An entire home page dedicated to Frankie Darro?  Gosh, YES!!!  It's time to recognize this sorely overlooked actor whose career, which spanned from the silent era well into the 1960's, touched upon so many different genres: besides being a notable child star, he did his own stunts and held his own in many Tom Tyler silents; rode alongside Gene Autry and Rin Tin Tin in serials; starred in his own series of comedies with Mantan Moreland; made some notable appearances in the Bowery Boys series; became known as Hollywood's perennial jockey, riding (and falling off) horses in countless films; is known to sci-fi buffs as being one of the actors who worked inside Robbie the Robot in Forbidden Planet; was known to TV fans as the indestructible "little old lady" on The Red Skelton Show . . . and those are only some of his credits!!

So we invite you, with a wink and a smile, to follow the links below and learn
more about this versatile actor's career!  C'mon, let's go!!!

Want to know what's new on the site?  Click the Updates button above!

Last Updated: March 1, 2010

Tough Kid: The Life and Films of Frankie Darro

The book is now also available to order directly from the author!
Just send $21.95 plus $3.95 for postage and handling to:

John Gloske
18159 1/2 Parthenia Street
Northridge, CA  91325  USA

Make all checks and money orders payable to: John Gloske.
You may order up to three books for the same $3.95 postage charge.
Include a note with your order if you want the books signed.

We have often bemoaned the unavailability of many of Frankie's silent movies on video or DVD.  This is sadly because so few of them appear to exist any longer!  So it's always nice when one of the few silent films Frankie appeared in is not only in existence, but made available to own!  We are very happy to report that Kino International, one of the premiere distributors of rare, classic and silent films, is making one of Frankie's more obscure titles part of their Norma Talmadge collection, which will be released on March 16th!  Kiki, from 1926, stars Norma Talmadge and Ronald Colman in a comedic film about a Parisian waif (Talmadge) who sets out to become a chorus girl and win the heart of the Follies manager (Colman.)  Frankie has a small but notable appearance in the movie as a street kid who is friends with Kiki.  You can view a clip from this movie on our YouTube Channel from a trader's copy with some incidental music we threw on, but of course this release should be much cleaner and with a nice musical score included!   The DVD also includes the 1923 Norma Talmadge film Within the Law, co-starring Lew Cody and DeWitt Jennings.  Just knowing the quality of Kino's releases, we feel safe in saying this will be one that Frankie collectors will want to grab up!

Click here to order Kiki on DVD
from Kino International!

Frankie is seen here in his costume and makeup for his
small role in the 1953 film Siren of Bagdad.

A big thanks goes out to Wade Ballard, an avid fan who has been researching Frankie's career for many years and was kind enough to send us a lot of new information for this site!

Thanks also to John R. for providing so much useful information and facts for the site!

There have been MANY fans who have provided us with valuable information for this website.  If we are using video clips or information you provided and have not given you credit for it, please drop me a line and let me know!

The Frankie Darro Home Page is designed and maintained by Linda Kay for academic and entertainment purposes only.  No infraction of copyrights is intended.  If anyone has any problems with anything posted here, let me know!  Anyone with information or photos on Frankie who wish to share them here, I'd love to hear from you!