- published: 12 Oct 2013
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Frankie Darro (December 22, 1917 – December 25, 1976) 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 known for his role as Lampwick, the unlucky boy turned into a donkey in Walt Disney's 2nd animated feature, Pinocchio, which was originally released in February 1940.
Frankie Darro was born on Saturday, December 22, 1917 in Chicago, Illinois as Frank Johnson, Jr. His parents, Frank Johnson, Sr. and his wife Ada were known as The Flying Johnsons, a flying circus act with the Sells Floto Circus; it was a profession that his father attempted to train him in, and he cured Frankie's fear of heights by having him walk on a length of wire, and then gradually raised the height of it until his son had mastered the trick.
In 1922, while the circus was in California, his parents divorced; and their circus act ended with their marriage. The growing film industry, however, found a use for a small child who could do his own stunts and the young Johnson, renamed "Frankie Darro", appeared in his first film at the age of six.
Mantan Moreland (September 3, 1902 – September 28, 1973) was an American actor and comedian most popular in the 1930s and 1940s.
Born in Monroe, Louisiana, to Frank, an old-time Dixie band leader, and Marcella, Moreland began acting by the time he was an adolescent, running away to join a minstrel show in 1910. By the late 1920s, he had made his way through vaudeville, working with various shows and revues, performing on Broadway and touring Europe. Initially, Moreland appeared in low-budget "race movies" aimed at African-American audiences, but as his comedic talents came to be recognized, he received roles in larger productions.
Monogram Pictures signed Moreland to appear opposite Frankie Darro in the studio's popular action pictures. Moreland, with his bulging eyes and cackling laugh, quickly became a favorite supporting player in Hollywood movies. He is perhaps best known for his role as chauffeur Birmingham Brown in Monogram's Charlie Chan series. At the height of his career, Moreland received steady work from major film studios, as well as from independent producers who starred Moreland in low-budget, all-black-cast comedies.
Frankie or Franky is a hypocoristic of the given names Frank or Francis (or Frances or Francine, for females).
Other uses include:
The Greater Glory is a 1926 American silent drama film directed by Curt Rehfeld. The film starred Conway Tearle and Boris Karloff.The Greater Glory is sometimes listed as The Viennese Medley, the title of Edith O'Shaughnessy's novel of which the film is based. It is now considered lost.
Frankie and Mantan once again assign themselves to the task of finding a murderer in this long lost murder mystery comedy.
A murder takes place at a radio station.
An amateur detective and a hotel bellhop investigate a series of hotel murders.
Frankie and Jefferson get jobs at a trucking company. All's well until they realise the truck company is being targeted by saboteurs and hi-jackers. Directed by Jean Yarbrough.
Starring Frankie Darro, Kane Richmond, Phyllis Fraser, Harry Worth, Betty Burgess, Johnstone White and Burr Caruth. Directed by S. Roy Luby. A young newsboy's grandfather (Burr Caruth) wins a sweepstakes, but later finds out that the winning ticket is bogus, the product of a sweepstakes ticket counterfeiting ring headed by nightclub owner, Tony Franco (Harry Worth). Investigative reporter Joe MacIntyre (Kane Richmond) sets out to wants to prove that Franco is responsible, but first he must convince Sanford's grandchildren - Gloria (Phyllis Fraser), a singer in Franco's club, and her plucky newsboy brother, Michael (Frankie Darro). Not rated. B&W;. Release date: May 24, 1937.
Here is Frankie in what was most likely his last film appearance, as Lester the town drunk in the 1975 film Fugitive Lovers.
Frankie and Mantan get mixed up with some G-Men searching for a spy ring.
Here is the opening of The Merry Frinks with Frankie Darro acting alongside Aline MacMahon, Allen Jenkins, Joan Wheeler and Helen Lowell.
This is the opening scene of the silent film, Kiki, starring Norma Talmadge. Frankie plays little Pierre, a friend of Kiki. Even then, Frankie knew how to steal a scene! Ronald Colman appears briefly here as Victor.
This is the dramatic last moments of Frank Borzage's 1934 film No Greater Glory. If you don't want to know how the movie ends, don't watch!
When his grandfather wins the lottery but finds that the ticket was fake, a young reporter goes looking for the men behind the fake sweepstakes racket.
