
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.
Directing (93 movies)

The Spider Woman
1943

Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man
1943

Black Angel
1946

Terror by Night
1946

Dressed to Kill
1946

The Black Room
1935

The Pearl of Death
1944

The House of Fear
1945

The Scarlet Claw
1944

The Woman in Green
1945

Doctor Syn
1937

Black Moon
1934

Sherlock Holmes in Washington
1943

Sherlock Holmes and the Secret Weapon
1942

Pursuit to Algiers
1945

Sherlock Holmes Faces Death
1943

Eyes of the Underworld
1942

The Circus Queen Murder
1933

Greater Than a Crown
1925

Vive la France!
1918

The Lone Wolf Returns
1935

The Menace
1932

The 9th Guest
1934

Hoots Mon
1940

Gypsy Wildcat
1944

The Good Bad Girl
1931

Just Like Heaven
1930

Cock o' the Walk
1930

Whirlpool
1934

Mills of the Gods
1934

Above the Clouds
1933

Blind Date
1934

Fury of the Jungle
1933

The Kaiser's Shadow
1918

The Virgin Queen
1928

The Avenger
1931

By Divine Right
1924

San Francisco Nights
1928

The Iron Trail
1921

The City
1926

The Viking
1928

Love Me
1918

Green Eyes
1918

Eight Bells
1935

The Arizona Wildcat
1927

A Gentleman's Gentleman
1939

The Fighting Buckaroo
1926

My Lady's Lips
1925

Percy
1925

Marriage in Transit
1925

A Man Four-Square
1926

As the Devil Commands
1933
Lady Raffles
1928

Rhythm of the Islands
1943

The Girl, Glory
1917

Madame Spy
1942

Good References
1920

The Woman Gives
1920

Yes or No
1920
Dangerous Business
1920

Fifty Fathoms Deep
1931

Wall Street
1929
Thank Evans
1938
His Brother’s Keeper
1940
Murder Will Out
1939
Double or Quits
1938
The Good Old Days
1939
The Viper
1938
Simply Terrific
1938
Quiet, Please
1938

The Melody Man
1930

Jealousy
1934

The Inner Voice
1920

I'll Fix It
1934

That's My Boy
1932

The Cowboy and the Countess
1926

The Price Mark
1917

Broken Laws
1924

Love Letters
1917
What's Wrong with the Women?
1922

Behind Closed Doors
1929

The Conquest of Canaan
1921

The Man from M.A.R.S.
1922

Black Paradise
1926

Cleopatra
1928

Vanity's Price
1924
The Career of Katherine Bush
1919

Everything Happens to Me
1938
Gypsy
1936
The Olympic Hero
1928

The Kiss Barrier
1925

The Idol of the North
1921

Puppy Love
1919
| Title | Year | Job | 
|---|---|---|
| The Viking | 1928 | Writer | 
| Murder Will Out | 1939 | Producer | 
| Murder Will Out | 1939 | Writer | 
| Hoots Mon | 1940 | Screenplay | 
| Sherlock Holmes in Washington | 1943 | Producer | 
| Sherlock Holmes Faces Death | 1943 | Producer | 
| The Spider Woman | 1943 | Producer | 
| The Scarlet Claw | 1944 | Producer | 
| The Scarlet Claw | 1944 | Screenplay | 
| The Pearl of Death | 1944 | Producer | 
| The House of Fear | 1945 | Producer | 
| The Woman in Green | 1945 | Producer | 
| Pursuit to Algiers | 1945 | Producer | 
| Terror by Night | 1946 | Producer | 
| Dressed to Kill | 1946 | Producer | 
| Black Angel | 1946 | Producer |