function setAllCheckboxes(divId, sourceCheckbox) {
divElement = document.getElementById(divId);
inputElements = divElement.getElementsByTagName('input');
for (i = 0; i < inputElements.length; i++) {
if (inputElements[i].type != 'checkbox')
continue;
inputElements[i].checked = sourceCheckbox.checked;
}
}
<p><input onClick="setAllCheckboxes('actors', this);" type="checkbox" />All of them</p>
<div id="actors">
<p><input type="checkbox" name="kevin" />Spacey, Kevin</p>
<p><input type="checkbox" name="colin" />Firth, Colin</p>
<p><input type="checkbox" name="scarlett" />Johansson, Scarlett</p>
</div>