Boris KARLOFF

[LenLW]

Somewhere, don't recall where, I read the Boris Karloff was Jewish, or at
least had a Jewish heritage.

Anybody know anything about this.

Leonard Nadler
Len
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[Angel fro Heaven]

I know nothing of Boris's origins, except that his real name is real
English-sounding, but I shall look it up.

There are books, such as Videohound's encyclopaedia of film personalities
(I do not recall the exact title of it; it is a thick green paperback),
where lives and other facts about actors and others in film are described.
You should have no trouble with finding such a book, and there may well be
some information on your question there.

Dmitry Reznikoff
drezn...@hotmail.com

[Genea...@aol.com]

Boris KARLOFF was born in London - by the name of
William Henry PRATT. But of course that may not
exclude Jewish connections.

Scary isn't it - we all believed he was from just
north of Transylvania ....?! :-)

Alice Josephs
Loughton, Essex
UK

Researching HERZ family from Kochendorf, Baden
Wurrttemburg and STERN/STARR family from
Heppenheim an der Bergstrasse, Hessen, Germany

In a message dated 25/12/99 1:38:45 am, you wrote:
<< Somewhere, don't recall where, I read the Boris Karloff was Jewish,
or at least had a Jewish heritage. >>

mailto:genea...@aol.com

[Avi...@aol.com]

This actor's stage name will not lead to his roots.Try William Henry PRATT.
My source is The Celebrity Almanac by Ed Lucaire,pub by Prentice Hall,NY
in 1991. ISBN No. 0-13-122367-4

Abe Nutkis

P.S. He is not included among the listing of Jewish celebrities or actors.

mailto:Avi...@aol.com

[Ralph Berrick]

Boris Karloff born William Henry Platt in Camberweel, London, England,
November 23, 1887, died February 2, 1969.
Ralph Berrick
San Diego, Ca.

Angel fro Heaven wrote:
> I know nothing of Boris's origins, except that his real name is real
> English-sounding, but I shall look it up.
>
> There are books, such as Videohound's encyclopaedia of film personalities
> (I do not recall the exact title of it; it is a thick green paperback),
> where lives and other facts about actors and others in film are
> described. > You should have no trouble with finding such a book, and
> there may well be some information on your question there.

MODERATOR NOTE: The original query has been answered. This thread is
closed. If new information is presented, the thread will be reopened.
mailto:rbo...@san.rr.com

[Maria...@aol.com]

Hello Genners,
There is a website dedicated to Boris Karloff on the Internet that
is maintained by his daughter Sara (and descendants). It doesn't say
anything about his Jewish roots. As far as I have been able to ascertain
(I have been a monster movie buff all my life), if he was Jewish he kept
it well hidden. There is an e-mail address that is said to be kept by the
Karloff descendants. The address is kar...@karloff.com I haven't
tried it so I don't know who is at the other end. Perhaps someone braver
than I would like to ask his family directly about his Jewish roots

Regards,
Maria Krane (Maria...@aol.com)
Florida, USA

MODERATOR NOTE: This thread had been previously closed. It is opened
only to provide this new information.
mailto:Maria...@aol.com

[Stephen Landau]

Not likely that Karloff has Jewish roots, but at
http://thaistudents.com/kingandi/owens.html you'll learn that Karloff was
releated to Anna Leonowens (i.e., grand-nephew) of, the Anna of "The King
and I", "Anna and the King", etc.

Dr W.S. Bristowe, an academic whose specialty was spiders but who also wrote
on other subjects. Dr Bristowe was a frequent visitor to Thailand and in the
early 1970s he decided to write a biography of Louis T. Leonowens ("Louis
and the King of Siam"), founder of the company that still bears his name.
Dr Bristowe's detective work on Anna's past revealed an extraordinary
story...
>>>>>>>>>>>SNIP
Eliza's grandson and Anna's grand-nephew --- was later to become the
actor Boris Karloff, of Frankenstein fame.

This information also appeared years ago in the monthly publication of the
Asia society (New York). I'm not aware that these facts have been disputed.

Stephen Landau
White Plains, NY

MODERATOR NOTE: This is a one time reopening of a closed thread due to
new information. Any other comments should be continued privately.

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