Frankie Darro starred in many silent movies as child. Sadly most of these have been lost. Here is a clip from a 1928 silent he starred in with Joe E. Brown (not seen in this particular clip) called The Circus Kid. In this clip we get to see some of the acrobatic tricks that Frankie learned in his short time in the circus.
Comedy ensues when a university rowing team tries to pass off a truck driver as the new star athelete on the rowing team, after the real athelete is drafted. Stars - Frankie Darrow, Mantan Moreland, Keye Luke, Gale Storm Directed by Jean Yarbrough
This a scene from Frank Borzage's 1934 film No Greater Glory. Frankie plays Feri Ats, the leader of the Red Shirts, nemeses of The Paul Street Boys, whose battle over a vacant lot provides a powerful anti-war allegory. Also turning in terrific performances are George Breakston as Nemecsek and Jackie Searle as the turncoat, Gereb.
A street kid living in a foster home is convicted of a crime committed by his foster brother. He is sent to a reform school run by corrupt officials and a cruel doctor.
Frankie co-stars with the fabulous Mantan Moreland in this action flick directed by Jean Yarbrough for Monogram Pictures. Also seen here is Marcia Mae Jones as Patsy, Robert Homans and Pops and Jackie Moran as Chick. Frankie would later do an act with Jackie Moran on stage in various venues.
Frankie starred in a number of serials for Mascot Pictures. This is another thrilling segment of a 1932 adventure called The Devil Horse co-starring Harry Carey. Frankie plays The Wild Boy, a boy whose father was killed when he was young and grew up with wild horses.
In this Hollywood on Parade segment from 1933, Frankie is said to become a messenger for a day, running errands for Hollywood stars. Turn the sound up during the autograph segment where the celebrities are arriving for a costume party. It's clear they've been told they will be filmed, but have not been briefed in too much detail about what is going on. It's funny when Paulette Goddard comments about Frankie, "He has makeup on and we don't!" Frankie also makes a couple of comments about how the cameras "have been rolling for hours."
Frankie Darro starred in this film adaptation of the comedy / gospel radio program, Seth Parker, created and performed by Phillips H. Lords who reprises the lead role here. Frankie plays Robbie, the Parkers adopted son. In this climatic clip, Robbie has been stolen away in the night by his father (played by Stanley Fields) and Seth Parker has to catch up to them before they can reach the train station!
Frankie and Mantan once again assign themselves to the task of finding a murderer in this long lost murder mystery comedy.
A murder takes place at a radio station.
An amateur detective and a hotel bellhop investigate a series of hotel murders.
Frankie and Jefferson get jobs at a trucking company. All's well until they realise the truck company is being targeted by saboteurs and hi-jackers. Directed by Jean Yarbrough.
Starring Frankie Darro, Kane Richmond, Phyllis Fraser, Harry Worth, Betty Burgess, Johnstone White and Burr Caruth. Directed by S. Roy Luby. A young newsboy's grandfather (Burr Caruth) wins a sweepstakes, but later finds out that the winning ticket is bogus, the product of a sweepstakes ticket counterfeiting ring headed by nightclub owner, Tony Franco (Harry Worth). Investigative reporter Joe MacIntyre (Kane Richmond) sets out to wants to prove that Franco is responsible, but first he must convince Sanford's grandchildren - Gloria (Phyllis Fraser), a singer in Franco's club, and her plucky newsboy brother, Michael (Frankie Darro). Not rated. B&W;. Release date: May 24, 1937.
Frankie and Mantan get mixed up with some G-Men searching for a spy ring.
Comedy ensues when a university rowing team tries to pass off a truck driver as the new star athelete on the rowing team, after the real athelete is drafted. Stars - Frankie Darrow, Mantan Moreland, Keye Luke, Gale Storm Directed by Jean Yarbrough
A street kid living in a foster home is convicted of a crime committed by his foster brother. He is sent to a reform school run by corrupt officials and a cruel doctor.
When his grandfather wins the lottery but finds that the ticket was fake, a young reporter goes looking for the men behind the fake sweepstakes racket.
Starring Kane Richmond, Frankie Darro, June Gale, Rosita Butler, Robert Fiske, Charles Prince, Edward Erle, Fern Emmett and Byron Foulger. Directed by Leslie Goodwins. Thieves attempt to steal the large, cursed gem from a jeweler who has been hired to cut it into smaller stones. Not rated. Black and white. Release date: January 15, 1937.
