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Personal Info
Known For
Acting
Birthday
December 22, 1917
Died
December 25, 1976
Place of Birth
Chicago, Illinois, USA
Also Known As
- Frank Johnson
- Frank Darro
- Frankie Darrow
- Frank Darrow
- Frank Johnson, Jr.
Frankie Darro
0.5 Popularity
Biography
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 .
Known For
3.3
Lester the Drunk
Fugitive Lovers
1975
6.1
Self (archive footage)
Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?
1975
5.2
Studio Guard
The Girl on the Late, Late Show
1974
4.1
Delivery Man (uncredited)
Hook, Line and Sinker
1969
6.3
Self (archive footage)
The Movie Orgy
1968
7.3
Newsman
Batman
1966
8.0
Delivery Boy
The Addams Family
1964
5.7
Going My Way
1962
6.7
Mister Ed
1961
4.1
Sonny
Checkmate
1960
Credits
Fugitive Lovers
as Lester the Drunk
1975
3.3
Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?
as Self (archive footage)
1975
6.1
The Girl on the Late, Late Show
as Studio Guard
1974
5.2
Hook, Line and Sinker
as Delivery Man (uncredited)
1969
4.1
The Movie Orgy
as Self (archive footage)
1968
6.3
Batman
as Newsman
1966
7.3
The Addams Family
as Delivery Boy
1964
8.0
Going My Way
1962
5.7
Mister Ed
1961
6.7
Checkmate
as Sonny
1960
4.1
Operation Petticoat
as Pharmacist's Mate 3rd Class Dooley
1959
7.2
Mr. Lucky
1959
6.4
Bat Masterson
as Edward 'Snapper' Garrison
1958
6.1
Peter Gunn
1958
6.4
Perry Mason
as Elevator Operator
1957
7.7
Perry Mason
as Messenger
1957
7.7
Have Gun, Will Travel
1957
7.3
🎬
Hey, Jeannie!
as Caddy
1956
6.0
Forbidden Planet
as Robby the Robot (interior) (uncredited)
1956
7.3
Alfred Hitchcock Presents
as Little Dandy Dorf
1955
7.8
Alfred Hitchcock Presents
as Boots
1955
7.8
Living It Up
as Bellboy Captain (uncredited)
1954
6.4
The Lawless Rider
as Jim Bascom
1954
4.0
Public Defender
1954
5.7
Two Gun Marshal
as Clint Slocum
1953
0.0
Pat and Mike
as Caddy (uncredited)
1952
6.3
Westward the Women
as Jean's Awaiting Groom (uncredited)
1951
7.0
Across the Wide Missouri
as Cadet (uncredited)
1951
5.9
The Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok
1951
4.5
Pride of Maryland
as Steve Loomis
1951
0.0
Wyoming Mail
as Rufe
1950
4.4
The Next Voice You Hear...
as Newsboy (uncredited)
1950
5.2
Riding High
as Jockey Williams
1950
5.8
Sons of New Mexico
as Gig Jackson
1949
5.0
Hold That Baby!
as Bananas Stewart
1949
5.0
Fighting Fools
as Johnny Higgins
1949
5.0
Trouble Makers
as Ben Feathers
1948
5.7
Heart of Virginia
as Jimmy Easter
1948
0.0
Angels' Alley
as Cousin Jimmy
1948
4.0
Smart Politics
as Roy Donne
1948
6.0
That's My Man
as Jockey
1947
6.0
Sarge Goes to College
as Roy Donne
1947
3.3
Vacation Days
as Roy Donne
1947
4.0
High School Hero
as Roy Donne
1946
5.0
Freddie Steps Out
as Roy Donne
1946
4.0
Junior Prom
as Roy Donne
1946
4.0
Take It or Leave It
as Radio Listener
1944
4.0
🎬
Dead End Kids Go To War
as Jack
1942
0.0
Junior G-Men of the Air
as Jack
1942
6.0
Tuxedo Junction
as Jack 'Sock' Anderson
1941
0.0
Let's Go Collegiate
as Frankie Monahan
1941
5.0
The Gang's All Here
as Frankie O'Malley
1941
5.0
You're Out of Luck
as Frankie O'Reilly
1941
6.0
Up in the Air
as Frankie Ryan
1940
5.0
Laughing at Danger
as Frankie Kelly
1940
0.0
On the Spot
as Frankie 'Doc' Kelly
1940
5.5
Men with Steel Faces
as Frankie Baxter
1940
5.0
Pinocchio
as Lampwick (voice) (uncredited)
1940
7.1
Chasing Trouble
as Jimmy O'Brien
1940
5.0
Irish Luck
as Buzzy O'Brien
1939
5.8
Boys' Reformatory
as Tommy Ryan
1939
4.0
Tough Kid
as 'Skipper' Murphy
1938
6.0
Wanted by the Police
as Danny Murphy
1938
6.0
Juvenile Court
as Stubby
1938
5.0
The Great Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok
as Jerry
1938
0.0
Reformatory
as Louie Miller
1938
6.0
Young Dynamite
as Freddie Shields
1937
1.0
Thoroughbreds Don't Cry
as "Dink" Reid
1937
5.7
Headline Crasher
as James 'Jimmy' Forbush Tallant, Jr.
