Frankie Darro
146 movies · 15 TV shows
- Known for
- Acting
- Born
- Dec 22, 1917
- Died
- Dec 25, 1976 (age 59)
- Place of birth
- Chicago, Illinois, USA
- Also known as
- Frank Johnson · Frank Darro · Frankie Darrow · Frank Darrow
Biography
Frankie Darro (December 22, 1917 – December 25, 1976) was an American actor. Born into a show-business family - his parents were circus aerialists - Darro appeared in his first film at age six. Due to his small size and youthful appearance, he played teenagers well into his 20s. Always a physical performer, Darro often did his own stunts, many times out of necessity - his small stature made it difficult to find stunt doubles his size. He was an accomplished horseman and, in addition to westerns, made several films where he played jockeys. In 1933 he played the lead as a troubled teen in a major film for Warner Brothers, "Wild Boys Of The Road." It is a pre-code film with a realistic look at "The Great Depression," from the point of view of the youth of the time. This film seems to have been rediscovered only recently and has received critical acclaim.That same year, he played a troubled youth in the James Cagney classic, "The Mayor Of Hell". Later in 1935, he had a key role in the cult serial classic "The Phantom Empire"(1935). As Darro got older, however, he found it increasingly difficult to secure employment, and by the late 1940s was doing uncredited stunt work and bit parts. He had a recurring role on The Red Skelton Hour (1951), unrecognized by his fans, he played "Robby The Robot" in the groundbreaking sci-fi film "The Forbidden Planet" (1956), though Marvin Miller, best remembered as Michael Anthony of TVs "Millionaire"(1955-60), was the robot's voice. After that Frankie appeared sporadically in films and on TV .
Profiles IMDb
Known for
Frankie Darro: movies and TV shows
Acting (160)
- 1975 Fugitive Lovers
as Lester the Drunk
- 1974 The Girl on the Late, Late Show
as Studio Guard
- 1969 Hook, Line and Sinker
as Delivery Man (uncredited)
- 1967
- 1966
- 1964
- 1962
- 1961
- 1960
- 1959 Operation Petticoat
as Pharmacist's Mate 3rd Class Dooley
- 1959
- 1958
- 1958
- 1957
- 1957
- 1956 The Ten Commandments
as Slave (uncredited)
- 1956
- 1956 Forbidden Planet
as Robby the Robot (interior) (uncredited)
- 1955
- 1954 Living It Up
as Bellboy Captain (uncredited)
- 1954 The Lawless Rider
as Jim Bascom
- 1954
- 1954 Racing Blood
as Ben
- 1953 Two Gun Marshal
as Clint Slocum
- 1952 Pat and Mike
as Caddy (uncredited)
- 1951 Westward the Women
as Jean's Awaiting Groom (uncredited)
- 1951 Across the Wide Missouri
as Cadet (uncredited)
- 1951
- 1951 Pride of Maryland
as Steve Loomis
- 1950 Wyoming Mail
as Rufe
- 1950 The Next Voice You Hear...
as Newsboy (uncredited)
- 1950 Riding High
as Jockey Williams
- 1949 Sons of New Mexico
as Gig Jackson
- 1949 Hold That Baby!
as Bananas Stewart
- 1949 Fighting Fools
as Johnny Higgins
- 1948 Trouble Makers
as Ben Feathers
- 1948 Heart of Virginia
as Jimmy Easter
- 1948 Angels' Alley
as Cousin Jimmy
- 1948 Smart Politics
as Roy Donne
- 1947 That's My Man
as Jockey
- 1947 Sarge Goes to College
as Roy Donne
- 1947 Vacation Days
as Roy Donne
- 1946 High School Hero
as Roy Donne
- 1946 Freddie Steps Out
as Roy Donne
- 1946 Junior Prom
as Roy Donne
- 1944 Take It or Leave It
as Radio Listener
- 1942 Dead End Kids Go To War
as Jack
- 1942 Junior G-Men of the Air
as Jack
- 1941 Tuxedo Junction
as Jack 'Sock' Anderson
- 1941 Let's Go Collegiate
as Frankie Monahan
- 1941 The Gang's All Here
as Frankie O'Malley
- 1941 You're Out of Luck
as Frankie O'Reilly
- 1940 Up in the Air
as Frankie Ryan
- 1940 Laughing at Danger
as Frankie Kelly
- 1940 On the Spot
as Frankie 'Doc' Kelly
- 1940 Radio Ranch
as Frankie Baxter
- 1940 Pinocchio
as Lampwick (voice) (uncredited)
- 1940 Chasing Trouble
as Jimmy O'Brien
- 1939 Irish Luck
as Buzzy O'Brien
- 1939 Boys' Reformatory
as Tommy Ryan
- 1938 Tough Kid
as 'Skipper' Murphy
- 1938 Wanted by the Police
as Danny Murphy
- 1938 Juvenile Court
as Stubby
- 1938
- 1938 Reformatory
as Louie Miller
- 1937 Young Dynamite
as Freddie Shields
- 1937 Thoroughbreds Don't Cry
as "Dink" Reid
- 1937 Headline Crasher
as James 'Jimmy' Forbush Tallant, Jr.