A boxer who thinks he has killed a gambler flees vowing never to fight again. But later on he trains a new kid with potential and the cycle of gambling and match fixing starts again.
A young state trooper and his family go looking for a pair of bandits who escape to their neck of the woods.
Frankie Darro, Mantan Moreland, Marjorie Reynolds, Lorna Gray, Gordon Jones, Tris Coffin, Clyde Dilson and Dick Elliott. Directed by Howard Bretherton. In the fifth of eight films together, Frankie Darro and Mantan Moreland find plenty of laughs and suspense as a radio page boy and his janitor pal who are out to solve the on-air murder of a none-too popular songtress (Lorna Gray). Black and white. 62 minutes. Relesae date: September 9, 1940.
Three escaped convicts return to their hometown to try to uncover the identity of the person who framed them.
Frankie, a young jockey, buys and tends to a crippled horse. It becomes a fast race horse. When he tries to enter it into a race he runs into the shady dealings of trackside racketeers. Directed by Victor Halperin (White Zombie)
A large, cursed diamond is going to be cut up into smaller pieces to be sold. A group of thugs attempts to steal it from the jeweller.
Men with Steel Faces (1940) Gene Autry, Frankie Darro, Smiley Burnette Re-edited feature version of serial The Phantom Empire (1935). Singer Gene Autry discovers a race of advanced humans living beneath the earth.
A group of men search for oil while an unscrupulous person attempts to steal it from them.
Frankie, a young jockey, buys and tends to a crippled horse. It becomes a fast race horse. When he tries to enter it into a race he runs into the shady dealings of trackside racketeers. Directed by Victor Halperin (White Zombie)
Frankie and Mantan once again assign themselves to the task of finding a murderer in this long lost murder mystery comedy.
Frankie and Jefferson get jobs at a trucking company. All's well until they realise the truck company is being targeted by saboteurs and hi-jackers. Directed by Jean Yarbrough.
Here is Frankie in what was most likely his last film appearance, as Lester the town drunk in the 1975 film Fugitive Lovers.
This is the dramatic final scene for Frankie in the 1938 serial The Great Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok. In this serial Frankie is strangely cast as an Indian boy named Jerry, but he still manages to make quite an impact in his small role. Dickie Jones plays Buddy and Bill Elliott is Wild Bill Hickok.
A little of what to expect when you pick up a copy of Tough Kid: The Life and Films of Frankie Darro by John Gloske.
Frankie appears as Johnny in this action movie co-starring Lyle Talbot and Mary Astor and directed by D. Ross Lederman. Here are some selected scenes from this exiting flick!
Gordon’s first guest on The F Word is Kevin Spacey and they’re having a lot of fun with their other favorite F-Word. The F-Word with Gordon Ramsay premieres LIVE May 31st at 9/8c PM on FOX. Every week the F Stands for Food, Family and Fun. Don’t forget to catch Kevin Spacey as Clarence Darrow at Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York on June 15th & 16th. For more information on tickets to Clarence Darrow: http://www.ticketmaster.com/venueartist/237621/2300194 For more information on The F Word: http://www.fox.com/the-f-word Follow The F Word on Twitter https://twitter.com/thefwordfox Follow The F Word on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/TheFWordFOX/ Follow The F Word on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/TheFWordFOX/ Subscribe for weekly cooking videos. If you liked this clip check out t...
Leo Gorcey (Bowery Boys) Interview 1968 Presented by the CLCI Webzine - For more rare celebrity interviews click here: http://www.cosmiklaila.com/
Bette Rogge Morse graduated from the University of Dayton in 1944. She received her masters degree from UD in 1977. She served on the University's Board of Trustees from 1975 to 1981. For her service to the community and university, Bette was awarded an honorary degree of Doctor of Humane Letters in 1999. Copyright is owned by Cox Media Group Ohio and WHIO-TV. Please contact the University Archives and Special Collections at the University of Dayton to inquire about permission to use this video. See more from this collection at www.ecommons.udayton.edu
Producer David Dortort was interviewed for three hours plus in Los Angeles, CA. Dortort spoke about his television writing career which began in the 1950s and culminated with his long association as writer and executive producer of the western series Bonanza and The High Chaparral. The interview was conducted by Henry Colman on August 8, 2002.
