Roy William Neill
Personal Info
Known for
Directing
Gender
Male
Birthday
1887-09-04
Day of Death
1946-12-14 (59 years old)
Place of Birth
Ireland, United Kingdom
Roy William Neill
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. 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
Crew
(1946)
Black Angel
Director, Producer
(1946)
Terror by Night
Director, Producer
(1946)
Dressed to Kill
Director, Producer
(1945)
The House of Fear
Producer, Director
(1945)
The Woman in Green
Producer, Director
(1945)
Pursuit to Algiers
Director, Producer
(1944)
The Scarlet Claw
Producer, Director, Screenplay
(1944)
The Pearl of Death
Producer, Director
(1944)
Gypsy Wildcat
Director
(1943)
The Spider Woman
Director, Producer
(1943)
Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man
Director
(1943)
Sherlock Holmes in Washington
Director, Producer
(1943)
Sherlock Holmes Faces Death
Director, Producer
(1943)
(1943)
Rhythm of the Islands
Director
(1942)
(1942)
Eyes of the Underworld
Director
(1942)
Madame Spy
Director
(1940)
Hoots Mon
Director, Screenplay
(1940)
His Brother’s Keeper
Director, Script
(1939)
A Gentleman's Gentleman
Director
(1939)
Murder Will Out
Director, Writer, Producer
(1939)
The Good Old Days
Director
(1938)
Thank Evans
Director
(1938)
Double or Quits
Director
(1938)
The Viper
Director
(1938)
Simply Terrific
Director
(1938)
Quiet, Please
Director
(1938)
Everything Happens to Me
Director
(1937)
Doctor Syn
Director
(1936)
Gypsy
Director
(1935)
The Black Room
Director
(1935)
The Lone Wolf Returns
Director
(1935)
Eight Bells
Director
(1934)
Black Moon
Director
(1934)
The 9th Guest
Director
(1934)
Whirlpool
Director
(1934)
Mills of the Gods
Director
(1934)
Blind Date
Director
(1934)
Jealousy
Director
(1934)
I'll Fix It
Director
(1933)
The Circus Queen Murder
Director
(1933)
Above the Clouds
Director
(1933)
Fury of the Jungle
Director
(1933)
As the Devil Commands
Director
(1932)
The Menace
Director
(1932)
That's My Boy
Director
(1931)
The Good Bad Girl
Director
(1931)
The Avenger
Director
(1931)
Fifty Fathoms Deep
Director
(1930)
Just Like Heaven
Director
(1930)
Cock o' the Walk
Director, Cinematography
(1930)
The Melody Man
Director
(1929)
Wall Street
Director
(1929)
Behind Closed Doors
Director
(1928)
The Viking
Writer, Director
(1928)
The Virgin Queen
Director
(1928)
San Francisco Nights
Director
(1928)
Lady Raffles
Director
(1928)
Cleopatra
Director
(1928)
The Olympic Hero
Director
(1927)
The Arizona Wildcat
Director
(1926)
The City
Director
(1926)
The Fighting Buckaroo
Director
(1926)
A Man Four-Square
Director
(1926)
The Cowboy and the Countess
Director
(1926)
Black Paradise
Director
(1925)
Greater Than a Crown
Director
(1925)
My Lady's Lips
Director
(1925)
Percy
Director
(1925)
Marriage in Transit
Director
(1924)
By Divine Right
Director
(1924)
Broken Laws
Director
(1924)
Vanity's Price
Director
(1922)
What's Wrong with the Women?
Director
(1922)
The Man from M.A.R.S.
Director
(1921)
The Iron Trail
Director
(1921)
The Conquest of Canaan
Director
(1920)
Good References
Director
(1920)
The Woman Gives
Director
(1920)
Yes or No
Director
(1920)
Dangerous Business
Director
(1920)
The Inner Voice
Director
(1919)
The Career of Katherine Bush
Director
(1918)
Vive la France!
Director
(1918)
The Kaiser's Shadow
Director
(1918)
Love Me
Director
(1918)
Green Eyes
Director
(1917)
The Girl, Glory
Director
(1917)
The Price Mark
Director
(1917)
Love Letters
Director