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 |