Frankie Darro
- Known for
- Acting
- Born
- December 22, 1917
- Died
- December 25, 1976
- Birthplace
- Chicago, Illinois, USA
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 .
Filmography
Fugitive Lovers 1975
as Lester the Drunk
Brother, Can You Spare a Dime? 1975
as Self (archive footage)
The Girl on the Late, Late Show 1974
as Studio Guard
Hook, Line and Sinker 1969
as Delivery Man (uncredited)
The Movie Orgy 1968
as Self (archive footage)
The Notorious Landlady 1962
Stunts
Operation Petticoat 1959
as Pharmacist's Mate 3rd Class Dooley
The Ten Commandments 1956
as Slave (uncredited)
Forbidden Planet 1956
as Robby the Robot (interior) (uncredited)
Living It Up 1954
as Bellboy Captain (uncredited)
The Lawless Rider 1954
as Jim Bascom
Racing Blood 1954
as Ben
Two Gun Marshal 1953
as Clint Slocum
Pat and Mike 1952
as Caddy (uncredited)
Westward the Women 1951
as Jean's Awaiting Groom (uncredited)
Across the Wide Missouri 1951
as Cadet (uncredited)
Pride of Maryland 1951
as Steve Loomis
Wyoming Mail 1950
as Rufe
The Next Voice You Hear... 1950
as Newsboy (uncredited)
Riding High 1950
as Jockey Williams
Sons of New Mexico 1949
as Gig Jackson
Hold That Baby! 1949
as Bananas Stewart
Fighting Fools 1949
as Johnny Higgins
Trouble Makers 1948
as Ben Feathers
Heart of Virginia 1948
as Jimmy Easter
Angels' Alley 1948
as Cousin Jimmy
Smart Politics 1948
as Roy Donne
That's My Man 1947
as Jockey
Sarge Goes to College 1947
as Roy Donne
Vacation Days 1947
as Roy Donne
High School Hero 1946
as Roy Donne
Freddie Steps Out 1946
as Roy Donne
Junior Prom 1946
as Roy Donne
Take It or Leave It 1944
as Radio Listener
- Dead End Kids Go To War
Dead End Kids Go To War 1942
as Jack
Junior G-Men of the Air 1942
as Jack
Tuxedo Junction 1941
as Jack 'Sock' Anderson
Let's Go Collegiate 1941
as Frankie Monahan
The Gang's All Here 1941
as Frankie O'Malley
You're Out of Luck 1941
as Frankie O'Reilly
Up in the Air 1940
as Frankie Ryan
Laughing at Danger 1940
as Frankie Kelly
On the Spot 1940
as Frankie 'Doc' Kelly
Radio Ranch 1940
as Frankie Baxter
Pinocchio 1940
as Lampwick (voice) (uncredited)
Chasing Trouble 1940
as Jimmy O'Brien
Irish Luck 1939
as Buzzy O'Brien
Boys' Reformatory 1939
as Tommy Ryan
Tough Kid 1938
as 'Skipper' Murphy
Wanted by the Police 1938
as Danny Murphy
Juvenile Court 1938
as Stubby
The Great Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok 1938
as Jerry
Reformatory 1938
as Louie Miller
Young Dynamite 1937
as Freddie Shields
Thoroughbreds Don't Cry 1937
as "Dink" Reid
Headline Crasher 1937
as James 'Jimmy' Forbush Tallant, Jr.
