Frankie Darro

Frankie Darro

Date of Birth:

Dec 22, 1917

Place of Birth:

Chicago, Illinois, USA

Born into a show-business family - his parents were circus aerialists - Frankie 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:

Sons of New Mexico Sons of New Mexico

1949

Tugboat Annie Tugboat Annie

1933

Confessions of a Queen Confessions of a Queen

1925

Two Gun Marshal Two Gun Marshal

1953

Mike Mike

1926

Chasing Trouble Chasing Trouble

1940

Pat and Mike Pat and Mike

1952

The Devil Horse The Devil Horse

1932

Junior G-Men of the Air Junior G-Men of the Air

1942

Forbidden Planet Forbidden Planet

1956

So Big So Big

1924

Amateur Daddy Amateur Daddy

1932

Tough Kid Tough Kid

1938

Laughing at Danger Laughing at Danger

1940

The Lawless Rider The Lawless Rider

1954

Operation Petticoat Operation Petticoat

1959

Burn 'Em Up Barnes Burn 'Em Up Barnes

1934

Red Hot Tires Red Hot Tires

1935

The Circus Kid The Circus Kid

1928

Texas Tornado Texas Tornado

1928

That's My Man That's My Man

1947

Let's Go Collegiate Let's Go Collegiate

1941

Anything for a Thrill Anything for a Thrill

1937

Men of Action Men of Action

1935

Roaring Rails Roaring Rails

1924

The Merry Frinks The Merry Frinks

1934

Hollywood on Parade Hollywood on Parade

1932

The Sin of Madelon Claudet The Sin of Madelon Claudet

1931

The Cowboy Musketeer The Cowboy Musketeer

1925

Hold That Baby! Hold That Baby!

1949

Fighting Fools Fighting Fools

1949

3 Kids and a Queen 3 Kids and a Queen

1935

Vacation Days Vacation Days

1947

The Cowboy Cop The Cowboy Cop

1926

Little Mickey Grogan Little Mickey Grogan

1927

Smart Politics Smart Politics

1948

Moulders of Men Moulders of Men

1927

Tom's Gang Tom's Gang

1927

The Wyoming Wildcat The Wyoming Wildcat

1925

Trail of the Horse Thieves Trail of the Horse Thieves

1929

The Masquerade Bandit The Masquerade Bandit

1926

Fugitive Lovers Fugitive Lovers

1975

Rainbow Man Rainbow Man

1929

Blaze o' Glory Blaze o' Glory

1929

Freddie Steps Out Freddie Steps Out

1946

Memory Lane Memory Lane

1926

Sarge Goes to College Sarge Goes to College

1947

The Phantom of the Range The Phantom of the Range

1928

Flesh and the Devil Flesh and the Devil

1926

Judgement Of The Hills Judgement Of The Hills

1927

Thoroughbreds Don't Cry Thoroughbreds Don't Cry

1937

Hollywood on Parade No. B-1 Hollywood on Parade No. B-1

1934

Brother, Can You Spare a Dime? Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?

1975

Heart of Virginia Heart of Virginia

1948

Take It or Leave It Take It or Leave It

1944

The Big Race The Big Race

1934

Stranded Stranded

1935

High School Hero High School Hero

1946

Pride of Maryland Pride of Maryland

1951

Kiki Kiki

1926

Irish Luck Irish Luck

1939

Angels' Alley Angels' Alley

1948

Hook, Line and Sinker Hook, Line and Sinker

1969

Westward the Women Westward the Women

1951

The Mayor of Hell The Mayor of Hell

1933

Broadway Bill Broadway Bill

1934

Up in the Air Up in the Air

1940

Wyoming Mail Wyoming Mail

1950

The Midnight Flyer The Midnight Flyer

1925

Riding High Riding High

1950

Racing for Life Racing for Life

1924

The Ex-Mrs. Bradford The Ex-Mrs. Bradford

1936

On the Spot On the Spot

1940

Junior Prom Junior Prom

1946

Dead End Kids Go To War Dead End Kids Go To War

1942

The Girl on the Late, Late Show The Girl on the Late, Late Show

1974

Unwelcome Stranger Unwelcome Stranger

1935

Born to Battle Born to Battle

1926

Reformatory Reformatory

1938

Charlie Chan at the Race Track Charlie Chan at the Race Track

1936

The Movie Orgy The Movie Orgy

1968

Pinocchio Pinocchio

1940

Three on a Match Three on a Match

1932

Little Men Little Men

1934

The Public Enemy The Public Enemy

1931

Wild Boys of the Road Wild Boys of the Road

1933

The Lightning Warrior The Lightning Warrior

1931

Hearts and Spangles Hearts and Spangles

1926

Saratoga Saratoga

1937

Men with Steel Faces Men with Steel Faces

1940

The Mad Genius The Mad Genius

1931

You're Out of Luck You're Out of Luck

1941

Trouble Makers Trouble Makers

1948

Tough to Handle Tough to Handle

1937

Mind Your Own Business Mind Your Own Business

1936

Boys' Reformatory Boys' Reformatory

1939

The Devil Diamond The Devil Diamond

1937

Young Dynamite Young Dynamite

1937

The Signal Tower The Signal Tower

1924

Laughing at Life Laughing at Life

1933

Wanted by the Police Wanted by the Police

1938

The Great Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok The Great Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok

1938

Across the Wide Missouri Across the Wide Missouri

1951

The Wolf Dog The Wolf Dog

1933

Headline Crasher Headline Crasher

1937

Sunkist Stars at Palm Springs Sunkist Stars at Palm Springs

1936

Way Back Home Way Back Home

1931

Juvenile Court Juvenile Court

1938

The Phantom Empire The Phantom Empire

1935

Valley of Wanted Men Valley of Wanted Men

1935

The Vanishing Legion The Vanishing Legion

1931

No Greater Glory No Greater Glory

1934

Black Gold Black Gold

1936

Born to Fight Born to Fight

1936

The Payoff The Payoff

1935

Judgment of the Storm Judgment of the Storm

1924

The Gang's All Here The Gang's All Here

1941

Hollywood on Parade No. A-3 Hollywood on Parade No. A-3

1932

Racing Blood Racing Blood

1936

Tuxedo Junction Tuxedo Junction

1941

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