Roy William Neill (4 September 1887 – 14 December 1946) was an Irish-born American film director best known for directing the last eleven of the fourteen

Sherlock Holmes Sherlock Holmes () is a fictional detective created by British author Arthur Conan Doyle. Referring to himself as a " consulting detective" in the stories, Holmes is known for his proficiency with observation, deduction, forensic science and ...

films starring

Basil Rathbone Philip St. John Basil Rathbone MC (13 June 1892 – 21 July 1967) was a South African-born English actor. He rose to prominence in the United Kingdom as a Shakespearean stage actor and went on to appear in more than 70 films, primarily costume ...

and Nigel Bruce, made between 1943 and 1946 and released by

Universal Studios Universal Pictures (legally Universal City Studios LLC, also known as Universal Studios, or simply Universal; common metonym: Uni, and formerly named Universal Film Manufacturing Company and Universal-International Pictures Inc.) is an Americ ...

Biography

With his father as the captain, Roy William Neill was born on a ship off the coast of

Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel, the Irish Sea, and St George's Channel. Ireland is the s ...

. His birth name was Roland de Gostrie. Neill began directing silent films in 1917 and went on to helm 111 films, 55 of them silent. Although most of Neill's films were 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 Film noir (; ) is a cinematic term used primarily to describe stylish Hollywood crime dramas, particularly those that emphasize cynical attitudes and motivations. The 1940s and 1950s are generally regarded as the "classic period" of American '' ...

'' in the late 1940s. 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 US 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 Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock (13 August 1899 – 29 April 1980) was an English filmmaker. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in the history of cinema. In a career spanning six decades, he directed over 50 featur ...

to direct instead. Neill died in

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

, England, from a

heart attack A myocardial infarction (MI), commonly known as a heart attack, occurs when blood flow decreases or stops to the coronary artery of the heart, causing damage to the heart muscle. The most common symptom is chest pain or discomfort which ma ...

Filmography

*''

The Girl, Glory ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...

'' (1917) *'' The Mother Instinct'' (1917) *'' They're Off'' (1917) *'' The Price Mark'' (1917) *'' Love Letters'' (1917) *'' Flare-Up Sal'' (1918) *'' Love Me'' (1918) *'' Free and Equal'' (1918) *'' Tyrant Fear'' (1918) *'' The Mating of Marcella'' (1918) *'' The Kaiser's Shadow'' (1918) *'' Green Eyes'' (1918) *'' Vive la France!'' (1918) *''

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'' (1919) *'' Charge It to Me'' (1919) *'' Trixie from Broadway'' (1919) *'' The Career of Katherine Bush'' (1919) *'' The Bandbox'' (1919) *'' The Woman Gives'' (1920) *'' The Inner Voice'' (1920) *'' Yes or No?'' (1920) *''

Good References ''Good References'' is a 1920 American silent romantic comedy drama film directed by Roy William Neill and starring Constance Talmadge, Vincent Coleman, Ned Sparks, Nellie Parker Spaulding, Mona Lisa, and Matthew Betz. It is based on the novel ...

'' (1920) *'' Dangerous Business'' (1920) *'' Something Different'' (1920) *''

The Idol of the North ''The Idol of the North'' is a lost 1921 American silent drama film directed by Roy William Neill and written by Frank S. Beresford and Tom McNamara based upon a story by J. Clarkson Miller. The film stars Dorothy Dalton, Edwin August, E.J. R ...

'' (1921) *''

The Conquest of Canaan ''The Conquest of Canaan'' is a 1921 American silent drama film produced by Famous Players-Lasky and distributed by Paramount Pictures. It starred Thomas Meighan and Doris Kenyon and was directed by Roy William Neill. It was filmed in Asheville ...

'' (1921) *'' The Iron Trail'' (1921) *''

What's Wrong with the Women? ''What's Wrong with the Women?'' is 1922 American silent Jazz Age drama film, directed by Roy William Neill, produced by Daniel Carson Goodman, and starring Wilton Lackaye, Barbara Castleton, and Constance Bennett. It is not known whether ...