Saratoga 1937
as Dixie Gordon
Anything for a Thrill 1937
as Dan Mallory
Tough to Handle 1937
as Mike Sanford
The Devil Diamond 1937
as Lee
Mind Your Own Business 1936
as Bob
Racing Blood 1936
as Frankie Reynolds
Born to Fight 1936
as 'Babyface' Madison
Charlie Chan at the Race Track 1936
as 'Tip' Collins, Jockey
The Ex-Mrs. Bradford 1936
as Spike Salisbury (uncredited)
Black Gold 1936
as Clifford 'Fishtail' O'Reilly
Sunkist Stars at Palm Springs 1936
as Self
3 Kids and a Queen 1935
as Blackie
Valley of Wanted Men 1935
as Slivers Sanderson
Men of Action 1935
as Johnny Morgan
Stranded 1935
as James 'Jimmy' Rivers
Unwelcome Stranger 1935
as Charlie Anderson
The Phantom Empire 1935
as Frankie Baxter
Red Hot Tires 1935
as Johnny
The Payoff 1935
as Jimmy Moore
Broadway Bill 1934
as Ted Williams
Burn 'Em Up Barnes 1934
as Bobbie Riley
The Merry Frinks 1934
as Norman Frink
No Greater Glory 1934
as Feri Ats
Hollywood on Parade No. B-1 1934
Actor
The Big Race 1934
as Knobby
Little Men 1934
as Dan
Wild Boys of the Road 1933
as Eddie Smith
The Wolf Dog 1933
as Frank Courtney
Tugboat Annie 1933
as Alec, as a Child
Laughing at Life 1933
as Chango
The Mayor of Hell 1933
as James 'Jimmie' Smith
The Devil Horse 1932
as Frankie Graham - The Wild Boy
Three on a Match 1932
as Bobby (uncredited)
Hollywood on Parade No. A-3 1932
as Self (uncredited)
Hollywood on Parade 1932
as Self
Amateur Daddy 1932
as Pete Smith
The Cheyenne Cyclone 1931
as Orphan McGuire
Way Back Home 1931
as Robbie
The Lightning Warrior 1931
as Jimmy Carter
The Sin of Madelon Claudet 1931
as Larry Claudet - as a Boy (uncredited)
The Mad Genius 1931
as Fedor as a Boy
The Vanishing Legion 1931
as Jimmie Williams
The Public Enemy 1931
as Matt as a Boy (uncredited)
Blaze o' Glory 1929
as Jean Williams
The Pride of Pawnee 1929
as Jerry Wilson
Rainbow Man 1929
as Billy Ryan
Idaho Red 1929
as Tadpole
Gun Law 1929
as Buster Brown
- Trail of the Horse Thieves
Trail of the Horse Thieves 1929
as Buddy
- Tyrant of Red Gulch
Tyrant of Red Gulch 1928
as Tip
The Avenging Rider 1928
as Frankie Sheridan
The Circus Kid 1928
as Buddy
Terror Mountain 1928
as Buddy Roberts
Texas Tornado 1928
as Buddy Martin
The Phantom of the Range 1928
as Spuds O'Brien
When the Law Rides 1928
as Frankie Ross
Little Mickey Grogan 1927
as Mickey Grogan
The Desert Pirate 1927
as Jimmy Rand
- The Flying U Ranch
The Flying U Ranch 1927
as Chip Jr.
Judgement Of The Hills 1927
as Tad Dennison
Tom's Gang 1927
as Spuds
- Cyclone of the Range
Cyclone of the Range 1927
as Frankie Butler
Long Pants 1927
as Young Harry Shelby (uncredited)
Moulders of Men 1927
as Sandy Barry
Lightning Lariats 1927
as Alexis, King of Roxenburg
Her Father Said No 1927
as Matt Doe
Flesh and the Devil 1926
as Boy who dances with Hertha (uncredited)
- Red Hot Hoofs
Red Hot Hoofs 1926
as Frankie Buckley
Out of the West 1926
as Frankie O'Connor
Tom and His Pals 1926
as Frankie Smith
The Cowboy Cop 1926
as Frankie
Hearts and Spangles 1926
as Bobby
The Masquerade Bandit 1926
as Tim Marble
- Mike
Mike 1926
as Boy
Wild to Go 1926
as Frankie Blake
Kiki 1926
as Pierre
The Thrill Hunter 1926
as Boy Prince
Memory Lane 1926
as Urchin
Born to Battle 1926
as Birdie
The Cowboy Musketeer 1925
as Billy Gordon
The Midnight Flyer 1925
as Young Davey
- The Phantom Express
The Phantom Express 1925
as 'Daddles' Lane - Nora's Brother
The People vs. Nancy Preston 1925
as Bubsy
Let's Go, Gallagher 1925
as Little Joey
Fighting the Flames 1925
as Mickey
Confessions of a Queen 1925
as Prince Zara
Her Husband's Secret 1925
as Young Elliot Owen
Women and Gold 1925
as Dan Barclay Jr.
The Wyoming Wildcat 1925
as Barnie Finn
So Big 1924
as Dirk DeJong (child)
Roaring Rails 1924
as Little Bill
Racing for Life 1924
as Jimmy Danton
The Signal Tower 1924
as Sonny Tolliver
Half-a-Dollar Bill 1924
as Half-a-Dollar Bill
Judgment of the Storm 1924
as Heath Twin
Credits from TMDB.