Driver Education playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL_hX5wLdhf_J56cMrPqPnU3dCDwlaHtyf more at http://travel.quickfound.net/ "Actress Gale Storm and family take a road trip in their Chevrolet and review the do's and don'ts of auto traveling." Reupload of a previously uploaded film with improved video & sound. Public domain film from the Library of Congress Prelinger Archives, slightly cropped to remove uneven edges, with the aspect ratio corrected, and one-pass brightness-contrast-color correction & mild video noise reduction applied. The soundtrack was also processed with volume normalization, noise reduction, clipping reduction, and/or equalization (the resulting sound, though not perfect, is far less noisy than the original). http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3...
Jessica Norton chats with Nickelodeon star Ariana Grande at the Sharpie: HELLO event in New York City about her new movie Swindle, One Direction, Sam & Cat, Snow White, New York City, and more!
Frankie Darro starred in this film adaptation of the comedy / gospel radio program, Seth Parker, created and performed by Phillips H. Lords who reprises the lead role here. Frankie plays Robbie, the Parkers adopted son. In this segment, Robbie's real father (played by the wonderfully versatile Stanley Fields) comes to claim his son from the Parkers. You'll also spot a young Bette Davis in this clip!
Starring Jeffrey Lynn, Marjorie Reynolds, Marilyn Monroe, Donald Crisp, Alan Hale Jr., Barbara Brown and Belinda Plowman. Directed by Arthur Pierson. Crestfallen after failing to be re-elected, politician Blake Washburn (Jeffrey Lynn) returns to his home town and becomes editor of the local newspaper. From this position, he attempts to use the publication to sway public opinion and potential voters in the next election. Per IMDB: "Despite retrospectively being dubbed a 'Marilyn Monroe movie' when sold on home video, Monroe only appears in the film for around four minutes total. "Marilyn Monroe was often expected to provide her own wardrobe, a common practice in Hollywood at the time. The sweater with the grey body and black sleeves that she wears worn previously in The Fireball (1950)...
This is an intense scene from the 1949 Bowery Boys movie Fighting Fools, undoubtedly one of the most serious moments of the whole series, in which Slip and Sach are searching for their old friend Johnny Higgins, a boxer who is on the skids because of his entanglement with crooked fight promoters. Only they bring Johnny the bad news . . . his brother has been killed in the ring because of the same crooks. Cue the dramatic music!
Frankie starred in a number of serials for Mascot Pictures. This is a segment of a 1932 adventure called The Devil Horse co-starring Harry Carey. Frankie plays The Wild Boy, a boy whose father was killed when he was young and grew up with wild horses.
This is an episode from the Classic TV series The Jack Benny Program entitled Jack gives Johnny Carson Advice from 1/1/1955 s06e11. The Jack Benny Program was a continuation of the Jack Benny radio show and aired from 1950 to 1965.
In 1938, Leo Gorcey starred in a remake of the Frankie Darro movie "Mayor of Hell". Then in the late 1940s and 1950s, Frankie Darro teamed up with Leo Gorcey to make several "Bowery Boys" movies. This clip is taken from my personal favorite "Angel's Alley", which features Leo and Frankie as COUSINS!!!!!
A 1940 comedy mystery film directed by Howard Bretherton, starring Frankie Darro. Frankie Darro is a soda-jerk/scientist in a small town that mobsters are suddenly attracted to. Director: Howard Bretherton Writers: Dorothy Davenport (screenplay), George Waggner (story) Stars: Frankie Darro, Mary Kornman and Mantan Moreland
Burn 'Em Up Barnes Episode 2 - The Newsreel Murder. Burn 'Em Up Barnes is a 1934 American movie serial starring Frankie Darro and Jack Mulhall distributed by Mascot Pictures. It was a loose remake of the 1921 silent film of the same name.
Kane Richmond is a professional boxer on the run after thinking he's killed someone and Frankie is the youth he takes under his wing. Here Kane sets it up for Frankie to begin training as a boxer, and who better to teach him than Fred 'Snowflake' Toones?
Frankie and Mantan once again assign themselves to the task of finding a murderer in this long lost murder mystery comedy.
A murder takes place at a radio station.
An amateur detective and a hotel bellhop investigate a series of hotel murders.
Frankie and Jefferson get jobs at a trucking company. All's well until they realise the truck company is being targeted by saboteurs and hi-jackers. Directed by Jean Yarbrough.
