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.
Filmography
all 90
Movies 90
Director 79
Producer 10
Writer 1
Black Angel (1946)
Dressed to Kill (1946)
Terror by Night (1946)
Pursuit to Algiers (1945)
The House of Fear (1945)
Gypsy Wildcat (1944)
The Pearl of Death (1944)
The Scarlet Claw (1944)
The Spider Woman (1943)
Sherlock Holmes Faces Death (1943)
Sherlock Holmes in Washington (1943)
Madame Spy (1942)
Hoots Mon (1940)
His Brother’s Keeper (1940)
Murder Will Out (1939)
The Good Old Days (1939)
Thank Evans (1938)
Quiet, Please (1938)
The Viper (1938)
Simply Terrific (1938)
Double or Quits (1938)
Doctor Syn (1937)
Gypsy (1936)
The Black Room (1935)
Eight Bells (1935)
Mills of the Gods (1934)
Jealousy (1934)
I'll Fix It (1934)
Blind Date (1934)
Black Moon (1934)
Whirlpool (1934)
The 9th Guest (1934)
Above the Clouds (1933)
Fury of the Jungle (1933)
That's My Boy (1932)
The Menace (1932)
Fifty Fathoms Deep (1931)
The Good Bad Girl (1931)
The Avenger (1931)
Just Like Heaven (1930)
Cock o' the Walk (1930)
The Melody Man (1930)
Wall Street (1929)
Behind Closed Doors (1929)
The Viking (1928)
Lady Raffles (1928)
Cleopatra (1928)
The Virgin Queen (1928)
San Francisco Nights (1928)
The Arizona Wildcat (1927)
The City (1926)
Black Paradise (1926)
A Man Four-Square (1926)
Greater Than a Crown (1925)
My Lady's Lips (1925)
Percy (1925)
Marriage in Transit (1925)
Broken Laws (1924)
Vanity's Price (1924)
By Divine Right (1924)
The Iron Trail (1921)
Dangerous Business (1920)
The Inner Voice (1920)
Good References (1920)
Yes or No (1920)
The Woman Gives (1920)
Vive la France! (1918)
Green Eyes (1918)
The Kaiser's Shadow (1918)
Love Me (1918)
Love Letters (1917)
The Price Mark (1917)
The Girl, Glory (1917)
Gallery
Information
Known ForDirecting
GenderMale
Birthday1887-09-04
Deathday1946-12-14 (59 years old)
Birth PlaceIreland, Ireland
CitizenshipsUnited States, Ireland
Also Known AsR. William Neill
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