Frankie Darro
Acting
Born December 22, 1917 · 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 .
Films (143)
Fugitive Lovers
1975
Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?
1975
The Girl on the Late, Late Show
1974
Hook, Line and Sinker
1969
The Movie Orgy
1968
Operation Petticoat
1959
Forbidden Planet
1956
Living It Up
1954
The Lawless Rider
1954
Racing Blood
1954
Two Gun Marshal
1953
Pat and Mike
1952
Westward the Women
1951
Across the Wide Missouri
1951
Pride of Maryland
1951
Wyoming Mail
1950
The Next Voice You Hear...
1950
Riding High
1950
Sons of New Mexico
1949
Hold That Baby!
1949
Fighting Fools
1949
Trouble Makers
1948
Heart of Virginia
1948
Angels' Alley
1948
Smart Politics
1948
That's My Man
1947
Sarge Goes to College
1947
Vacation Days
1947
High School Hero
1946
Freddie Steps Out
1946
Junior Prom
1946
Take It or Leave It
1944
Dead End Kids Go To War
1942
Junior G-Men of the Air
1942
Tuxedo Junction
1941
Let's Go Collegiate
1941
The Gang's All Here
1941
You're Out of Luck
1941
Up in the Air
1940
Laughing at Danger
1940
On the Spot
1940
Radio Ranch
1940
Pinocchio
1940
Chasing Trouble
1940
Irish Luck
1939
Boys' Reformatory
1939
Tough Kid
1938
Wanted by the Police
1938
Juvenile Court
1938
The Great Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok
1938
Reformatory
1938
Young Dynamite
1937
Thoroughbreds Don't Cry
1937
Headline Crasher
1937
Saratoga
1937
Anything for a Thrill
1937
Tough to Handle
1937
The Devil Diamond
1937
Mind Your Own Business
1936
Racing Blood
1936
Born to Fight
1936
Charlie Chan at the Race Track
1936
The Ex-Mrs. Bradford
1936
Black Gold
1936
Sunkist Stars at Palm Springs
1936
3 Kids and a Queen
1935
Valley of Wanted Men
1935
Men of Action
1935
Stranded
1935
Unwelcome Stranger
1935
The Phantom Empire
1935
Red Hot Tires
1935
The Payoff
1935
Broadway Bill
1934
Burn 'Em Up Barnes
1934
The Merry Frinks
1934
No Greater Glory
1934
Hollywood on Parade No. B-1
1934
The Big Race
1934
Little Men
1934
Wild Boys of the Road
1933
The Wolf Dog
1933
Tugboat Annie
1933
Laughing at Life
1933
The Mayor of Hell
1933
The Devil Horse
1932
Three on a Match
1932
Hollywood on Parade No. A-3
1932
Hollywood on Parade
1932
Amateur Daddy
1932
Way Back Home
1931
The Lightning Warrior
1931
The Sin of Madelon Claudet
1931
The Mad Genius
1931
The Vanishing Legion
1931
The Public Enemy
1931
Blaze o' Glory
1929
Rainbow Man
1929
Idaho Red
1929
Gun Law
1929
Trail of the Horse Thieves
1929
The Circus Kid
1928
The Avenging Rider
1928
Terror Mountain
1928
Texas Tornado
1928
The Phantom of the Range
1928
When the Law Rides
1928
Little Mickey Grogan
1927
The Desert Pirate
1927
Judgement Of The Hills
1927
Tom's Gang
1927
Cyclone of the Range
1927
Long Pants
1927
Moulders of Men
1927
Lightning Lariats
1927
Her Father Said No
1927
Flesh and the Devil
1926
Out of the West
1926
Tom and His Pals
1926
The Cowboy Cop
1926
Hearts and Spangles
1926
The Masquerade Bandit
1926
Mike
1926
Wild to Go
1926
Kiki
1926
Memory Lane
1926
The Thrill Hunter
1926
Born to Battle
1926
The Cowboy Musketeer
1925
The Midnight Flyer
1925
The People vs. Nancy Preston
1925
Let's Go, Gallagher
1925
Fighting the Flames
1925
Confessions of a Queen
1925
Her Husband's Secret
1925
Women and Gold
1925
The Wyoming Wildcat
1925
So Big
1924
Roaring Rails
1924
Racing for Life
1924
The Signal Tower
1924
Half-a-Dollar Bill
1924
Judgment of the Storm
1924