I saw Frankie Darro in Wild Boys of the Road last December on TCM's Salute to William Wellman.
Why didn't this guy have more of a career? I thought he was wonderful.
He also had a small role in Three on a Match.
Was it his height that held him back?
Frankie Darro
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Lzcutter
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Frankie Darro
Lynn in Lake Balboa
"Film is history. With every foot of film lost, we lose a link to our culture, to the world around us, to each other and to ourselves."
"For me, John Wayne has only become more impressive over time." Marty Scorsese
Avatar-Warner Bros Water Tower
"Film is history. With every foot of film lost, we lose a link to our culture, to the world around us, to each other and to ourselves."
"For me, John Wayne has only become more impressive over time." Marty Scorsese
Avatar-Warner Bros Water Tower
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moira finnie
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Please count me as another member of the Frankie Darro Fan Club, cyber-branch. As a matter of fact, there really are several fanpages listed for this talented dynamo, including this one.
Ever since seeing his moving performance in Wild Boys of the Road, I've kept an eye out for his infrequent appearances in films being shown on the tube or available on dvd. I recently saw him on an episode of Bat Masterson on Encore Westerns as a very cocky jockey who is helped (natch) by Gene Barry. Though he was only in his early forties at the time, he looked much older, unfortunately. Apparently when your work life begins at about six, and you spend much of it in numerous, often non-credited roles from the silent era to seventies tv, it may take a toll on a guy, (he allegedly even appeared in a Garbo-Gilbert film, Flesh and the Devil!). I also wonder if all those incredible stunts he did in his movies--whether a good or bad movie, the guy seemed to give it his considerable all--took a toll on his small, wiry frame.
I'd love to see if TCM might unearth some of his better films and run them some night or day in the future. The Gang's All Here (1941), one of a series of wildly politically incorrect (but rather fascinating) Monogram programmers that Darro did with Mantan Moreland airs on TCM on May 19, at 6:15am ET.
Btw, in addition to Wild Boys of the Road (1933) Frankie Darro seems to have appeared in small parts or uncredited ones in several other William Wellman films, such as The Public Enemy (1931) & Across the Wide Missouri (1951). He did stunts as well as enacted a small part as a potential bridegroom in Westward the Women (1951).
One of my favorite lesser known films of his is the action-packed 12 part serial The Devil Horse (1932) in which Darro played a "Wild Boy" raised, literally among the wolves and mustangs of the West. Harry Carey co-stars as one of the few men of integrity that the lad meets. Carey, naturally, sees that Frankie is really one of "Nature's Noblemen" and assists him and his Devil Horse while they pursue bad guys, one of whom (Noah Beery Sr., at his oily best), is responsible for Frankie's being an orphan and the death of Harry's bro. This one is available on dvd and is well worth seeing if you like Darro. Darro's fluid relationship with the title character is remarkable in this serial, as he seems to have an almost psychic connection with the Devil Horse.
The son of a circus family, Frankie had problems when he developed acrophobia, but his acrobatic skills, small height (5'3"), riding ability, and big personality gave him decades of work, (though he was too often relegated to working for poverty row studios), and he appeared in several big studio movies in the '30s too. I do think that his height prevented him from becoming a bigger star, though he also had some issues with alcohol as well, especially after reportedly opening a bar on Santa Monica Boulevard called the "Try Later", (a name that came from the Central Casting reply most often received when looking for work). He died when he was only 59 in 1976.
Here's a good Frankie Darro article about him. Thanks so much for reminding me of this good, largely unsung actor.
Ever since seeing his moving performance in Wild Boys of the Road, I've kept an eye out for his infrequent appearances in films being shown on the tube or available on dvd. I recently saw him on an episode of Bat Masterson on Encore Westerns as a very cocky jockey who is helped (natch) by Gene Barry. Though he was only in his early forties at the time, he looked much older, unfortunately. Apparently when your work life begins at about six, and you spend much of it in numerous, often non-credited roles from the silent era to seventies tv, it may take a toll on a guy, (he allegedly even appeared in a Garbo-Gilbert film, Flesh and the Devil!). I also wonder if all those incredible stunts he did in his movies--whether a good or bad movie, the guy seemed to give it his considerable all--took a toll on his small, wiry frame.
