1917-12-22 Chicago, Illinois, USA
Frankie Darro (December 22, 1917 – December 25, 1976) was an American actor. Born into a show-business family - his parents were circus aerialists - Darro appeared in his first film at age six. Due to his small size and youthful appearance, he played teenagers well into his 20s. Always a physical performer, Darro often did his own stunts, many times out of necessity - his small stature made it difficult to find stunt doubles his size. He was an accomplished horseman and, in addition to westerns, made several films where he played jockeys. In 1933 he played the lead as a troubled teen in a major film for Warner Brothers, "Wild Boys Of The Road." It is a pre-code film with a realistic look at "The Great Depression," from the point of view of the youth of the time. This film seems to have been rediscovered only recently and has received critical acclaim.That same year, he played a troubled youth in the James Cagney classic, "The Mayor Of Hell". Later in 1935, he had a key role in the cult serial classic "The Phantom Empire"(1935). As Darro got older, however, he found it increasingly difficult to secure employment, and by the late 1940s was doing uncredited stunt work and bit parts. He had a recurring role on The Red Skelton Hour (1951), unrecognized by his fans, he played "Robby The Robot" in the groundbreaking sci-fi film "The Forbidden Planet" (1956), though Marvin Miller, best remembered as Michael Anthony of TVs "Millionaire"(1955-60), was the robot's voice. After that Frankie appeared sporadically in films and on TV .
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Brother, Can You Spare a Dime? | Self (archive footage) | 1975-08-06 |
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Fugitive Lovers | Lester the Drunk | 1975-11-27 |
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The Girl on the Late, Late Show | Studio Guard | 1974-04-01 |
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Hook, Line and Sinker | Delivery Man (uncredited) | 1969-06-06 |
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The Movie Orgy | Self (archive footage) | 1968-01-01 |
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Operation Petticoat | Pharmacist's Mate 3rd Class Dooley | 1959-12-05 |
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Forbidden Planet | Robby the Robot (interior) (uncredited) | 1956-03-23 |
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Living It Up | Bellboy Captain (uncredited) | 1954-08-04 |
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The Lawless Rider | Jim Bascom | 1954-07-01 |
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Racing Blood | Ben | 1954-03-03 |
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Two Gun Marshal | Clint Slocum | 1953-11-15 |
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Pat and Mike | Caddy (uncredited) | 1952-06-13 |
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Pride of Maryland | Steve Loomis | 1951-01-20 |
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Across the Wide Missouri | Cadet (uncredited) | 1951-10-12 |
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Westward the Women | Jean's Awaiting Groom (uncredited) | 1951-12-16 |
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Riding High | Jockey Williams | 1950-04-12 |
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Wyoming Mail | Rufe | 1950-10-18 |
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The Next Voice You Hear... | Newsboy (uncredited) | 1950-06-29 |
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Hold That Baby! | Bananas Stewart | 1949-06-06 |
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Fighting Fools | Johnny Higgins | 1949-03-17 |
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Sons of New Mexico | Gig Jackson | 1949-12-20 |
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Heart of Virginia | Jimmy Easter | 1948-04-25 |
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Smart Politics | Roy Donne | 1948-01-03 |
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Trouble Makers | Ben Feathers | 1948-12-10 |
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Angels' Alley | Cousin Jimmy | 1948-03-07 |
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That's My Man | Jockey | 1947-06-01 |
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Sarge Goes to College | Roy Donne | 1947-05-13 |
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Vacation Days | Roy Donne | 1947-01-25 |
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Junior Prom | Roy Donne | 1946-05-11 |
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High School Hero | Roy Donne | 1946-09-06 |
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Freddie Steps Out | Roy Donne | 1946-06-29 |
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Take It or Leave It | Radio Listener | 1944-07-17 |
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Junior G-Men of the Air | Jack | 1942-06-30 |
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Dead End Kids Go To War | Jack | 1942-10-02 |
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The Gang's All Here | Frankie O'Malley | 1941-06-11 |
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You're Out of Luck | Frankie O'Reilly | 1941-01-20 |
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Let's Go Collegiate | Frankie Monahan | 1941-09-12 |
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Tuxedo Junction | Jack 'Sock' Anderson | 1941-11-25 |
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Laughing at Danger | Frankie Kelly | 1940-08-12 |
