’s career is long and diverse, but he’s known primarily for portraying Frankenstein’s monster in Universal’s first three Frankenstein movies and as The Mummy. He would win a Grammy for his performance in the recording of Dr. Seuss’ How The Grinch Stole Christmas in 1966. He died in 1969.