- 1937 Saratoga
as Dixie Gordon
- 1937 Anything for a Thrill
as Dan Mallory
- 1937 Tough to Handle
as Mike Sanford
- 1937 The Devil Diamond
as Lee
- 1936 Mind Your Own Business
as Bob
- 1936 Racing Blood
as Frankie Reynolds
- 1936 Born to Fight
as 'Babyface' Madison
- 1936 Charlie Chan at the Race Track
as 'Tip' Collins, Jockey
- 1936 The Ex-Mrs. Bradford
as Spike Salisbury (uncredited)
- 1936 Black Gold
as Clifford 'Fishtail' O'Reilly
- 1935 3 Kids and a Queen
as Blackie
- 1935 Valley of Wanted Men
as Slivers Sanderson
- 1935 Men of Action
as Johnny Morgan
- 1935 Stranded
as James 'Jimmy' Rivers
- 1935 Unwelcome Stranger
as Charlie Anderson
- 1935 The Phantom Empire
as Frankie Baxter
- 1935 Red Hot Tires
as Johnny
- 1935 The Payoff
as Jimmy Moore
- 1934 Broadway Bill
as Ted Williams
- 1934 Burn 'Em Up Barnes
as Bobbie Riley
- 1934 The Merry Frinks
as Norman Frink
- 1934 No Greater Glory
as Feri Ats
- 1934
- 1934 The Big Race
as Knobby
- 1934 Little Men
as Dan
- 1933 Wild Boys of the Road
as Eddie Smith
- 1933 The Wolf Dog
as Frank Courtney
- 1933 Tugboat Annie
as Alec, as a Child
- 1933 Laughing at Life
as Chango
- 1933 The Mayor of Hell
as James 'Jimmie' Smith
- 1932 The Devil Horse
as Frankie Graham - The Wild Boy
- 1932 Three on a Match
as Bobby (uncredited)
- 1932 Amateur Daddy
as Pete Smith
- 1931 The Cheyenne Cyclone
as Orphan McGuire
- 1931 Way Back Home
as Robbie
- 1931 The Lightning Warrior
as Jimmy Carter
- 1931 The Sin of Madelon Claudet
as Larry Claudet - as a Boy (uncredited)
- 1931 The Mad Genius
as Fedor as a Boy
- 1931 The Vanishing Legion
as Jimmie Williams
- 1931 The Public Enemy
as Matt as a Boy (uncredited)
- 1929 Blaze o' Glory
as Jean Williams
- 1929 The Pride of Pawnee
as Jerry Wilson
- 1929 Rainbow Man
as Billy Ryan
- 1929 Idaho Red
as Tadpole
- 1929 Gun Law
as Buster Brown
- 1929 Trail of the Horse Thieves
as Buddy
- 1928 Tyrant of Red Gulch
as Tip
- 1928 The Circus Kid
as Buddy
- 1928 The Avenging Rider
as Frankie Sheridan
- 1928 Terror Mountain
as Buddy Roberts
- 1928 Texas Tornado
as Buddy Martin
- 1928 The Phantom of the Range
as Spuds O'Brien
- 1928 When the Law Rides
as Frankie Ross
- 1927 Little Mickey Grogan
as Mickey Grogan
- 1927 The Desert Pirate
as Jimmy Rand
- 1927 The Flying U Ranch
as Chip Jr.
- 1927 Judgement Of The Hills
as Tad Dennison
- 1927 Tom's Gang
as Spuds
- 1927 Cyclone of the Range
as Frankie Butler
- 1927 Long Pants
as Young Harry Shelby (uncredited)
- 1927 Moulders of Men
as Sandy Barry
- 1927 Lightning Lariats
as Alexis, King of Roxenburg
- 1927 Her Father Said No
as Matt Doe
- 1926 Flesh and the Devil
as Boy who dances with Hertha (uncredited)
- 1926 Red Hot Hoofs
as Frankie Buckley
- 1926 Out of the West
as Frankie O'Connor
- 1926 Tom and His Pals
as Frankie Smith
- 1926 The Cowboy Cop
as Frankie
- 1926 Hearts and Spangles
as Bobby
- 1926 The Masquerade Bandit
as Tim Marble
- 1926 Mike
as Boy
- 1926 Wild to Go
as Frankie Blake
- 1926 Kiki
as Pierre
- 1926 Memory Lane
as Urchin
- 1926 The Thrill Hunter
as Boy Prince
- 1926 Born to Battle
as Birdie
- 1925 The Cowboy Musketeer
as Billy Gordon
- 1925 The Midnight Flyer
as Young Davey
- 1925 The People vs. Nancy Preston
as Bubsy
- 1925 The Phantom Express
as 'Daddles' Lane - Nora's Brother
- 1925 Let's Go, Gallagher
as Little Joey
- 1925 Fighting the Flames
as Mickey
- 1925 Confessions of a Queen
as Prince Zara
- 1925 Her Husband's Secret
as Young Elliot Owen
- 1925 Women and Gold
as Dan Barclay Jr.
- 1925 The Wyoming Wildcat
as Barnie Finn
- 1924 So Big
as Dirk DeJong (child)
- 1924 Roaring Rails
as Little Bill
- 1924 Racing for Life
as Jimmy Danton
- 1924 The Signal Tower
as Sonny Tolliver
- 1924 Half-a-Dollar Bill
as Half-a-Dollar Bill
- 1924 Judgment of the Storm
as Heath Twin
Behind the camera (1)
- 1962 The Notorious Landlady
Stunts
Talk shows and appearances (6)
- 1975
- 1968
- 1951 The Red Skelton Show
1 episode
- 1936
- 1932
- 1932