|
Frank Johnson was born into a show-business family in Chicago, Illinois (1917). His parents were circus aerialists and he picked some of their skills as a boy. He acquired the stage name of Frankie Darro. He became an imoortanbt child star during the silent era of the 1920s. He appeared in his first film at age 6 years. Due to his small stature (only 5 feet 3 inches as an adult) he not only played child roles, butvteenagfe roles well into his twenties. From the beginning he was a rather physical performer. He usually did his own stunts, often out of necessity because for legal reasoins there were not any child stuntmen. Riding was one of his skills and he did several westerns as well as playing jockies. And hechad some kleading roles in early talkies. Perhaps the most important was 'Wild Boys on the Open Road', a realistic look at youth and the Depression (1933). As he got older, leading oles dried up. His short stature as a disadvantage. He continued active in show businnes thriugh biut oarts, stunt assignments, as vioice overs. His most importannt voice over was his role as Lampwick, the unhappy boy who was turned into a donkey in Walt Disney's second animated feature -- 'Pinocchio' (1940). He had an importanny sify role--Robby the Rebiot, but of course no one knew who he was. He was Michael Anthony of TVs popular "Millionaire" show (1955-60).
Navigate the Boys' Theatrical Pages:
[Return to the Main child actor D page]
[Return to the Main movie page]
[Child actors A]
[Child actors B]
[Child actors C]
[Child actors D]
[Child actors E]
[Child actors F]
[Child actors G]
[Child actors H]
Navigate the Historical Boys' Clothing Website
[Introduction]
[Activities]
[Biographies]
[Chronology]
[Clothing styles]
[Countries]
[Bibliographies]
[Contributions]
[FAQs]
[Glosaries]
[Images]
[Links]
[Registration]
[Tools]
[Boys' Clothing Home]
