Roy William Neill
Known for: Directing
Born: September 4, 1887
Died: December 14, 1946
Place of birth: Ireland, United Kingdom
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. 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.
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Filmography
103 movies · 0 TV shows, newest first
6.1
Black Angel
1946
6.6
Dressed to Kill
1946
6.6
Terror by Night
1946
6.8
Pursuit to Algiers
1945
6.5
The Woman in Green
1945
6.9
The House of Fear
1945
6.0
Gypsy Wildcat
1944
7.1
The Pearl of Death
1944
6.9
The Scarlet Claw
1944
7.0
The Spider Woman
1943
6.9
Sherlock Holmes Faces Death
1943
7.5
Two Tickets to London
1943
5.5
Rhythm of the Islands
1943
6.7
Sherlock Holmes in Washington
1943
6.2
Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man
1943
6.4
Sherlock Holmes and the Secret Weapon
1942
6.5
Madame Spy
1942
5.6
Eyes of the Underworld
1942
6.0
Hoots Mon
19408.0
His Brother’s Keeper
1940NR
Murder Will Out
1939
10.0
A Gentleman's Gentleman
19398.0
The Good Old Days
1939
9.0
Everything Happens to Me
19389.0
Thank Evans
19387.0
Quiet, Please
19387.0
The Viper
1938NR
Double or Quits
19388.0
Simply Terrific
1938
6.8
Doctor Syn
193710.0
Gypsy
1936
6.1
The Lone Wolf Returns
1935
6.5
The Black Room
1935
6.5
Eight Bells
1935
8.0
Mills of the Gods
1934
5.8
Jealousy
1934
9.0
I'll Fix It
1934
8.0
Blind Date
1934
5.5
Black Moon
1934
6.4
Whirlpool
1934
6.0
The 9th Guest
1934
6.5
Above the Clouds
1933
7.0
Fury of the Jungle
1933
9.0
As the Devil Commands
1933
5.0
The Circus Queen Murder
1933
8.0
That's My Boy
1932
5.6
The Menace
1932
3.7
Fifty Fathoms Deep
1931
6.5
The Good Bad Girl
1931
6.0
The Avenger
1931
6.0
Just Like Heaven
1930
3.9
Cock o' the Walk
1930
3.0
The Melody Man
1930
7.0
Wall Street
1929
7.0
Behind Closed Doors
1929
6.8
The Viking
1928
7.0
Lady Raffles
1928
8.0
Cleopatra
19289.0
The Olympic Hero
1928
10.0
The Virgin Queen
1928
10.0
San Francisco Nights
1928
9.0
The Arizona Wildcat
1927
8.0
Marriage
1927
10.0
The City
1926
5.3
Black Paradise
1926
9.0
A Man Four-Square
1926
7.0
The Fighting Buckaroo
1926
9.0
The Cowboy and the Countess
1926
10.0
Greater Than a Crown
1925
10.0
My Lady's Lips
1925
9.0
The Kiss Barrier
1925
10.0
Percy
1925
7.0
Marriage in Transit
1925
8.0
Broken Laws
1924
8.0
Vanity's Price
1924
8.0
By Divine Right
1924
7.0
Toilers of the Sea
1923
7.0
The Man from M.A.R.S.
1922
8.0
What's Wrong with the Women?
1922
9.0
The Iron Trail
1921
8.0
The Conquest of Canaan
1921
9.0
The Idol of the North
19218.0
Dangerous Business
1920
7.0
The Inner Voice
1920
7.0
Good References
1920
6.7
Yes or No
1920
7.0
The Woman Gives
1920
NR
The Bandbox
1919
NR
The Career of Katherine Bush
1919
7.0
Trixie from Broadway
1919
7.0
Puppy Love
1919
5.0
Vive la France!
1918
NR
Green Eyes
1918
NR
The Kaiser's Shadow
1918NR
Tyrant Fear
1918
1.0
Love Me
1918
NR
Love Letters
1917
NR
The Price Mark
1917NR
The Mother Instinct
1917
9.0
The Girl, Glory
1917
10.0
A Corner in Colleens
1916NR
The Lady of Victories
—NR
The Czarina's Secret
—