Boris Karloff came from an Indian and British mixed parentage. After a difficult chidhood he moved to Canada and after various jobs he joined a Canadian touring theatrical company. He appeared in numerous silent films in the 1920's that were generally quickly made fillers like Dynamite Dan. He had appeared in over 80 films before his major break was as Frankenstein's monster in the 1931 film directed by James Whale. The make up produced for his character in this film has set the standard for Frankenstein ever since. After making Frankenstein and The Old Dark House for Universal he made The Mask Of Fu Manchu for MGM which was sinister and unlike other films of theirs at the time. He returned to Universal for The Mummy and agian it has the most wonderful makeup from Jack Pierce.
