Karloff The Uncanny

As mentioned back here, Boris Karloff brought his considerable acting skill to his vocalizations in Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas!, which made its debut on CBS this night, December 18, in 1966. The great Karloff was born on November 23, 1887, so the Grinch special debuted less than a month after the master actor's 79th birthday. (By the way, Karloff's star-making triumph, Frankenstein, turned 80 in 2011.) To celebrate Karloff's uncannily good voice performances in this Christmas classic here's the TV Guide Close-Up listing celebrating its December 1966 debut. (Click on the image for a larger view.) It's interesting to note that Thurl Ravenscroft is credited here whereas he is not in the special itself. Both Dr. Seuss and producer-director Chuck Jones felt terrible about this accidental omission so we can assume they made sure Thurl received mention in TV Guide. (And by the way, watch Tulgey Wood for more about Frankenstein—or at least one of its many related productions—sometime in the future.)

Christmas With Karloff

Is it Christmas time or Halloween here in Tulgey Wood? Sometimes it's hard to tell. December 18, 1966, saw the premiere of the classic animated TV special Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas! A mammoth reason for the special's monster-hit stature was horror-movie great Boris Karloff. A truly gentle gentleman very different from the ghoulish bad guys this talented actor often played on screen, Boris' artful voicing is among his greatest performances. As the special's expressive narrator, Karloff reads Dr. Seuss' timeless rhymes with incomparable flair, while also bringing menace and Christmas-hating nastiness to his perormance of the "sounds of the Grinch." In celebration of this unforgettable vocal performance, here's a link to a spectacular online tribute to Boris Karloff at the excellent Frankensteinia blog. Head on over and thrill (and chill) to a Karloff festival that's perfect for any season.