Frankie Darro was an American actor and later in his career a stuntman. He began his career as a child actor in silent films, progressed to lead roles and co-starring roles in adventure, western, dramatic, and comedy films, and later became a character actor and voice-over artist. He is perhaps best known for his role as Lampwick, the unlucky boy who turns into a donkey in Walt Disney's second animated feature, Pinocchio (1940). In early credits, his last name was spelled Darrow.
The Phantom Empire is a 1935 American Western serial film directed by Otto Brower and B. Reeves Eason and starring Gene Autry, Frankie Darro, and Betsy King Ross. This 12-chapter Mascot Pictures serial combined the Western, musical and science-fiction genres. The first episode is 30 minutes, the rest about 20 minutes. The serial film is about a singing cowboy who stumbles upon an ancient subterranean civilization living beneath his own ranch that becomes corrupted by unscrupulous greedy speculators from the surface. In 1940, a 70-minute feature film edited from the serial was released under the titles Radio Ranch or Men with Steel Faces. This was Gene Autry's first starring role, playing himself as a singing cowboy. It is considered to be the first science-fiction Western.
The Wolf Dog is a 1933 American Pre-Code Mascot film serial directed by Colbert Clark and Harry L. Fraser and starring Frankie Darro and Rin Tin Tin, Jr. The plot concerns a young boy becoming the heir to a fortune and a villain attempting to take it from him. The boy's canine pet, Rin Tin Tin Jr., is the star of the film, protecting his master from a succession of murder attempts.
The Gang's All Here (1941) is an American black-and-white feature film starring Frankie Darro, Mantan Moreland, Marcia Mae Jones, and Jackie Moran in a story about a trucking company targeted by saboteurs. The film was directed by Jean Yarbrough, produced by Lindsley Parsons, and is one of several that paired Darro and Moreland. The film is known as In the Night in the UK.
Charlotte Virginia Henry was an American actress who is best remembered for her roles in Alice in Wonderland (1933) and Babes in Toyland (1934). She also starred in the Frank Buck serial Jungle Menace (1937).
The Devil Diamond is a 1937 American film directed by Leslie Goodwins.
Tough to Handle is a 1937 American action film directed by S. Roy Luby and starring Frankie Darro, Kane Richmond and Phyllis Cerf.
Robin Hood, Jr. is a 1936 American musical romance film directed by Leslie Goodwins from a screenplay by Harry O. Hoyt. The film stars Frankie Darro, Kane Richmond, and Muriel Evans.
Three Kids and a Queen is a 1935 American drama film directed by Edward Ludwig, written by Samuel Ornitz and Barry Trivers, and starring May Robson, Henry Armetta, Herman Bing, Frankie Darro, Bill Burrud and William "Billy" Benedict. It was released on October 21, 1935, by Universal Pictures.
Sarge Goes to College is a 1947 American musical comedy film directed by Will Jason and starring Freddie Stewart, June Preisser and Frankie Darro. It was produced and distributed by Monogram Pictures as part of The Teen Agers series.
Black Gold is a 1936 American action film directed by Russell Hopton and starring Frankie Darro, LeRoy Mason and Gloria Shea.
Sons of New Mexico is a 1949 American Western film directed by John English and written by Paul Gangelin. The film stars Gene Autry, Gail Davis, Robert Armstrong, Dick Jones, Frankie Darro and Irving Bacon. The film was released on December 20, 1949, by Columbia Pictures.
Her Father Said No is a 1927 American comedy film directed by Jack McKeown and written by Al Boasberg. The film stars Mary Brian, Danny O'Shea, Al Cooke, Kit Guard, John Steppling and Frankie Darro. The film was released on January 2, 1927, by Film Booking Offices of America.
Terror Mountain is a 1928 American silent Western film directed by Louis King and written by Frank Howard Clark and Helen Gregg. The film stars Tom Tyler, Jane Reid, Al Ferguson, Jules Cowles and Frankie Darro. The film was released on August 19, 1928, by Film Booking Offices of America. It was also released as Terror and Tom's Vacation.
The Phantom Express is a 1925 American silent action crime film directed by John G. Adolfi and starring Ethel Shannon, David Butler, and Frankie Darro.
The Cheyenne Cyclone is a 1931 American Western film directed by Armand Schaefer and starring Lane Chandler, Marie Quillan and Frankie Darro. It is a remake of the 1928 silent film Phantom of the Range.
Anything for a Thrill is a 1937 American crime film directed by Leslie Goodwins and written by Joseph O'Donnell and Stanley Lowenstein. The film stars Frankie Darro, Kane Richmond, June Johnson, Ann Evers, Johnstone White and Horace Murphy. The film was released on June 15, 1937, by Conn Pictures Corporation.
Racing Blood is a 1936 American crime film directed by Victor Halperin and written by Joseph O'Donnell. The film stars Frankie Darro, Kane Richmond, Gladys Blake, Arthur Housman, James Eagles, Matthew Betz, Si Wills and Fred Toones. The film was released on November 15, 1936, by Conn Pictures Corporation.
Headline Crasher is a 1936 American drama film directed by Leslie Goodwins from a screenplay by Sherman L. Lowe and Charles R. Condon. The film stars Frankie Darro, Kane Richmond, and Muriel Evans.
Born to Fight is a 1936 American drama film directed by Charles Hutchison from a screenplay by Stephen Norris, based on the short story, "To Him Who Dares" by Peter B. Kyne. The film stars Frankie Darro, Kane Richmond, and Jack LaRue.
