FRANKIE DARRO BIOGRAPHY & FILMOGRAPHY:
Frank Darro was born on December 27th, 1917 in Chicago, Illinois with the birth name Frank Johnson. His whole family was involved in show business. His parents both worked in the circus as aerialists and they were known as the Flying Johnsons. As a young boy his parents tried to train him to work with them, but his fear of heights prevented him from doing so.
In 1922 his parents split and that ended their circus act as well. In the meantime, Darro became involved the silent film industry at the age of six. As a youth he continued to work in a variety of films such as silent's, westerns and serial pictures.
As his career progressed into the 1930's he got a role in, "Wild Boys of the Road" (1933) in which he was cast as the lead character. This role was followed by another film role in, "The Phantom Empire" (1935) starring Gene Autry.
In 1938 he was cast to star in a series with Monogram Pictures. He then briefly had to take a break from acting to serve in World War II in the US Navy Hospital Corps. Upon his return to the film industry it was as though he had never taken a break.
Alongside being a talented actor he was very athletic and many times performed his own stunts as well as working as a stuntman for other actors. He did receive a recurring role on, "The Red Skelton Hour" (1951) followed by a role in the sci-fi film, "The Forbidden Planet" (1956).
As film roles were becoming less available to him he became an alcoholic and his screen career slowly came to an end. He opened his own tavern and called it, "Try Later".
On December 25th, 1976 Frankie Darro passed away in Huntington Beach, California from a heart attack. His ashes were scattered into the Pacific Ocean.
Filmography
1975 Fugitive Lovers
1974 The Girl on the Late, Late Show
1969 Hook, Line and Sinker
1957-1969 The Red Skelton Hour
1967 The Guns of Will Sonnett
1966 Batman
1965 The Addams Family
1958-1964 Perry Mason
1964 The Disorderly Orderly (uncredited)
1964 The Carpetbaggers
1963 It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World
1962 Going My Way (TV series)
1962 Mister Ed
1960-1962 Alfred Hitchcock Presents
1962 The Hathaways
1961 The Case of the Dangerous Robin
1960 Checkmate
1960 Mr. Lucky
1960 The Untouchables
1959 Bat Masterson
1959 Operation Petticoat
1959 The Further Adventures of Ellery Queen
1958 Peter Gunn
1958 The Lineup
1958 The Perfect Furlough
1958 December Bride
1958 Have Gun - Will Travel
1956 Hey, Jeannie!
1956 The Ten Commandments
1956 Forbidden Planet
1956 Judge Roy Bean
1954-1955 The Public Defender
1954 I Married Joan
1954 Living It Up
1954 The Lawless Rider
1954 Racing Blood
1953 Siren of Bagdad
1953 G.E. True Theater
1952 Pat and Mike
1952 The Sellout
1951 Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok
1951 Westward the Women
1951 Across the Wide Missouri
1951 The Pride of Maryland
1950 Wyoming Mail
1950 A Life of Her Own
1950 The Next Voice You Hear...
1950 Riding High
1949 Sons of New Mexico
1949 Hold That Baby!
1949 Fighting Fools
1948 Trouble Makers
1948 The Babe Ruth Story
1948 Heart of Virginia
1948 Angels' Alley
1948 Smart Politics
1947 That's My Man
1947 Sarge Goes to College
1947 Vacation Days
1946 High School Hero
1946 Chick Carter, Detective
1946 Freddie Steps Out
1946 I Junior Prom
1942 Junior G-Men of the Air
1941 Tuxedo Junction
1941 Let's Go Collegiate
1941 The Gang's All Here
1941 You're Out of Luck
1940 Up in the Air
1940 Laughing at Danger
1940 On the Spot
1940 Pinocchio
1940 Chasing Trouble
1939 Irish Luck
1939 Boys' Reformatory
1938 Tough Kid
1938 Wanted by the Police
1938 Juvenile Court
1938 The Great Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok
1938 Reformatory
1937 Young Dynamite
1937 Thoroughbreds Don't Cry
1937 Saratoga
1937 Anything for a Thrill
1937 A Day at the Races
1937 Tough to Handle
1937 Headline Crasher
1937 The Devil Diamond
1936 Mind Your Own Business
1936 Racing Blood
1936 Charlie Chan at the Race Track
1936 Born to Fight
1936 The Ex-Mrs. Bradford
1936 Black Gold
1935 The Payoff
1935 Three 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
1934 II Burn 'Em Up Barnes
1934 Little Men
1934 Broadway Bill
1934 I Burn 'Em Up Barnes
1934 The Merry Frinks
1934 No Greater Glory
1934 Hollywood on Parade No. B-8
1934 The Big Race
1933 The Wolf Dog
1933 Wild Boys of the Road
1933 Tugboat Annie
1933 Laughing at Life
1933 The Mayor of Hell
1932 The Devil Horse
1932 Three on a Match
1932 Amateur Daddy
1931 The Cheyenne Cyclone
1931 Way Back Home
1931 The Mad Genius
1931 The Lightning Warrior
1931 The Sin of Madelon Claudet
1931 The Vanishing Legion
1931 The Public Enemy
1929 Blaze o' Glory
1929 The Pride of Pawnee
1929 Rainbow Man
1929 Idaho Red
1929 Gun Law
1929 Trail of the Horse Thieves
1928 Tyrant of Red Gulch
1928 The Avenging Rider
1928 The Circus Kid
1928 Terror Mountain
1928 The Texas Tornado
1928 Phantom of the Range
1928 When the Law Rides
1927 Little Mickey Grogan
1927 The Desert Pirate
1927 The Flying U Ranch
1927 Judgment 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
1926 Flesh and the Devil
1926 Red Hot Hoofs
1926 Out of the West
1926 Tom and His Pals
1926 The Carnival Girl
1926 The Cowboy Cop
1926 Hearts and Spangles
1926 The Masquerade Bandit
1926 Wild to Go
1926 Kiki
1926 The Arizona Streak
1926 The Thrill Hunter
1926 Memory Lane
1926 Born to Battle
1926 Mike
1925 The Cowboy Musketeer
1925 The Midnight Flyer
1925 The Phantom Express
1925 The Wyoming Wildcat
1925 The People vs. Nancy Preston
1925 Wandering Footsteps
1925 Let's Go Gallagher
1925 Fighting the Flames
1925 Confessions of a Queen
1925 Her Husband's Secret
1925 The Fearless Lover
1925 Women and Gold
1924 So Big
1924 Roaring Rails
1924 Racing for Life
1924 The Signal Tower
1924 Half-a-Dollar Bill
1924 The Judgment of the Storm
