Boris Karloff: More Than a Monster Hardcover – March 14, 2011

Boris Karloff first entered my life when he was 73 and I was 8. He was the host and occasional star of the NBC series THRILLER which ran from 1960-62 before a behind-the-scenes Alfred Hitchcock had it cancelled for competing with his television program. I immediately fell in love with his sonorous voice and commanding presence. This was who I wanted to be when I grew up. It was shortly thereafter that I saw his classic monster films including FRANKENSTEIN and my personal favorite THE MUMMY. My enthusiasm was fueled by mother who had seen the movies when they first came out in the 1930s and was now revisiting them on TV.Shortly after THRILLER he did a series of new movies in the mid to late 1960s before he died in 1969 at the age of 81. I saw virtually all of them in theaters or at the drive-ins. Those few I didn't see I caught up with on the small screen. There were also his LP recordings of PETER & THE WOLF and Kipling's JUST SO STORIES and the holiday staple HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS (although he did not sing the famous Grinch song). I even collected the BORIS KARLOFF: TALES OF MYSTERY comic books which continued into the 1970s.Although college and life intervened, I never forgot him. Fast forward to the 1990s and all of his movies began coming out on VHS and later DVD giving me the opportunity to watch them whenever I wanted. This ultimately resulted in binge watching on November 23rd (his birthday) and February 2nd (the day he died). Along the way I picked up and read some earlier biographies such as DEAR BORIS or BORIS KARLOFF: A GENTLEMAN'S LIFE which gave me background but nothing like what Stephen Jacobs accomplishes here.BORIS KARLOFF: MORE THAN A MONSTER is absolutely staggering in its research. I cannot even begin to fathom the amount of time it must have taken for the author to uncover some of the material in this book. Some reviewers have found its thoroughness a bore but not me. I also appreciate the way that Jacobs lays it all out for us and does so without being judgmental. Thank you very much. Don't tell me what to think, just present the facts and let me make up my own mind.Up until now very little was known of the pre-FRANKENSTEIN Boris and what there was mostly came from him. He was careful to gloss over certain details (like his Anglo-Indian heritage) or omit them all together (he was married 5 times). In addition to his childhood (he was the last of 9 children), Jacobs gives us background on the missing Canadian decade (1909-1919) when William Henry Pratt became Boris Karloff and worked with second and third rate theatrical companies. He also fills us in on the early Hollywood years (1919-1931) when Karloff took manual labor jobs like truck driving between film appearances. Then in 1931 comes FRANKENSTEIN and stardom.One area of Karloff's career that many people don't know much about are his later stage appearances during the 1940s & 50s in plays such as as ARSENIC & OLD LACE, PETER PAN (as Captain Hook) and THE LARK (a play about Joan of Arc with Julie Harris & Christopher Plummer). Having done regional theater myself for 20 years, I found this aspect especially rewarding as it illustrates what a complete actor Karloff really was. As the subtitle says he was truly "More Than A Monster".If you are a fan of BK then you simply must read this book. If you aren't then it functions as an entertaining and informative biography on not just him but on the theater, Hollywood, and the times that he lived through. His career as an actor spanned almost 60 years (1909-1968) and to follow it and him was one of non-stop interest for me. A remarkable biography of a remarkable man. Just to let you know in advance...the book is over 500 pages and that doesn't include appendices.

Stephen Jacobs has written an incredibly detailed biography that not only corrects inaccuracies in previous biographies of Karloff, but far out-distances them in its depth of research. It will be simply impossible for any future book on the the "King of Horror" to surpass it in any way. After this, it would be foolish for anyone to even attempt writing another Karloff biography. This is The book that will forever be turned to by curious fans and academic researchers alike.Something perhaps unexpected and surprising, but ultimately so admirable about this book, is that Jacobs has assembled it in the scholarly tradition more often associated with more "serious" subjects, such as political leaders. In this age of sensationalized biographies full of questionable memoirs and dubious source material, this substantially sized book maintains a solid determination to be what biographies were once required to be: Accurate, thorough, and without being vehicles for the authors' personal opinions.Because Jacob's ego is so in check as he works his way through the chronology of events in the life of one of Hollywood's most enduring legends, it's almost startling when Jacobs includes one of his rarely shared subjective opinions, like when he describes "The Bride of Frankenstein" as, "...arguably, the greatest horror movie of them all..." In that particular case, Jacobs is passing on a universally held consensus, so wasn't indulging in personal speculation. His book completely avoids unsubstantiated theories which biographies commonly couch in phrases like "...he must have felt...it's easily imagined...it's quite possible that..."Sara Karloff, Boris Karloff's only child, was understandably skeptical that yet another biography of her illustrious father was necessary when she was first approached by Jacobs with the idea of his book. She had already endorsed a previous work as "authorized," and was aware of the numerous other books which outlined her father's life. But when she realized how far beyond any previous work Jacob's was, she enthusiastically embraced and authorized it as the definitive biography. She was just as surprised as anyone over the wealth of unfamiliar material Jacobs unearthed during the intensive ten year period it took him to write the book.Fans of Karloff, who are legion, will be unable to not be mesmerized by the way such a clear, purely presented image of what the man was like emerges through this painstakingly complete chronicle. Anyone researching the actor for articles and dissertations will be unable to find a more reliable source. Anyone who's ever seen a Karloff film will gain an even deeper appreciation and understanding of the man whose presence in those films is what elevates them into perennial favorites.This hefty tome is nothing short of a miracle, and an incredible gift to all of us who were touched by the unique William Henry Pratt AKA Boris Karloff - and I think that includes the vast majority of people not only in America and England, but all over the globe where Karloff's legacy lives on.Randy Bowser

