Boris Karloff passed away on February 2, 1969. From his home in London, Christopher Lee penned hand-written letters to Forrest J. Ackerman (editor of Famous Monsters) regarding the passing of Karloff. With Lee’s permission, Ackerman included a few excerpts from these notes in the July 1969 Famous Monsters of Filmland issue #56, which was a tribute issue to the screen legend.
Lee wrote:
“We are all terribly distressed — it is a gap in my life and the end of an era in the Cinema. We shall not see his like again….”
“As I explained in my cable, Evie [Mrs. Karloff] does not want flowers and the funeral is entirely private for family only. She is bearing up wonderfully.”
“I believe the end was peaceful and indeed it must have seemed a blessing.”
“As a follow-up to my letter of yesterday: I can quite understand how you are feeling — you are one among countless thousands who will mourn the passing of a noble human being. He was a master of his craft, who gave pleasure to millions for many years and whose work will serve as an object lesson for years to come to many more.”
“I always found him a wise and understanding friend, with a fund of warmth & humor and above all, of indomitable courage & cheerfulness in the face of great physical adversity.”
“He truly loved his fellow men . . .”
MYSTERIO THEATRE MONSTER TRIVIA:
Christopher Lee played the roles of both the Mummy and Frankenstein’s monster in Hammer horror movies – two roles that originated with Boris Karloff in the 1930s. Karloff and Lee starred together in the 1958 British-American film Corridors of Blood.
Not did Lee live next door to Karloff for a time, but Lee’s daughter was born on Karloff’s birthday!
Rest in Peace, our beloved Boris Karloff!
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