1937
0.0
Saratoga
as Dixie Gordon
1937
6.2
Anything for a Thrill
as Dan Mallory
1937
2.0
Tough to Handle
as Mike Sanford
1937
5.0
The Devil Diamond
as Lee
1937
4.0
Mind Your Own Business
as Bob
1936
0.0
Racing Blood
as Frankie Reynolds
1936
4.0
Born to Fight
as 'Babyface' Madison
1936
0.0
Charlie Chan at the Race Track
as 'Tip' Collins, Jockey
1936
7.1
Sunkist Stars at Palm Springs
as Self
1936
1.0
The Ex-Mrs. Bradford
as Spike Salisbury (uncredited)
1936
6.2
Black Gold
as Clifford 'Fishtail' O'Reilly
1936
5.0
3 Kids and a Queen
as Blackie
1935
6.0
Valley of Wanted Men
as Slivers Sanderson
1935
4.5
Men of Action
as Johnny Morgan
1935
5.0
Stranded
as James 'Jimmy' Rivers
1935
5.8
Unwelcome Stranger
as Charlie Anderson
1935
0.0
The Phantom Empire
as Frankie Baxter
1935
5.5
Red Hot Tires
as Johnny
1935
5.8
The Payoff
as Jimmy Moore
1935
4.9
Broadway Bill
as Ted Williams
1934
6.0
Burn 'Em Up Barnes
as Bobbie Riley
1934
5.2
The Merry Frinks
as Norman Frink
1934
3.7
No Greater Glory
as Feri Ats
1934
6.6
Hollywood on Parade No. B-1
1934
6.0
The Big Race
as Knobby
1934
0.0
Little Men
as Dan
1934
5.0
Wild Boys of the Road
as Eddie Smith
1933
6.8
The Wolf Dog
as Frank Courtney
1933
7.8
Tugboat Annie
as Alec, as a Child
1933
7.0
Laughing at Life
as Chango
1933
6.0
The Mayor of Hell
as James 'Jimmie' Smith
1933
7.1
The Devil Horse
as Frankie Graham - The Wild Boy
1932
4.0
Three on a Match
as Bobby (uncredited)
1932
6.2
Hollywood on Parade No. A-3
as Self (uncredited)
1932
0.0
Hollywood on Parade
as Self
1932
3.0
Amateur Daddy
as Pete Smith
1932
0.0
Way Back Home
as Robbie
1931
6.2
The Lightning Warrior
as Jimmy Carter
1931
5.0
The Sin of Madelon Claudet
as Larry Claudet - as a Boy (uncredited)
1931
5.7
The Mad Genius
as Fedor as a Boy
1931
6.3
The Vanishing Legion
as Jimmie Williams
1931
9.0
The Public Enemy
as Matt as a Boy (uncredited)
1931
7.2
Blaze o' Glory
as Jean Williams
1929
0.0
Rainbow Man
as Billy Ryan
1929
0.0
Idaho Red
as Tadpole
1929
0.0
Gun Law
as Buster Brown
1929
0.0
Trail of the Horse Thieves
as Buddy
1929
0.0
The Circus Kid
as Buddy
1928
0.0
The Avenging Rider
as Frankie Sheridan
1928
0.0
Texas Tornado
as Buddy Martin
1928
0.0
The Phantom of the Range
as Spuds O'Brien
1928
0.0
Little Mickey Grogan
as Mickey Grogan
1927
0.0
Judgement Of The Hills
as Tad Dennison
1927
0.0
Tom's Gang
as Spuds
1927
0.0
🎬
Cyclone of the Range
as Frankie Butler
1927
0.0
Long Pants
as Young Harry Shelby (uncredited)
1927
5.5
Moulders of Men
as Sandy Barry
1927
0.0
Lightning Lariats
as Alexis, King of Roxenburg
1927
0.0
Her Father Said No
as Matt Doe
1927
0.0
Flesh and the Devil
as Boy who dances with Hertha (uncredited)
1926
7.1
Out of the West
as Frankie O'Connor
1926
0.0
Tom and His Pals
as Frankie Smith
1926
0.0
The Cowboy Cop
as Frankie
1926
0.0
Hearts and Spangles
as Bobby
1926
0.0
The Masquerade Bandit
as Tim Marble
1926
0.0
🎬
Mike
as Boy
1926
0.0
Kiki
as Pierre
1926
7.3
Memory Lane
as Urchin
1926
0.0
The Thrill Hunter
as Boy Prince
1926
0.0
Born to Battle
as Birdie
1926
0.0
The Cowboy Musketeer
as Billy Gordon
1925
0.0
The Midnight Flyer
as Young Davey
1925
0.0
The People vs. Nancy Preston
as Bubsy
1925
0.0
Let's Go, Gallagher
as Little Joey
1925
0.0
Fighting the Flames
as Mickey
1925
0.0
Confessions of a Queen
as Prince Zara
1925
7.0
Her Husband's Secret
as Young Elliot Owen
1925
0.0
The Wyoming Wildcat
as Barnie Finn
1925
0.0
So Big
as Dirk DeJong (child)
1924
0.0
Roaring Rails
as Little Bill
1924
6.8
Racing for Life
as Jimmy Danton
1924
0.0
The Signal Tower
as Sonny Tolliver
1924
5.2
Judgment of the Storm
as Heath Twin
1924
0.0