Starring Frankie Darro, Kane Richmond, Phyllis Fraser, Harry Worth, Betty Burgess, Johnstone White and Burr Caruth. Directed by S. Roy Luby. A young newsboy's grandfather (Burr Caruth) wins a sweepstakes, but later finds out that the winning ticket is bogus, the product of a sweepstakes ticket counterfeiting ring headed by nightclub owner, Tony Franco (Harry Worth). Investigative reporter Joe MacIntyre (Kane Richmond) sets out to wants to prove that Franco is responsible, but first he must convince Sanford's grandchildren - Gloria (Phyllis Fraser), a singer in Franco's club, and her plucky newsboy brother, Michael (Frankie Darro). Not rated. B&W;. Release date: May 24, 1937.
Frankie and Mantan get mixed up with some G-Men searching for a spy ring.
Comedy ensues when a university rowing team tries to pass off a truck driver as the new star athelete on the rowing team, after the real athelete is drafted. Stars - Frankie Darrow, Mantan Moreland, Keye Luke, Gale Storm Directed by Jean Yarbrough
A street kid living in a foster home is convicted of a crime committed by his foster brother. He is sent to a reform school run by corrupt officials and a cruel doctor.
When his grandfather wins the lottery but finds that the ticket was fake, a young reporter goes looking for the men behind the fake sweepstakes racket.
Starring Kane Richmond, Frankie Darro, June Gale, Rosita Butler, Robert Fiske, Charles Prince, Edward Erle, Fern Emmett and Byron Foulger. Directed by Leslie Goodwins. Thieves attempt to steal the large, cursed gem from a jeweler who has been hired to cut it into smaller stones. Not rated. Black and white. Release date: January 15, 1937.
A boxer who thinks he has killed a gambler flees vowing never to fight again. But later on he trains a new kid with potential and the cycle of gambling and match fixing starts again.
A young state trooper and his family go looking for a pair of bandits who escape to their neck of the woods.
Frankie Darro, Mantan Moreland, Marjorie Reynolds, Lorna Gray, Gordon Jones, Tris Coffin, Clyde Dilson and Dick Elliott. Directed by Howard Bretherton. In the fifth of eight films together, Frankie Darro and Mantan Moreland find plenty of laughs and suspense as a radio page boy and his janitor pal who are out to solve the on-air murder of a none-too popular songtress (Lorna Gray). Black and white. 62 minutes. Relesae date: September 9, 1940.
Three escaped convicts return to their hometown to try to uncover the identity of the person who framed them.
Frankie, a young jockey, buys and tends to a crippled horse. It becomes a fast race horse. When he tries to enter it into a race he runs into the shady dealings of trackside racketeers. Directed by Victor Halperin (White Zombie)
A large, cursed diamond is going to be cut up into smaller pieces to be sold. A group of thugs attempts to steal it from the jeweller.
Men with Steel Faces (1940) Gene Autry, Frankie Darro, Smiley Burnette Re-edited feature version of serial The Phantom Empire (1935). Singer Gene Autry discovers a race of advanced humans living beneath the earth.
Frankie, a young jockey, buys and tends to a crippled horse. It becomes a fast race horse. When he tries to enter it into a race he runs into the shady dealings of trackside racketeers. Directed by Victor Halperin (White Zombie)
A group of men search for oil while an unscrupulous person attempts to steal it from them.
Frankie and Mantan once again assign themselves to the task of finding a murderer in this long lost murder mystery comedy.
I was born in a world that was shaped by the blade of a two edged sword
I was draped in a cloth with the sign of the cross and the flame of the Lord
But every time I saw the theif on the tree it began to look a little more like me
I was told not to taste or touch anyone who was outside of the fold (they're unclean)
I was warned not to play I would burn if I played with fire of the flame that I hold
But every time I saw the filth on the street it began to look more beautiful to me
Every time I touched the unclean thing it felt more and more like I was touching me
That's why they call me Fornicator
You play with fire you will burn
The fire will burn all the fornicators
I was stripped of the cloak with the sign of the cross and the flame of the lord
Now I'm dressed all in black I was stabbed in the back by the two edged sword
And every time I see the filth on the streets it's a mirror image staring back at me
Every time I see the thief on the tree it's a mirror image staring back at me
That's why they call me Fornicator
You play with me you will see