While he was trying to establish his acting career, Karloff had to perform years of manual labour in Canada and the U.S. in order to make ends meet. Among this work, he spent one year laying track, digging ditches, shoveling coal, clearing land, and working with surveying parties for the B.C. Electric Railway Company, at the rate of $2.50 per day. From this gruelling work with the BCER and other employers, Karloff was left with back problems for the rest of his life. Because of his health, he did not serve in World War I.
while he was trying to establish his acting career karloff had to perform years of manual labour in canada and the us in order to make ends meet among this work he spent one year laying track digging ditches shoveling coal clearing land and working with surveying parties for the bc electric railway company at the rate of $250 per day from this gruelling work with the bcer and other employers karloff was left with back problems for the rest of his life because of his health he did not serve in world war i