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Roy William Neill
Director

Roy William Neill

4 Sep 1887Born
14 Dec 1946Died
59Age at death
101Credits

Biography

Roy William Neill (4 September 1887 – 14 December 1946) was a film director best known today for directing several of the Sherlock Holmes films starring Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce, made between 1943 and 1946 and released by Universal Studios.

With his father as the captain, Neill was born on a ship off the coast of Ireland named Roland de Gostrie. He began directing silent movies in 1917 and went on to helm 107 films, 40 of them silent. Although most of Neill's films were for the most part low-budget B-movies, he was known for directing films with meticulously lit scenes with carefully layered shadows that would become the style of film noir in the late 1940s.

Read the full biography

In fact, his last film, Black Angel (1946), is considered a film noir.

He was also credited in some works as R. William Neill, Roy W. Neill, and Roy Neill. Neill lived in the United States for most of his career and was a U.S. citizen. He did go to London from 1935 until 1940 where better opportunities existed for American directors. During this period, British film producer Edward Black hired Neill to direct The Lady Vanishes. However, due to delays in production, Black hired Alfred Hitchcock to direct instead.

Neill died in London, England from a heart attack.

Known for

Filmography

The 80 most recent of 101 credits.

  1. TBAThe Lady of VictoriesFilm: Director
  2. TBAThe Czarina's SecretFilm: Director
  3. 1946Black AngelFilm: Director
  4. 1946Dressed to KillFilm: Director
  5. 1946Terror by NightFilm: Director
  6. 1945Pursuit to AlgiersFilm: Director
  7. 1945The Woman in GreenFilm: Director
  8. 1945The House of FearFilm: Director
  9. 1944Gypsy WildcatFilm: Director
  10. 1944The Pearl of DeathFilm: Director
  11. 1944The Scarlet ClawFilm: Director, Screenplay
  12. 1943The Spider WomanFilm: Director
  13. 1943Sherlock Holmes Faces DeathFilm: Director
  14. 1943Rhythm of the IslandsFilm: Director
  15. 1943Sherlock Holmes in WashingtonFilm: Director
  16. 1943Frankenstein Meets the Wolf ManFilm: Director
  17. 1942Sherlock Holmes and the Secret WeaponFilm: Director
  18. 1942Madame SpyFilm: Director
  19. 1942Eyes of the UnderworldFilm: Director
  20. 1940Hoots MonFilm: Director, Screenplay
  21. 1940His Brother’s KeeperFilm: Director
  22. 1939Murder Will OutFilm: Writer, Director
  23. 1939A Gentleman's GentlemanFilm: Director
  24. 1939The Good Old DaysFilm: Director
  25. 1938Everything Happens to MeFilm: Director
  26. 1938Thank EvansFilm: Director
  27. 1938Quiet, PleaseFilm: Director
  28. 1938The ViperFilm: Director
  29. 1938Double or QuitsFilm: Director
  30. 1938Simply TerrificFilm: Director
  31. 1937Doctor SynFilm: Director
  32. 1936GypsyFilm: Director
  33. 1935The Lone Wolf ReturnsFilm: Director
  34. 1935The Black RoomFilm: Director
  35. 1935Eight BellsFilm: Director
  36. 1934Mills of the GodsFilm: Director
  37. 1934JealousyFilm: Director
  38. 1934I'll Fix ItFilm: Director
  39. 1934Blind DateFilm: Director
  40. 1934Black MoonFilm: Director
  41. 1934WhirlpoolFilm: Director
  42. 1934The 9th GuestFilm: Director
  43. 1933Above the CloudsFilm: Director
  44. 1933Fury of the JungleFilm: Director
  45. 1933As the Devil CommandsFilm: Director
  46. 1933The Circus Queen MurderFilm: Director
  47. 1932That's My BoyFilm: Director
  48. 1932The MenaceFilm: Director
  49. 1931Fifty Fathoms DeepFilm: Director
  50. 1931The Good Bad GirlFilm: Director
  51. 1931The AvengerFilm: Director
  52. 1930Just Like HeavenFilm: Director
  53. 1930Cock o' the WalkFilm: Director
  54. 1930The Melody ManFilm: Director
  55. 1929Wall StreetFilm: Director
  56. 1929Behind Closed DoorsFilm: Director
  57. 1928The VikingFilm: Writer, Director
  58. 1928Lady RafflesFilm: Director
  59. 1928CleopatraFilm: Director
  60. 1928The Olympic HeroFilm: Director
  61. 1928The Virgin QueenFilm: Director
  62. 1928San Francisco NightsFilm: Director
  63. 1927The Arizona WildcatFilm: Director
  64. 1927MarriageFilm: Director
  65. 1926The CityFilm: Director
  66. 1926Black ParadiseFilm: Director
  67. 1926A Man Four-SquareFilm: Director
  68. 1926The Fighting BuckarooFilm: Director
  69. 1926The Cowboy and the CountessFilm: Director
  70. 1925Greater Than a CrownFilm: Director
  71. 1925The Kiss BarrierFilm: Director
  72. 1925PercyFilm: Director
  73. 1925Marriage in TransitFilm: Director
  74. 1924Broken LawsFilm: Director
  75. 1924Vanity's PriceFilm: Director
  76. 1924By Divine RightFilm: Director
  77. 1923Toilers of the SeaFilm: Director
  78. 1922The Man from M.A.R.S.Film: Director
  79. 1922What's Wrong with the Women?Film: Director
  80. 1921The Iron TrailFilm: Director

Biography and credits from TMDB. This website uses TMDB and the TMDB APIs but is not endorsed, certified, or otherwise approved by TMDB.