Frankie Darro

Actor

Born December 22, 1917 in 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

Lester the Drunk

Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?

Self (archive footage)

The Girl on the Late, Late Show

Studio Guard

Hook, Line and Sinker

Delivery Man (uncredited)

The Movie Orgy

Self (archive footage)

Batman

Newsman

The Addams Family

Delivery Boy

Going My Way

The Notorious Landlady

Mister Ed

Checkmate

Sonny

Operation Petticoat

Pharmacist's Mate 3rd Class Dooley

Mr. Lucky

Bat Masterson

Edward 'Snapper' Garrison

Peter Gunn

Perry Mason

Elevator Operator

Have Gun, Will Travel

Hey, Jeannie!

Caddy

Forbidden Planet

Robby the Robot (interior) (uncredited)

Alfred Hitchcock Presents

Little Dandy Dorf

Living It Up

Bellboy Captain (uncredited)

The Lawless Rider

Jim Bascom

Public Defender

Racing Blood

Ben

Two Gun Marshal

Clint Slocum

Pat and Mike

Caddy (uncredited)

Westward the Women

Jean's Awaiting Groom (uncredited)

Across the Wide Missouri

Cadet (uncredited)

The Red Skelton Show

Maw Kadiddlehopper

The Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok

Pride of Maryland

Steve Loomis

Wyoming Mail

Rufe

The Next Voice You Hear...

Newsboy (uncredited)

Riding High

Jockey Williams

Sons of New Mexico

Gig Jackson

Hold That Baby!

Bananas Stewart

Fighting Fools

Johnny Higgins

Trouble Makers

Ben Feathers

Heart of Virginia

Jimmy Easter

Angels' Alley

Cousin Jimmy

Smart Politics

Roy Donne

That's My Man

Jockey

Sarge Goes to College

Roy Donne

Vacation Days

Roy Donne

High School Hero

Roy Donne

Freddie Steps Out

Roy Donne

Junior Prom

Roy Donne

Take It or Leave It

Radio Listener

Junior G-Men of the Air

Jack

Tuxedo Junction

Jack 'Sock' Anderson

Let's Go Collegiate

Frankie Monahan

The Gang's All Here

Frankie O'Malley

You're Out of Luck

Frankie O'Reilly

Up in the Air

Frankie Ryan

Laughing at Danger

Frankie Kelly

On the Spot

Frankie 'Doc' Kelly

Radio Ranch

Frankie Baxter

Pinocchio

Lampwick (voice) (uncredited)

Chasing Trouble

Jimmy O'Brien

Irish Luck

Buzzy O'Brien

Boys' Reformatory

Tommy Ryan

Tough Kid

'Skipper' Murphy

Wanted by the Police

Danny Murphy

Juvenile Court

Stubby

The Great Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok

Jerry

Reformatory

Louie Miller

Young Dynamite

Freddie Shields

Thoroughbreds Don't Cry

"Dink" Reid

Headline Crasher

James 'Jimmy' Forbush Tallant, Jr.

Saratoga

Dixie Gordon

Anything for a Thrill

Dan Mallory

Tough to Handle

Mike Sanford

The Devil Diamond

Lee

Mind Your Own Business

Bob

Racing Blood

Frankie Reynolds

Born to Fight

'Babyface' Madison

Charlie Chan at the Race Track

'Tip' Collins, Jockey

The Ex-Mrs. Bradford

Spike Salisbury (uncredited)

Black Gold

Clifford 'Fishtail' O'Reilly

Sunkist Stars at Palm Springs

Self

3 Kids and a Queen

Blackie

Valley of Wanted Men

Slivers Sanderson

Men of Action

Johnny Morgan

Stranded

James 'Jimmy' Rivers

Unwelcome Stranger

Charlie Anderson

The Phantom Empire

Frankie Baxter

Red Hot Tires

Johnny

The Payoff

Jimmy Moore

Broadway Bill

Ted Williams

Burn 'Em Up Barnes

Bobbie Riley

The Merry Frinks

Norman Frink

No Greater Glory

Feri Ats

Hollywood on Parade No. B-1

The Big Race

Knobby

Little Men

Dan

Wild Boys of the Road

Eddie Smith

The Wolf Dog

Frank Courtney

Tugboat Annie

Alec, as a Child

Laughing at Life

Chango

The Mayor of Hell

James 'Jimmie' Smith

The Devil Horse

Frankie Graham - The Wild Boy

Three on a Match

Bobby (uncredited)

Hollywood on Parade No. A-3

Self (uncredited)

Hollywood on Parade

Self

Amateur Daddy

Pete Smith

The Cheyenne Cyclone

Orphan McGuire

Way Back Home

Robbie

The Lightning Warrior

Jimmy Carter

The Sin of Madelon Claudet

Larry Claudet - as a Boy (uncredited)

The Mad Genius

Fedor as a Boy

The Vanishing Legion

Jimmie Williams

The Public Enemy

Matt as a Boy (uncredited)

Blaze o' Glory

Jean Williams

Rainbow Man

Billy Ryan

Idaho Red

Tadpole

Gun Law

Buster Brown

Trail of the Horse Thieves

Buddy

The Circus Kid

Buddy

The Avenging Rider

Frankie Sheridan

Terror Mountain

Buddy Roberts

Texas Tornado

Buddy Martin

The Phantom of the Range

Spuds O'Brien

When the Law Rides

Frankie Ross

Little Mickey Grogan

Mickey Grogan

The Desert Pirate

Jimmy Rand

Judgement Of The Hills

Tad Dennison

Tom's Gang

Spuds

Long Pants

Young Harry Shelby (uncredited)

Moulders of Men

Sandy Barry

Lightning Lariats

Alexis, King of Roxenburg

Her Father Said No

Matt Doe

Flesh and the Devil

Boy who dances with Hertha (uncredited)

Out of the West

Frankie O'Connor

Tom and His Pals

Frankie Smith

The Cowboy Cop

Frankie

Hearts and Spangles

Bobby

The Masquerade Bandit

Tim Marble

Wild to Go

Frankie Blake

Kiki

Pierre

Memory Lane

Urchin

The Thrill Hunter

Boy Prince

Born to Battle

Birdie

The Cowboy Musketeer

Billy Gordon

The Midnight Flyer

Young Davey

The People vs. Nancy Preston

Bubsy

Let's Go, Gallagher

Little Joey

Fighting the Flames

Mickey

Confessions of a Queen

Prince Zara

Her Husband's Secret

Young Elliot Owen

Women and Gold

Dan Barclay Jr.

The Wyoming Wildcat

Barnie Finn

So Big

Dirk DeJong (child)

Roaring Rails

Little Bill

Racing for Life

Jimmy Danton

The Signal Tower

Sonny Tolliver

Half-a-Dollar Bill

Judgment of the Storm

Heath Twin