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Roy William Neill

Roy William Neill

Known For Directing
Birthday Sep 04, 1887
Died Dec 14, 1946 (59)
Birthplace Ireland, United Kingdom
Popularity 0.4 (history)
Updated Aug 07, 2025 (Update)
Entry Date Apr 13, 2024
Links TMDb IMDb
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

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Filmography

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The Scarlet Claw

The Scarlet Claw

1944

Screenplay

Hoots Mon

Hoots Mon

1940

Screenplay

Cock o' the Walk

Cock o' the Walk

1930

Cinematography

The Viking

The Viking

1928

Writer

Black Angel

Black Angel

1946

Director

Dressed to Kill

Dressed to Kill

1946

Director

Terror by Night

Terror by Night

1946

Director

Pursuit to Algiers

Pursuit to Algiers

1945

Director

The House of Fear

The House of Fear

1945

Director

The Woman in Green

The Woman in Green

1945

Director

The Pearl of Death

The Pearl of Death

1944

Director

Gypsy Wildcat

Gypsy Wildcat

1944

Director

The Scarlet Claw

The Scarlet Claw

1944

Director

Rhythm of the Islands

Rhythm of the Islands

1943

Director

The Spider Woman

The Spider Woman

1943

Director

Madame Spy

Madame Spy

1942

Director

Eyes of the Underworld

Eyes of the Underworld

1942

Director

Hoots Mon

Hoots Mon

1940

Director

A Gentleman's Gentleman

A Gentleman's Gentleman

1939

Director

Simply Terrific

Simply Terrific

1938

Director

Thank Evans

Thank Evans

1938

Director

Doctor Syn

Doctor Syn

1937

Director

Eight Bells

Eight Bells

1935

Director

The Lone Wolf Returns

The Lone Wolf Returns

1935

Director

The Black Room

The Black Room

1935

Director

Blind Date

Blind Date

1934

Director

Whirlpool

Whirlpool

1934

Director

Black Moon

Black Moon

1934

Director

Jealousy

Jealousy

1934

Director

I'll Fix It

I'll Fix It

1934

Director

The 9th Guest

The 9th Guest

1934

Director

Mills of the Gods

Mills of the Gods

1934

Director

Above the Clouds

Above the Clouds

1933

Director

Fury of the Jungle

Fury of the Jungle

1933

Director

As the Devil Commands

As the Devil Commands

1933

Director

The Circus Queen Murder

The Circus Queen Murder

1933

Director

The Menace

The Menace

1932

Director

That's My Boy

That's My Boy

1932

Director

The Avenger

The Avenger

1931

Director

The Good Bad Girl

The Good Bad Girl

1931

Director

Fifty Fathoms Deep

Fifty Fathoms Deep

1931

Director

Cock o' the Walk

Cock o' the Walk

1930

Director

Just Like Heaven

Just Like Heaven

1930

Director

The Melody Man

The Melody Man

1930

Director

Wall Street

Wall Street

1929

Director

Behind Closed Doors

Behind Closed Doors

1929

Director

The Viking

The Viking

1928

Director

Lady Raffles

Lady Raffles

1928

Director

Cleopatra

Cleopatra

1928

Director

San Francisco Nights

San Francisco Nights

1928

Director

The Virgin Queen

The Virgin Queen

1928

Director

Black Paradise

Black Paradise

1926

Director

The City

The City

1926

Director

A Man Four-Square

A Man Four-Square

1926

Director

The Fighting Buckaroo

The Fighting Buckaroo

1926

Director

Percy

Percy

1925

Director

My Lady's Lips

My Lady's Lips

1925

Director

Greater Than a Crown

Greater Than a Crown

1925

Director

Marriage in Transit

Marriage in Transit

1925

Director

By Divine Right

By Divine Right

1924

Director

The Man from M.A.R.S.

The Man from M.A.R.S.

1922

Director

The Conquest of Canaan

The Conquest of Canaan

1921

Director

The Iron Trail

The Iron Trail

1921

Director

Dangerous Business

Dangerous Business

1920

Director

Yes or No

Yes or No

1920

Director

The Woman Gives

The Woman Gives

1920

Director

Love Me

Love Me

1918

Director

Green Eyes

Green Eyes

1918

Director

Vive la France!

Vive la France!

1918

Director

The Kaiser's Shadow

The Kaiser's Shadow

1918

Director

The Girl, Glory

The Girl, Glory

1917

Director

The Price Mark

The Price Mark

1917

Director

Black Angel

Black Angel

1946

Producer

Dressed to Kill

Dressed to Kill

1946

Producer

Terror by Night

Terror by Night

1946

Producer

The House of Fear

The House of Fear

1945

Producer

The Woman in Green

The Woman in Green

1945

Producer

Pursuit to Algiers

Pursuit to Algiers

1945

Producer

The Pearl of Death

The Pearl of Death

1944

Producer

The Scarlet Claw

The Scarlet Claw

1944

Producer

The Spider Woman

The Spider Woman

1943

Producer

Organization Category Movie
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Popularity History


Year Month Avg Max Min
2024 6 5 7 2
2024 7 8 15 3
2024 8 6 14 3
2024 9 5 9 2
2024 10 3 6 1
2024 11 2 4 1
2024 12 4 7 1
2025 1 3 6 1
2025 2 2 4 1
2025 3 1 2 1
2025 5 1 2 1
2025 6 1 1 1
2025 7 0 0 0
2025 8 3 7 0

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