Frankie Darro

Known for ActingBorn 1917-12-22Died 1976-12-25Chicago, 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 .Read more

Movies & web series

Racing Blood

Tuxedo Junction

Born to Fight

Mind Your Own Business

Hollywood on Parade No. A-3

Amateur Daddy

Rainbow Man

Texas Tornado

The Desert Pirate

Mike

Out of the West

The Midnight Flyer

The Cowboy Musketeer

The People vs. Nancy Preston

Let's Go, Gallagher

Her Husband's Secret

Half-a-Dollar Bill

Two Gun Marshal

Pride of Maryland

Laughing at Danger

The Great Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok

Unwelcome Stranger

The Big Race

Trail of the Horse Thieves

Idaho Red

The Pride of Pawnee

The Circus Kid

The Avenging Rider

Cyclone of the Range

The Masquerade Bandit

Tom and His Pals

Women and Gold

Racing for Life

So Big

The Vanishing Legion

The Addams Family

The Wolf Dog

Alfred Hitchcock Presents

The Cheyenne Cyclone

Gun Law

Terror Mountain

Tyrant of Red Gulch

Little Mickey Grogan

Perry Mason

Hearts and Spangles

Memory Lane

Wild to Go

The Wyoming Wildcat