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Boris Karloff played Santa for children in the hospital
Here comes Franken-claus, here comes Franken-claus...
Boris Karloff's deep voice and ability to sound serious when using words like "floo-floobers" made him a Christmas legend when 1966's How The Grinch Stole Christmas! premiered on TV. Karloff, fans may already know, not only narrated the TV special but voiced the mean, green antagonist as well.
"I’ve always thought Boris Karloff’s last great role was as the snarling, malevolent voice of the Grinch," opined one critic in The Chicago Reader. It's true that Karloff passed in 1969, a scant three years after Grinch, which led to Captain Hook voice actor Hans Conried replacing him for the Halloween sequel, Halloween is Grinch Night.
However, did you know that Karloff was already a Christmas icon, long before he voiced the Seuss character?
"The Christmas spirit got Boris 'Frankenstein' Karloff," the Associated Press announced in 1940. "At a party for [disabled] children tomorrow, the role of Santa Claus will be played by Karloff."
At that point, Karloff had already gained fame primarily as a horror star with Frankenstein (1931), The Mummy (1932), and Bride of Frankenstein (1935). The year before he played Santa, he donned the monster makeup once more for Son of Frankenstein (1939).
Karloff continued the tradition the following year, leading the Associated Press to declare "In films, he portrays inhuman monsters — blood-thirsty beasts calculated to strike horror in the imaginations of movie-goers. In real life... he donned a Santa Claus costume, complete with a white beard, and distributed Christmas gifts to 200 child patients at Beekman hospital."
"I really love children," Karloff said, as the kids gathered around, "and I'm not half as bad as I'm painted."
Perhaps Karloff loved children so much because they shared an understanding of the tragic nature of his most famous role. He received, according to another article from the Associated Press, an "avalanche" of mail, long after he no longer played the creature. Most of the letters, Karloff said, came from children.
"They seemed to understand that [Frankenstein's monster] was the victim of something beyond his control," Karloff said. "He was bewildered and afraid. It was his great strength and panic that made him dangerous... they (the children) always expressed great compassion."
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"Targets", from 1968 - one of the final roles he did.
Boris played "Byron Orlok", a horror-movie star who wanted to quit, but couldn't - until he made a final appearance at a drive-in movie.
What he didn't know - there was a sniper at the drive-in, hiding in wait, to shoot the customers. What happens at the end -
- no spoilers here; here's hoping TCM - or Svengoolie - or SOMEONE - runs "Targets" very soon.
It wasn't exactly Karloff's final film - but it made a great exit.
No disrespect, I know he was kind, and I get that children can relate to a monster who gets in trouble for breaking a rule he didn't understand, but I'm picturing an 8 foot Santa with a voice so low you can feel it in the furniture! Santa is scary in person already!
BRING BACK THRILLER!
If you want a quick sample of Ravenscroft's pop singing - he's the bass voice asking the questions in Rosemary Clooney's "This Old House" [the flip side of the record was another hit - "Hey There", from "The Pajama Game"]...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6mOOHhRh09s
Here's a picture of the handsome Mr. Pratt at the age of twenty-six in 1913...