'' (1922) *'' The Man From M.A.R.S.'' (1922) *'' Toilers of the Sea'' (1923) *''

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'' (1924) *''

Vanity's Price ''Vanity's Price'' is a lost 1924 American silent drama film directed by Roy William Neill and starring Anna Q. Nilsson. It was produced by the Gothic Productions company and released by FBO.Broken Laws ''Broken Laws'' is a 1924 American silent drama film directed by Roy William Neill, remarkable for the appearance of Dorothy Davenport, who is billed as "Mrs. Wallace Reid".

'' (1924) *'' Percy'' (1925) *'' Marriage in Transit'' (1925) *'' The Kiss Barrier'' (1925) *'' Greater Than a Crown'' (1925) *''

The Cowboy and the Countess ''The Cowboy and the Countess'' is a 1926 American silent Western film directed by Roy William Neill and starring Buck Jones, Helena D'Algy, and Diana Miller. Plot As described in a film magazine review, Jerry Whipple, daredevil of the Wester ...

'' (1926) *'' The Fighting Buckaroo'' (1926) *''

A Man Four-Square ''A Man Four-Square'' is a lost 1926 American silent Western film directed by Roy William Neill and starring Buck Jones, Marion Harlan and Harry Woods.Solomon p.377 Cast * Buck Jones as Craig Norton * Marion Harlan as Polly * Harry Woods a ...

'' (1926) *''

Black Paradise ''Black Paradise'' is a 1926 American silent adventure film directed by Roy William Neill and starring Madge Bellamy, Leslie Fenton, and Edmund Lowe Edmund Dantes Lowe (March 3, 1890 – April 21, 1971) was an American actor. His formative ...

'' (1926) *'' The City'' (1926) *''

Marriage Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between ...

'' (1927) *'' The Arizona Wildcat'' (1927) *'' The Lady of Victories'' (1928) - short *'' The Czarina's Secret'' (1928) - short *'' San Francisco Nights'' (1928) *'' The Virgin Queen'' (1928) - short *'' The Olympic Hero'' (1928) *'' Lady Raffles'' (1928) *''

Cleopatra Cleopatra VII Philopator ( grc-gre, Κλεοπάτρα Φιλοπάτωρ}, "Cleopatra the father-beloved"; 69 BC10 August 30 BC) was Queen of the Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt from 51 to 30 BC, and its last active ruler.She was also a ...

'' (1928) - short *'' The Heart of General Robert E. Lee'' (1928) - short *'' The Viking'' (1928) *'' Madame DuBarry'' (1928) - short *'' Behind Closed Doors'' (1929) *'' Wall Street'' (1929) *''

The Melody Man ''The Melody Man'' is a 1930 American Pre-Code drama musical film produced and distributed by Columbia Pictures. It was directed by Roy William Neill and starred John St. Polis, Alice Day and William Collier, Jr. The story is based on a Bro ...

'' (1930) *'' Cock 'o the Walk'' (1930) -

lost film A lost film is a feature or short film that no longer exists in any studio archive, private collection, public archive or the U.S. Library of Congress. Conditions During most of the 20th century, U.S. copyright law required at least one copy ...

*'' Just Like Heaven'' (1930) *'' Fifty Fathoms Deep'' (1931) *'' The Avenger'' (1931) *'' The Good Bad Girl'' (1931) *'' Fifty Fathoms Deep'' (1931) *'' The Menace'' (1932) *'' American Madness'' (1932) - uncredited *'' That's My Boy'' (1932) *''

The Circus Queen Murder ''The Circus Queen Murder'' is a 1933 American pre-Code mystery film directed by Roy William Neill and starring Adolphe Menjou, Donald Cook and Greta Nissen. It is the sequel to the 1932 film '' The Night Club Lady'' in which Menjou had also st ...

