FD
Frankie Darro
Actor
Born December 22, 1917Died December 25, 1976 (59 years)
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
| 1987 | Bloopermania · as Cast |
| 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 | The Guns of Will Sonnett (TV Series) · as Bartender |
| 1966 | Batman (TV Series) · as Newsman |
| 1964 | The Disorderly Orderly · as Board Member |
| 1964 | The Carpetbaggers · as Bellhop |
| 1964 | The Addams Family (TV Series) · as Delivery Boy |
| 1962 | Going My Way (TV Series) |
| 1961 | The Hathaways (TV Series) · as Cast |
| 1961 | Mister Ed (TV Series) |
| 1960 | The Case of the Dangerous Robin (TV Series) · as Cast |
| 1960 | Checkmate (TV Series) · as Sonny |
| 1959 | Operation Petticoat · as Pharmacist's Mate 3rd Class Dooley |
| 1959 | Mr. Lucky (TV Series) |
| 1959 | The Untouchables (TV Series) · as News Vendor |
| 1958 | The Perfect Furlough · as Soldier In Hospital In Cast |
| 1958 | Bat Masterson (TV Series) · as Edward 'snapper' Garrison |
| 1958 | Peter Gunn (TV Series) |
| 1957 | Perry Mason (TV Series) · as Messenger |
| 1957 | Have Gun, Will Travel (TV Series) |
| 1957 | Mr. Adams and Eve (TV Series) · as Tout |
| 1956 | The Ten Commandments · as Slave |
| 1956 | The Sheriff of Cochise (TV Series) · as Ken Jackson |
| 1956 | Hey Jeannie! (TV Series) · as Caddy |
| 1956 | Forbidden Planet · as Robby The Robot (interior) (uncredited) |
| 1955 | Alfred Hitchcock Presents (TV Series) · as Little Dandy Dorf |
| 1955 | MGM Parade (TV Series) · as Robby The Robot |
| 1955 | Judge Roy Bean (TV Series) · as Cass Tolan |
| 1954 | December Bride (TV Series) · as Sonny Williams |
| 1954 | The Lineup (TV Series) · as Grady |
| 1954 | Living It Up · as Bellboy Captain |
| 1954 | The Lawless Rider · as Jim Bascom |
| 1954 | Public Defender (TV Series) |
| 1953 | The Johnny Carson Show (TV Series) · as Pilot |
| 1953 | Siren of Bagdad · as Man In Camp After Raid |
| 1953 | General Electric Theater (TV Series) · as Cast |
| 1952 | I Married Joan (TV Series) · as Shorty |
| 1952 | Pat and Mike · as Caddy (uncredited) |
| 1952 | The Sellout · as Little Jake |
| 1951 | Westward the Women · as Jean's Awaiting Groom (uncredited) |
| 1951 | Across the Wide Missouri · as Cadet (uncredited) |
| 1951 | The Red Skelton Show (TV Series) · as Silent Spot |
| 1951 | Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok (TV Series) |
| 1950 | The Next Voice You Hear... · as Newsboy |
| 1950 | Wyoming Mail · as Rufe |
| 1950 | A Life of Her Own · as Bellboy |
| 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 | The Babe Ruth Story · as Newsboy |
| 1948 | Angels' Alley · as Cousin Jimmy |
| 1947 | That's My Man · as Jockey |
| 1947 | Vacation Days · as Roy Donne |
| 1946 | High School Hero · as Roy Donne |
| 1946 | Chick Carter, Detective · as Creeper |
| 1946 | Freddie Steps Out · as Roy Donne |
| 1946 | Junior Prom · as Roy Donne |
| 1942 | Junior G-Men of the Air · as Jack |
| 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 | 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 | Juvenile Court · as Stubby |
| 1938 | The Great Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok · as Jerry |
| 1938 | Reformatory · as Louie Miller |
| 1937 | Young Dynamite · as Freddie Shields |
| 1937 | Thoroughbreds Don't Cry · as "dink" Reid |
| 1937 | Saratoga · as Dixie Gordon |
| 1937 | Headline Crasher · as James 'jimmy' Forbush Tallant, Jr. |
| 1937 | Anything for a Thrill · as Dan Mallory |
| 1937 | A Day at the Races · as Morgan's Jockey |
| 1937 | Tough to Handle · as Mike Sanford |
| 1937 | The Devil Diamond · as Lee |
| 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 | The Payoff · as Jimmy Moore |
| 1935 | Valley of Wanted Men · as Slivers Sanderson |
| 1935 | Stranded · as James 'jimmy' Rivers |
| 1935 | The Phantom Empire · as Frankie Baxter |
| 1935 | Red Hot Tires · as Johnny |
| 1934 | Little Men · as Dan |
| 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 |
| 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) |
| 1931 | The Lightning Warrior · as Jimmy Carter |
| 1931 | Way Back Home · as Robbie |
| 1931 | The Mad Genius · as Fedor As A Boy |
| 1931 | The Sin of Madelon Claudet · as Larry Claudet - As A Boy (uncredited) |
| 1931 | The Vanishing Legion · as Jimmie Williams |
| 1931 | The Public Enemy · as Matt As A Boy (uncredited) |
| 1927 | Long Pants · as Young Harry Shelby |
| 1926 | Flesh and the Devil · as Boy Who Dances With Hertha (uncredited) |
| 1926 | Mike · as Boy |
| 1926 | Kiki · as Pierre |
| 1925 | The Midnight Flyer · as Young Davey |
| 1925 | Confessions of a Queen · as Prince Zara |
| 1924 | Roaring Rails · as Little Bill |
| 1924 | The Signal Tower · as Sonny Tolliver |
| 1924 | Half-a-Dollar Bill · as Half-A-Dollar Bill |