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Pinocchio | Lampwick (voice) (uncredited) | 1940-02-23 |
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Chasing Trouble | Jimmy O'Brien | 1940-01-30 |
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On the Spot | Frankie 'Doc' Kelly | 1940-06-11 |
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Up in the Air | Frankie Ryan | 1940-09-09 |
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Radio Ranch | Frankie Baxter | 1940-05-02 |
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Irish Luck | Buzzy O'Brien | 1939-08-22 |
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Boys' Reformatory | Tommy Ryan | 1939-05-01 |
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Tough Kid | 'Skipper' Murphy | 1938-12-28 |
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Reformatory | Louie Miller | 1938-06-20 |
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Juvenile Court | Stubby | 1938-09-10 |
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The Great Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok | Jerry | 1938-06-30 |
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Wanted by the Police | Danny Murphy | 1938-09-21 |
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Anything for a Thrill | Dan Mallory | 1937-06-15 |
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Headline Crasher | James 'Jimmy' Forbush Tallant, Jr. | 1937-08-04 |
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Thoroughbreds Don't Cry | "Dink" Reid | 1937-11-25 |
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Tough to Handle | Mike Sanford | 1937-05-24 |
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The Devil Diamond | Lee | 1937-01-15 |
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Young Dynamite | Freddie Shields | 1937-12-15 |
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Saratoga | Dixie Gordon | 1937-07-23 |
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Racing Blood | Frankie Reynolds | 1936-11-14 |
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Charlie Chan at the Race Track | 'Tip' Collins, Jockey | 1936-08-07 |
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Born to Fight | 'Babyface' Madison | 1936-11-02 |
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Sunkist Stars at Palm Springs | Self | 1936-01-11 |
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Mind Your Own Business | Bob | 1936-12-18 |
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Black Gold | Clifford 'Fishtail' O'Reilly | 1936-01-19 |
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The Ex-Mrs. Bradford | Spike Salisbury (uncredited) | 1936-04-24 |
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The Phantom Empire | Frankie Baxter | 1935-02-22 |
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3 Kids and a Queen | Blackie | 1935-10-21 |
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Valley of Wanted Men | Slivers Sanderson | 1935-10-19 |
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The Payoff | Jimmy Moore | 1935-01-09 |
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Unwelcome Stranger | Charlie Anderson | 1935-04-05 |
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Red Hot Tires | Johnny | 1935-02-02 |
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Stranded | James 'Jimmy' Rivers | 1935-06-29 |
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Men of Action | Johnny Morgan | 1935-07-13 |
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Broadway Bill | Ted Williams | 1934-11-30 |
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Little Men | Dan | 1934-01-01 |
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The Big Race | Knobby | 1934-02-14 |
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Hollywood on Parade No. B-1 | 1934-03-02 | |
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No Greater Glory | Feri Ats | 1934-03-30 |
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The Merry Frinks | Norman Frink | 1934-05-26 |
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Burn 'Em Up Barnes | Bobbie Riley | 1934-06-15 |
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Laughing at Life | Chango | 1933-07-12 |
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The Mayor of Hell | James 'Jimmie' Smith | 1933-06-24 |
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Tugboat Annie | Alec, as a Child | 1933-08-04 |
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Wild Boys of the Road | Eddie Smith | 1933-10-07 |
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The Wolf Dog | Frank Courtney | 1933-09-29 |
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Hollywood on Parade | Self | 1932-06-05 |
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Hollywood on Parade No. A-3 | Self (uncredited) | 1932-10-20 |
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The Devil Horse | Frankie Graham - The Wild Boy | 1932-11-01 |
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Amateur Daddy | Pete Smith | 1932-04-10 |
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Three on a Match | Bobby (uncredited) | 1932-10-29 |
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The Mad Genius | Fedor as a Boy | 1931-09-30 |
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The Public Enemy | Matt as a Boy (uncredited) | 1931-04-23 |
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The Cheyenne Cyclone | Orphan McGuire | 1931-12-15 |
