BORIS KARLOFF - CONTRACT SIGNED 10/05/1965 - HFSID 167540

BORIS KARLOFF
Karloff signed this contract in 1965 to guest host the Halloween ABC's teen rock show Shindig. He received $4,000 for this appearance and, more importantly, got a chance to sing Monster Mash with Lurch of The Addams Family.
Contract signed "Boris Karloff" as Performer and by a representative of Selmur Productions, Inc., both in blue ink. 1 page, 8½x14. Oct. 2, 1965. Addressed to Boris Karloff and Merritt Blake c/o Lester Salkow Agency, Los Angeles, California. Titled: "Standard AFTRA Engagement Contract for Single Television Broadcast/and for Multiple Television Broadcasts Within One Calendar Week." Contract between Karloff and Selmur Productions, a subsidiary of American Broadcasting Companies, Inc. Karloff signed this contract to appear on the ABC television show Shindig, to be taped at the ABC TV Center in Hollywood on Oct. 14, 1965 and broadcast on Oct. 30, 1965. He was to appear as the "Guest Host" and would be paid $4,000 for this appearance. This was the Halloween episode of Shindig, an ABC teen rock music program; Karloff sang the Monster Mash, ably assisted by Ted Cassidy as Lurch of the TV show The Addams Family. Karloff (1887-1969, born William Henry Pratt in Camberwell, London, England) was an English actor. Karloff had originally wanted a career in the diplomatic service, but he instead became one of Hollywood's most frightening actors. In 1931, he starred as the monster in the original Frankenstein, a role that had been turned down by Bela Lugosi. Karloff, who also scared the daylights out of movie-goers in the films The Mummy (1932) and The Ghoul (1933), also hosted and occasionally starred in the TV series Thriller. He gave one of the best of his many film performances in the 1968 Peter Bogdanovich film Targets, in which he virtually played himself - an aging star of horror movies. Lightly toned and creased. Ink transference, which touches signature. Light tears and nicks at top edge. Light dent near lower left corner. Staple holes along left edge. Two file holes at top edge. Folded thrice and unfolded. Otherwise in fine condition.