Frankie Darro
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 · 158
Perry Mason
1957 · Elevator Operator
The Red Skelton Show
1951 · Maw Kadiddlehopper
Batman
1966 · Newsman
Have Gun, Will Travel
1957
Peter Gunn
1958
Alfred Hitchcock Presents
1955 · Little Dandy Dorf
The Addams Family
1964 · Delivery Boy
Bat Masterson
1958 · Edward 'Snapper' Garri...
Mister Ed
1961
Pinocchio
1940 · Lampwick (voice) (uncr...
The Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok
1951
The Ten Commandments
1956 · Slave (uncredited)
Checkmate
1960 · Sonny
The Guns of Will Sonnett
1967 · Bartender (uncredited)
Mr. Lucky
1959
Public Defender
1954
Forbidden Planet
1956 · Robby the Robot (inter...
Going My Way
1962 · Elevator Operator
Hey, Jeannie!
1956 · Caddy
Texas Tornado
1928 · Buddy Martin
The Public Enemy
1931 · Matt as a Boy (uncredi...
Operation Petticoat
1959 · Pharmacist's Mate 3rd...
Radio Ranch
1940 · Frankie Baxter
Westward the Women
1951 · Jean's Awaiting Groom...
The Movie Orgy
1968 · Self (archive footage)
Terror Mountain
1928 · Buddy Roberts
Living It Up
1954 · Bellboy Captain (uncre...
Across the Wide Missouri
1951 · Cadet (uncredited)
Hook, Line and Sinker
1969 · Delivery Man (uncredit...
Tough Kid
1938 · 'Skipper' Murphy
Saratoga
1937 · Dixie Gordon
Broadway Bill
1934 · Ted Williams
Reformatory
1938 · Louie Miller
Flesh and the Devil
1926 · Boy who dances with He...
Kiki
1926 · Pierre
Pat and Mike
1952 · Caddy (uncredited)
Three on a Match
1932 · Bobby (uncredited)
Memory Lane
1926 · Urchin
Way Back Home
1931 · Robbie
The Phantom Empire
1935 · Frankie Baxter
Boys' Reformatory
1939 · Tommy Ryan
Racing Blood
1954 · Ben
Wild Boys of the Road
1933 · Eddie Smith
Roaring Rails
1924 · Little Bill
The Phantom of the Range
1928 · Spuds O'Brien
Unwelcome Stranger
1935 · Charlie Anderson
Wyoming Mail
1950 · Rufe
Amateur Daddy
1932 · Pete Smith
Riding High
1950 · Jockey Williams
Red Hot Tires
1935 · Johnny
The Sin of Madelon Claudet
1931 · Larry Claudet - as a B...
Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?
1975 · Self (archive footage)
The Mayor of Hell
1933 · James 'Jimmie' Smith
The Ex-Mrs. Bradford
1936 · Spike Salisbury (uncre...
Let's Go, Gallagher
1925 · Little Joey
That's My Man
1947 · Jockey
The Big Race
1934 · Knobby
Junior G-Men of the Air
1942 · Jack
Her Father Said No
1927 · Matt Doe
Half-a-Dollar Bill
1924 · Half-a-Dollar Bill
The Merry Frinks
1934 · Norman Frink
Gun Law
1929 · Buster Brown
The People vs. Nancy Preston
1925 · Bubsy
No Greater Glory
1934 · Feri Ats
Charlie Chan at the Race Track
1936 · 'Tip' Collins, Jockey
Laughing at Life
1933 · Chango
Her Husband's Secret
1925 · Young Elliot Owen
Tugboat Annie
1933 · Alec, as a Child
Little Mickey Grogan
1927 · Mickey Grogan
Angels' Alley
1948 · Cousin Jimmy
Pride of Maryland
1951 · Steve Loomis
The Next Voice You Hear...
1950 · Newsboy (uncredited)
The Gang's All Here
1941 · Frankie O'Malley
The Cheyenne Cyclone
1931 · Orphan McGuire
The Devil Diamond
1937 · Lee
The Mad Genius
1931 · Fedor as a Boy
Thoroughbreds Don't Cry
1937 · "Dink" Reid
Sunkist Stars at Palm Springs
1936 · Self
Take It or Leave It
1944 · Radio Listener
Men of Action
1935 · Johnny Morgan
Stranded
1935 · James 'Jimmy' Rivers
When the Law Rides
1928 · Frankie Ross
Long Pants
1927 · Young Harry Shelby (un...
