Born into a show-business family - his parents were circus aerialists -
Frankie 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 : Kinder auf den Straßen (1933). 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 was later rediscovered,
received critical acclaim, and in 2013 it was as selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress. Also in 1933, 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 Show (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 . .