I'd love to see if TCM might unearth some of his better films and run them some night or day in the future. The Gang's All Here (1941), one of a series of wildly politically incorrect (but rather fascinating) Monogram programmers that Darro did with Mantan Moreland airs on TCM on May 19, at 6:15am ET.
Btw, in addition to Wild Boys of the Road (1933) Frankie Darro seems to have appeared in small parts or uncredited ones in several other William Wellman films, such as The Public Enemy (1931) & Across the Wide Missouri (1951). He did stunts as well as enacted a small part as a potential bridegroom in Westward the Women (1951).
One of my favorite lesser known films of his is the action-packed 12 part serial The Devil Horse (1932) in which Darro played a "Wild Boy" raised, literally among the wolves and mustangs of the West. Harry Carey co-stars as one of the few men of integrity that the lad meets. Carey, naturally, sees that Frankie is really one of "Nature's Noblemen" and assists him and his Devil Horse while they pursue bad guys, one of whom (Noah Beery Sr., at his oily best), is responsible for Frankie's being an orphan and the death of Harry's bro. This one is available on dvd and is well worth seeing if you like Darro. Darro's fluid relationship with the title character is remarkable in this serial, as he seems to have an almost psychic connection with the Devil Horse.
The son of a circus family, Frankie had problems when he developed acrophobia, but his acrobatic skills, small height (5'3"), riding ability, and big personality gave him decades of work, (though he was too often relegated to working for poverty row studios), and he appeared in several big studio movies in the '30s too. I do think that his height prevented him from becoming a bigger star, though he also had some issues with alcohol as well, especially after reportedly opening a bar on Santa Monica Boulevard called the "Try Later", (a name that came from the Central Casting reply most often received when looking for work). He died when he was only 59 in 1976.
Here's a good Frankie Darro article about him. Thanks so much for reminding me of this good, largely unsung actor.
Last edited by moira finnie on March 9th, 2008, 8:36 am, edited 2 times in total.
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moira finnie
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Thanks for the heads up about the Mantan Moreland-Frankie Darro movies. I've only seen part of one once, (the title of which eludes me), and found, of course that the racial stereotyping was ghastly, but at least the two seemed to be a team, so I suppose, in a sense, it was sort of progressive, (and at least an African-American actor had a job!).
Frankie seems to have been Warners go to guy in the early thirties when they needed a tough, spunky juvenile. Wild Boys of the Road is one of my favorite Wellman precoders. Darro really carries the picture. Another favorite of mine is The Mayor of Hell a dark precode with him playing a rebellious inmate at a corrupt reform school.
He was always credible in these younger roles. He seemed the epitome of the Depression era kid. He was also able to gain your sympathy without ever seeming cloying like so many young actors often do.
Like others have said, I think his height was a major factor in him not getting major adult roles. I remember seeing him in countless films playing a jockey. Films like Saratoga, Thoroughbreds Don't Cry and I thought he played a jockey in a Thin Man movie but I didn't see it in his credits.
I know I have seen a still of him peering through a doorway or window that was from either Love or The Flesh and the Devil but I don't see him in the credits for either of those. I've also never had the chance to see the films he made with Moreland.
It's nice to see a Frankie Darro thread.
He was always credible in these younger roles. He seemed the epitome of the Depression era kid. He was also able to gain your sympathy without ever seeming cloying like so many young actors often do.
Like others have said, I think his height was a major factor in him not getting major adult roles. I remember seeing him in countless films playing a jockey. Films like Saratoga, Thoroughbreds Don't Cry and I thought he played a jockey in a Thin Man movie but I didn't see it in his credits.
I know I have seen a still of him peering through a doorway or window that was from either Love or The Flesh and the Devil but I don't see him in the credits for either of those. I've also never had the chance to see the films he made with Moreland.
It's nice to see a Frankie Darro thread.