Valley of Wanted Men
1935 · Slivers Sanderson
The Thrill Hunter
1926 · Boy Prince
Hollywood on Parade No. B-1
1934
Burn 'Em Up Barnes
1934 · Bobbie Riley
Freddie Steps Out
1946 · Roy Donne
High School Hero
1946 · Roy Donne
Tom and His Pals
1926 · Frankie Smith
The Avenging Rider
1928 · Frankie Sheridan
Up in the Air
1940 · Frankie Ryan
The Great Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok
1938 · Jerry
The Desert Pirate
1927 · Jimmy Rand
Sarge Goes to College
1947 · Roy Donne
Wild to Go
1926 · Frankie Blake
The Payoff
1935 · Jimmy Moore
Headline Crasher
1937 · James 'Jimmy' Forbush...
Smart Politics
1948 · Roy Donne
The Devil Horse
1932 · Frankie Graham - The W...
Idaho Red
1929 · Tadpole
Little Men
1934 · Dan
The Girl on the Late, Late Show
1974 · Studio Guard
3 Kids and a Queen
1935 · Blackie
Juvenile Court
1938 · Stubby
Out of the West
1926 · Frankie O'Connor
Hollywood on Parade
1932 · Self
Moulders of Men
1927 · Sandy Barry
So Big
1924 · Dirk DeJong (child)
Vacation Days
1947 · Roy Donne
Heart of Virginia
1948 · Jimmy Easter
Fighting Fools
1949 · Johnny Higgins
The Circus Kid
1928 · Buddy
Fugitive Lovers
1975 · Lester the Drunk
Chasing Trouble
1940 · Jimmy O'Brien
The Masquerade Bandit
1926 · Tim Marble
Born to Fight
1936 · 'Babyface' Madison
The Cowboy Cop
1926 · Frankie
Trouble Makers
1948 · Ben Feathers
Mind Your Own Business
1936 · Bob
Born to Battle
1926 · Birdie
The Signal Tower
1924 · Sonny Tolliver
Sons of New Mexico
1949 · Gig Jackson
Black Gold
1936 · Clifford 'Fishtail' O'...
Two Gun Marshal
1953 · Clint Slocum
Confessions of a Queen
1925 · Prince Zara
Let's Go Collegiate
1941 · Frankie Monahan
Blaze o' Glory
1929 · Jean Williams
The Vanishing Legion
1931 · Jimmie Williams
Hold That Baby!
1949 · Bananas Stewart
Judgment of the Storm
1924 · Heath Twin
The Wolf Dog
1933 · Frank Courtney
Hollywood on Parade No. A-3
1932 · Self (uncredited)
Laughing at Danger
1940 · Frankie Kelly
Trail of the Horse Thieves
1929 · Buddy
On the Spot
1940 · Frankie 'Doc' Kelly
You're Out of Luck
1941 · Frankie O'Reilly
Young Dynamite
1937 · Freddie Shields
Irish Luck
1939 · Buzzy O'Brien
Anything for a Thrill
1937 · Dan Mallory
Tough to Handle
1937 · Mike Sanford
Hearts and Spangles
1926 · Bobby
Tom's Gang
1927 · Spuds
Rainbow Man
1929 · Billy Ryan
Fighting the Flames
1925 · Mickey
The Lightning Warrior
1931 · Jimmy Carter
Racing Blood
1936 · Frankie Reynolds
Tuxedo Junction
1941 · Jack 'Sock' Anderson
The Wyoming Wildcat
1925 · Barnie Finn
Junior Prom
1946 · Roy Donne
Judgement Of The Hills
1927 · Tad Dennison
Lightning Lariats
1927 · Alexis, King of Roxenb...
The Lawless Rider
1954 · Jim Bascom
The Midnight Flyer
1925 · Young Davey
Racing for Life
1924 · Jimmy Danton
Wanted by the Police
1938 · Danny Murphy
Women and Gold
1925 · Dan Barclay Jr.
The Cowboy Musketeer
1925 · Billy Gordon