Since immediately after Boris Karloff's death in 1969, there have been many books about him (probably too many). But this is surely the definitive one. Author Stephen Jacobs has done an extremely thorough job, and even the biggest Karloff fan will probably find facts here that are new to him. The book also includes the most complete list imaginable of Karloff's movies, TV shows, stage plays, radio shows, and audio recordings. No small feat, considering that he worked in every medium an actor can work in, over a period of at least 62 years. Jacobs also makes it clear that Karloff was a more versatile actor than he was often given credit for, and that he was not typecast as a "bad guy" as often as many people seem to think. The one small complaint a reader might have is that you may become a bit weary of reading all those first hand testimonies about how ironic it was that he was stereotyped as a villain when he was really such a fine gentleman, etc. OK, enough already. He was an actor! Despite this minor flaw, a fine book and highly recommended.

I bought this as a birthday present for my husband- a huge Karloff fan. He has a few books about the actor, and this is the best. I read that a bio on Karloff is scheduled to come out next month and it is based on this book. The book seems to be scarce, and I paid quite a bit for a used library copy, but it was worth it. Hubby is happy, I'm happy.

Excellent product.

The title is spot on. Although forever linked with Frankenstein, Boris Karloff was "more than a monster". Really, much, much more with his roles in "terror" movies (as he preferred to call them) representing a fraction of a highly diverse and lengthy career.Born William Henry Pratt, he broke away from diplomatic family and London surroundings to emigrate to Canada in 1909 where he tied down a variety of manual jobs while pursuing a theatrical career that would eventually take him to Hollywood. There, after 12 years of extras and minor roles, he found international fame as the Frankenstein monster. Although other roles came his way, he never lost that horror mantle, providing more worthy appearances with his work in Val Lewton and Roger Corman productions and, towards the end of his life, in the films "Targets" and "The Sorcerers".He enjoyed equal recognition for his theatrical work, in particular for his much revived role as Jonathan Brewster in the original production of "Arsenic and Old Lace" (to his regret he never repeated the role on screen) and as Captain Hook in the children's favourite "Peter Pan". In addition, he kept up a heavy schedule of radio and television work, meticulously listed by the book's author, who also detailed much of Karloff's social calendar as well as providing information on the numerous people that he was associated with - among them, horror compatriot Bela Lugosi, an actor revealed as being financially hard done by the film companies. His other achievements included being a founding member of both the Screen Actors Guild and, as a lifelong cricket fan, the Hollywood Cricket Club. To all who knew him, he was constantly described as a genuinely modest, kind, gentle British gentlemen.As Boris Karloff was not a person to give much away about himself, author Stephen Jacobs has done an incredible research job and, after reading this 568 page tome, I don't think there could be another stone left to be unturned.

Boris Karloff More Than a Monster by Stephen Jacobs is a large tome, brimming over with facts, anecdotes and information that supersede all other biographies that have gone before. There is an amazing array of photographs, many that I have not come across before. Jacobs make the actor come alive again, forty odd years after his death, with the many comments from his work colleagues stating what a gentleman & trooper he was - it may get a bit repetitive, but it highlights the man behind the Frankenstein Monster mask, showing how well regarded he was. Unlike previous biographies (Underwood & Lindsay in particular) Jacobs has meticulously researched and verified each and every fact, so as he has made his biography the definitive article so to speak. This may lead into facts that may not be wholly connected to the man, but make fascinating reading nevertheless. Unlike other biographies that have been `guided' by family, it is nice to see that Sara Karloff has been forthcoming and helpful - even admitting that Jacobs has uncovered material about her father that she didn't know! - there is no doubt that she loves her father and understands his lasting legacy - it was therefore a shame to read what a bitch her step-mother was - allowing Sara to find out about her father's death via the television, rather than a telephone call. This leads into the one big discrepancy in the book, as this relationship is not explored and you are left wondering why Evie Karloff excluded her husband's daughter from knowing about his death, arranging the funeral so no-one could go and why Boris excluded his daughter from his will. I don't think I have ever read such a widely researched and interesting biography on Karloff and I cannot recommend it enough. It is an essential read at an affordable price.

This is one of the best biographies I've come across in a long time, obviously the work of a devoted fan but with no bias that I could detect. Packed with pictures, along with the usual details of a subjects life there are plenty of details on his work and the life behind the camera that brought both the best of the thirties horror movies and beyond to the screen.

The very true and complete story of the life of Boris, I loved it so because of the writing, my congrats to Jacobs for doing such a hard investigation. Full of anecdotes and every part of his life. If you love Karloff, you'll fall in love with this book.

Excellent biography of a fascinating man.Superbly well written and with a great selection of photographs throughout the book.Thoroughly recommended.