Person
Roy William Neill
Ireland, United Kingdom
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 B…
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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
Movies and shows, newest first
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1946
Black Angel
Movie Director
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1946
Dressed to Kill
Movie Director
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1946
Terror by Night
Movie Director
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1945
Pursuit to Algiers
Movie Director
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1945
The Woman in Green
Movie Producer
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1945
The House of Fear
Movie Director
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1944
Gypsy Wildcat
Movie Director
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1944
The Pearl of Death
Movie Director
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1944
The Scarlet Claw
Movie Producer
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1943
The Spider Woman
Movie Director
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1943
Sherlock Holmes Faces Death
Movie Director
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1943
Two Tickets to London
Movie Story
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1943
Rhythm of the Islands
Movie Director
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1943
Sherlock Holmes in Washington
Movie Director
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1943
Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man
Movie Director
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1942
Sherlock Holmes and the Secret Weapon
Movie Director
More credits
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1942
Madame Spy
Movie Director
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1942
Eyes of the Underworld
Movie Director
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1940
Hoots Mon
Movie Director
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1940
His Brother’s Keeper
Movie Script
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1939
Murder Will Out
Movie Director
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1939
A Gentleman's Gentleman
Movie Director
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1939
The Good Old Days
Movie Director
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1938
Everything Happens to Me
Movie Director
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1938
Thank Evans
Movie Director
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1938
Quiet, Please
Movie Director
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1938
The Viper
Movie Director
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1938
Simply Terrific
Movie Director
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1938
Double or Quits
Movie Director
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1937
Doctor Syn
Movie Director
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1936
Gypsy
Movie Director
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1935
The Lone Wolf Returns
Movie Director
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1935
The Black Room
Movie Director
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1935
Eight Bells
Movie Director
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1934
Mills of the Gods
Movie Director
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1934
Jealousy
Movie Director
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1934
I'll Fix It
Movie Director
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1934
Blind Date
Movie Director
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1934
Black Moon
Movie Director
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1934
Whirlpool
Movie Director
