Karloff's Cricket Passion Lives On
Boris Karloff, the actor famous for his haunting roles in films like Frankenstein and The Mummy, had an unexpected love for cricket. His passion continues through the Boris Karloff Foundation, which helps fund the Windrush cricket festival in Exmouth, Devon. Additionally, his old cricket pads have been donated to Lord's, the home of cricket, where they will be preserved and displayed.
The Hollywood Cricket Club Connection
Karloff was a member of the Hollywood Cricket Club, founded in 1932 by former England Test captain Aubrey Smith. The club boasted celebrity members including David Niven, Laurence Olivier, Cary Grant, and Errol Flynn. In 1932, the touring Australian team played a match against Hollywood, with Australia scoring 209 for five and Hollywood ending at 99 for 17. During that tour, Don Bradman visited Karloff on the set of The Mask of Fu Manchu. According to a report, Bradman remarked: "It spoils one to see how a simple thing in real life can be transformed into something dreadful in the films."
Donation to Lord's
In May 2023, Jimmy Colabavala, former president of Hollywood Cricket Club, died of cancer at age 73. His widow, Meher Tatna, contacted the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) to inform them of his passing and mentioned that Colabavala had some interesting cricket memorabilia. Neil Robinson, head of heritage and collections at MCC, said: "The first thing she mentioned was Boris Karloff's pads. As soon as I heard that name, I was interested." The pads will be assessed for stability before being put on display. Robinson added: "It's a lovely story. We'll find a way to display it, one way or another."
The Boris Karloff Foundation
Karloff died in 1969, and his fifth wife, Evie, established the Boris Karloff Foundation in 1985. When Evie died in 1993, her entire estate was left to the charity. The foundation provides about £100,000 annually to support performing arts, cricket, and young people. Trustee Roger Ford explained: "We're not going to give life-changing amounts but, you know, it helps people along, helps projects along, can help get things off the ground."
Windrush Cricket Festival
The Windrush cricket festival, hosted by Exmouth CC, is now in its fourth year and attracts over 600 people. It features men's and women's cricket, food, and music, with West Indies United CC providing opposition. The festival was conceived by Krish Madray, whose father Ivan played two Tests for West Indies in 1958. Madray said: "My aim was to bring an inner-city team of West Indians down to the West Country and to get communities talking but do it through the medium of cricket. Because of the consistency of the Boris Karloff funding, on top of what we've managed to raise, it's now in its fourth year and we intend to keep building on it."
Karloff's Early Life and Family
Born William Henry Pratt in Peckham, London, Karloff was the youngest of eight brothers and a sister. His family had a dark side: his father Edward abandoned his mother Eliza and fled to France with another son, Richard, who was later re-kidnapped by an uncle and brought back to Britain in a cattle boat. Another brother, George Marlow Pratt, shot and killed a neighbor's husband in 1897 but was acquitted after claiming the gun went off accidentally.
Karloff's Love for Cricket
Karloff described himself as "a frightful duffer" at cricket, but he was a keen player. In 1954, as England's cricketers departed for Australia, Karloff was at Tilbury Docks and told signature-seekers: "These are the chaps you want, I am in the background. I would give my boots to go." On an episode of This is Your Life, cricketer Jim Laker recalled inviting Karloff to the balcony at Lord's: "We looked over this great expanse, this wonderful cricket ground, and he turned around to me and said: 'Well, this is like dying and going to heaven.'"