'' (1933) *'' As the Devil Commands'' (1933) *'' Fury of the Jungle'' (1933) *'' Above the Clouds'' (1933) *'' The Ninth Guest'' (1934) *'' Whirlpool'' (1934) *''

Black Moon Black Moon may refer to: * Black moon, one of four astronomical events involving new or dark moons * Black Moon (person) (c. 1821–1893), Lakota (American Indian) headman * Black Moon or Lilith (hypothetical moon), a hypothetical natural satelli ...

'' (1934) *'' Blind Date'' (1934) *''

I'll Fix It ''I'll Fix It'' is a 1934 American romantic comedy film directed by Roy William Neill and starring Jack Holt, Mona Barrie and Winnie Lightner. An extremely powerful machine politics fixer is frustrated when his attempts to secure his younger bro ...

'' (1934) *'' Jealousy'' (1934) *'' Mills of the Gods'' (1934) *'' Eight Bells'' (1935) *'' The Black Room'' (1935) *'' The Lone Wolf Returns'' (1935) *'' Gypsy'' (1937) *''

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'' (1937) *'' Quiet Please'' (1938) *'' The Viper'' (1938) *'' Simply Terrific'' (1938) *'' Double or Quits'' (1938) *''

Thank Evans ''Thank Evans'' is a 1938 British comedy film directed by Roy William Neill and starring Max Miller. The film is sequel to '' Educated Evans'' (1936), with Miller, Hal Walters and Albert Whelan all returning to reprise their roles as the haple ...

'' (1938) British *''

Many Tanks Mr. Atkins ''Many Tanks Mr. Atkins'' is a 1938 British comedy war film directed by Roy William Neill and starring Claude Hulbert, Reginald Purdell and Barbara Greene. It was made as a quota quickie by Warner Brothers at the company's Teddington Studios ...

'' (1938) *'' Everything Happens to Me'' (1938) *'' A Gentleman's Gentleman'' (1939) *'' Murder Will Out'' (1939) *'' His Brother's Keeper'' (1940) *'' Hoots Mon!'' (1940) *'' The Good Old Days'' (1939) *'' Eyes of the Underworld'' (1942) *'' Madame Spy'' (1942) *'' Sherlock Holmes and the Secret Weapon'' (1942) *'' Sherlock Holmes in Washington'' (1943) *'' Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man'' (1943) *''

Rhythm of the Islands ''Rhythm of the Islands'', also known as ''Isle of Romance'', is a 1943 American film directed by Roy William Neill starring Jane Frazee. Plot summary Two ambitious guys from Brooklyn, Tommy Jones and Eddie Dolan, get the idea of buying a trop ...

'' (1943) *'' Sherlock Holmes Faces Death'' (1943) *'' The Spider Woman'' (1943) *'' The Scarlet Claw'' (1944) *'' The Pearl of Death'' (1944) *''

Gypsy Wildcat ''Gypsy Wildcat'' is a 1944 Technicolor adventure film directed by Roy William Neil starring Maria Montez, Jon Hall and Peter Coe. It was co-written by James M. Cain. Plot A king's messenger ( Jon Hall) protects a Gypsy dancer (Maria Montez) fr ...

'' (1944) *'' Sherlock Holmes and the House of Fear'' (1945) *'' The Woman in Green'' (1945) *''

Pursuit to Algiers ''Pursuit to Algiers'' (1945) is the twelfth entry in the Basil Rathbone/Nigel Bruce Sherlock Holmes film series of fourteen. Elements in the story pay homage to an otherwise unrecorded affair mentioned by Dr. Watson at the beginning of the 1903 ...

'' (1945) *'' Terror by Night'' (1946) *'' Dressed to Kill'' (1946) *'' Black Angel'' (1946)

References

External links

* *
Passport portrait of Roy William Neil
{{DEFAULTSORT:Neill, Roy 1887 births 1946 deaths People born at sea Irish film directors American film directors Horror film directors Irish emigrants to the United States (before 1923)