Directing
Roy William Neill
EN cinema · 103 credits
Born
4 September 1887
Died
14 December 1946 (aged 59)
Birthplace
Ireland, United Kingdom
Also known as R. William Neill
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
Filmography
Black Angel
Director, Producer
Terror by Night
Director, Producer
Dressed to Kill
Director, Producer
The House of Fear
Director, Producer
The Woman in Green
Producer, Director
Pursuit to Algiers
Director, Producer
The Scarlet Claw
Producer, Director, Screenplay
The Pearl of Death
Director, Producer
Gypsy Wildcat
Director
Destiny
Associate Producer
The Spider Woman
Director, Producer
Sherlock Holmes in Washington
Director, Producer
Sherlock Holmes Faces Death
Director, Producer
Madame Spy
Director
Hoots Mon
Director, Screenplay
His Brother’s Keeper
1940
His Brother’s Keeper
Script, Director
Murder Will Out
1939
Murder Will Out
Director, Writer, Producer
Doctor Syn
Director
Gypsy
1936
Gypsy
Director
The Black Room
Director
Eight Bells
Director
Black Moon
Director
The 9th Guest
Director
Whirlpool
Director
Mills of the Gods
Director
Blind Date
Director
Jealousy
Director
I'll Fix It
Director
Above the Clouds
Director
Fury of the Jungle
Director
The Menace
Director
That's My Boy
Director
The Good Bad Girl
Director
The Avenger
Director
Fifty Fathoms Deep
Director
Just Like Heaven
Director
Cock o' the Walk
Cinematography, Director
The Melody Man
Director
Wall Street
Director
Behind Closed Doors
Director
The Viking
Writer, Director
The Virgin Queen
Director
Lady Raffles
Director
Cleopatra
Director
The Arizona Wildcat
Director
Marriage
Director, Producer
The City
Director
A Man Four-Square
Director
Black Paradise
Director
Percy
Director
Marriage in Transit
Director
The Kiss Barrier
Director
By Divine Right
Director
Broken Laws
Director
Vanity's Price
Director
Toilers of the Sea
Director, Producer
The Iron Trail
Director
Good References
Director
The Woman Gives
Director
Yes or No
Director
The Inner Voice
Director
Puppy Love
Director
The Bandbox
Director
Trixie from Broadway
Director
Vive la France!
Director
Love Me
Director
Green Eyes
Director
The Girl, Glory
Director
The Price Mark
Director
Love Letters
Director
A Corner in Colleens
as Dan Allen