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The Vanishing Legion | Jimmie Williams | 1931-06-01 |
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Way Back Home | Robbie | 1931-11-13 |
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The Lightning Warrior | Jimmy Carter | 1931-11-01 |
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The Sin of Madelon Claudet | Larry Claudet - as a Boy (uncredited) | 1931-10-23 |
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The Pride of Pawnee | Jerry Wilson | 1929-06-09 |
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Trail of the Horse Thieves | Buddy | 1929-01-13 |
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Idaho Red | Tadpole | 1929-04-21 |
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Gun Law | Buster Brown | 1929-03-03 |
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Blaze o' Glory | Jean Williams | 1929-12-30 |
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Rainbow Man | Billy Ryan | 1929-05-16 |
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Tyrant of Red Gulch | Tip | 1928-11-25 |
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Terror Mountain | Buddy Roberts | 1928-08-19 |
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The Avenging Rider | Frankie Sheridan | 1928-10-07 |
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When the Law Rides | Frankie Ross | 1928-02-26 |
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The Phantom of the Range | Spuds O'Brien | 1928-04-21 |
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The Circus Kid | Buddy | 1928-10-07 |
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Texas Tornado | Buddy Martin | 1928-06-24 |
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Lightning Lariats | Alexis, King of Roxenburg | 1927-01-30 |
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The Flying U Ranch | Chip Jr. | 1927-09-04 |
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The Desert Pirate | Jimmy Rand | 1927-12-25 |
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Cyclone of the Range | Frankie Butler | 1927-04-26 |
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Long Pants | Young Harry Shelby (uncredited) | 1927-03-26 |
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Her Father Said No | Matt Doe | 1927-01-02 |
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Judgement Of The Hills | Tad Dennison | 1927-08-01 |
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Little Mickey Grogan | Mickey Grogan | 1927-12-27 |
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Tom's Gang | Spuds | 1927-07-10 |
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Moulders of Men | Sandy Barry | 1927-02-27 |
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Flesh and the Devil | Boy who dances with Hertha (uncredited) | 1926-12-25 |
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Tom and His Pals | Frankie Smith | 1926-09-07 |
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Out of the West | Frankie O'Connor | 1926-09-26 |
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The Thrill Hunter | Boy Prince | 1926-02-01 |
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Hearts and Spangles | Bobby | 1926-06-15 |
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Born to Battle | Birdie | 1926-01-24 |
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Red Hot Hoofs | Frankie Buckley | 1926-12-19 |
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Memory Lane | Urchin | 1926-02-01 |
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The Masquerade Bandit | Tim Marble | 1926-05-30 |
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Kiki | Pierre | 1926-04-04 |
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Wild to Go | Frankie Blake | 1926-04-18 |
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The Cowboy Cop | Frankie | 1926-07-10 |
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Mike | Boy | 1926-05-10 |
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Confessions of a Queen | Prince Zara | 1925-03-30 |
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Women and Gold | Dan Barclay Jr. | 1925-01-18 |
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The Cowboy Musketeer | Billy Gordon | 1925-12-13 |
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The Midnight Flyer | Young Davey | 1925-12-06 |
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The People vs. Nancy Preston | Bubsy | 1925-11-01 |
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The Wyoming Wildcat | Barnie Finn | 1925-01-11 |
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Let's Go, Gallagher | Little Joey | 1925-08-30 |
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Her Husband's Secret | Young Elliot Owen | 1925-02-22 |
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Fighting the Flames | Mickey | 1925-08-23 |
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The Phantom Express | 'Daddles' Lane - Nora's Brother | 1925-11-01 |
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The Signal Tower | Sonny Tolliver | 1924-07-19 |
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Judgment of the Storm | Heath Twin | 1924-01-06 |
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Racing for Life | Jimmy Danton | 1924-08-08 |
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So Big | Dirk DeJong (child) | 1924-12-28 |
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Half-a-Dollar Bill | Half-a-Dollar Bill | 1924-01-14 |
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Roaring Rails | Little Bill | 1924-09-20 |
