Photo of Frankie Darro
Acting

Frankie Darro

Profession
Acting
Born
December 22, 1917 · Chicago, Illinois, USA
Died
December 25, 1976

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

Pinocchio poster
Pinocchio
Film · 1940 · ★ 7.1
The Ten Commandments poster
The Ten Commandments
Film · 1956 · ★ 7.8
Forbidden Planet poster
Forbidden Planet
Film · 1956 · ★ 7.3
Batman poster
Batman
Series · 1966 · ★ 7.3
The Addams Family poster
The Addams Family
Series · 1964 · ★ 8.0
Operation Petticoat poster
Operation Petticoat
Film · 1959 · ★ 7.2
The Public Enemy poster
The Public Enemy
Film · 1931 · ★ 7.3
Alfred Hitchcock Presents poster
Alfred Hitchcock Presents
Series · 1955 · ★ 7.8
Perry Mason poster
Perry Mason
Series · 1957 · ★ 7.7
Westward the Women poster
Westward the Women
Film · 1951 · ★ 7.0
Pat and Mike poster
Pat and Mike
Film · 1952 · ★ 6.4
Three on a Match poster
Three on a Match
Film · 1932 · ★ 6.3

Filmography