Following his iconic role in Frankenstein, Boris Karloff soon found himself typecast as monsters, villains, and mad scientists. Previously finding steady work as a tertiary supporting actor, he was now set for life. Frankenstein led to The Mummy, The Old Dark House, and The Black Cat, followed by a string of sci-fi and horror movies with titles like The Ghoul, Isle of the Dead, and The Body Snatcher. Some actors would balk at this kind of one-note casting, but Karloff seemed to embrace it. Years later, he would advise Christopher Lee that typecasting could be a blessing: “Find something that nobody else can do or will do… there's nothing wrong with that.”
Much of Karloff’s work has now sunk into obscurity, in part because so many of his early silent films are lost to time, and in part because Frankenstein cast such a long shadow. But Karloff’s extensive B-movie resume belies his depth and versatility as an actor. Debuting 90 years ago today, 1936’s The Walking Dead provides a crossover point between his many Frankenstein copycat roles and his ability to wring emotional authenticity from silly material.
