Roy D’Arcy was an American actor born Roy Francis Giusti on February 10, 1894, in San Francisco, California. He is best known for his roles in The Merry Widow, La Bohème, and Revolt of the Zombies.
Personal and Family Life
D’Arcy had two marriages to Laura Rhinock Duffy, with the first lasting from December 25, 1926, to February 26, 1929, and the second from March 1929 until their divorce in May 1930. He was educated in Europe and spent part of his early life traveling with gypsies, which likely influenced his artistic pursuits.
Career Overview
D’Arcy began his acting career on stage and made his film debut in 1919. He gained fame for playing villainous characters in several films during the silent film era and transitioned smoothly to talkies, often portraying exotic and foreign roles. As film styles changed in the 1930s, he found it more challenging to secure major roles and ended up in low-budget productions, before eventually retiring from acting to start a real estate business.
Death and Legacy
Roy D’Arcy passed away on November 15, 1969, in Redlands, California. His legacy includes a memorable body of work during the silent and early sound film eras, where he was noted for his powerful performances as a villain. Though his career faded in his later years, he is remembered for his contributions to early cinema and theater.
Filmography
| Title | Release Date | Character |
|---|---|---|
| Revolt of the Zombies | 1936-06-04 | Col. Mazovia |
| Flying Down to Rio | 1933-12-22 | One of the Three Greeks |
| Broadway to Cheyenne | 1932-09-09 | Jess Harvey |
| The Merry Widow | 1926-09-27 | Crown Prince Mirko |
| The Temptress | 1926-10-03 | Manos Duras |
| Bardelys the Magnificent | 1926-09-30 | Comte de Chatellerault |
| Discarded Lovers | 1932-01-03 | Andre Leighton |
| The Black Watch | 1929-05-22 | Rewa Ghunga |
| Sing and Like it | 1934-04-20 | Mr. Gregory – Leading Man in Show |
| Hot Curves | 1930-06-14 | Kelsey |
| Captain Calamity | 1936-11-28 | Samson |
| The Legion of Missing Men | 1937-07-28 | Shiek Ibrahim-Ul-Ahmed |
| The Last Warning | 1928-12-25 | Harvey Carleton |
| La Bohème | 1926-03-13 | Vicomte Paul |
| Outlawed Guns | 1935-07-29 | Jack Keeler |
| The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle | 1939-03-29 | Actor in “Patria” (uncredited) |
| Winners Of The Wilderness | 1927-01-15 | Capt. Dumas |
| Hollywood Boulevard | 1936-08-20 | The Sheik |
| Chasing Danger | 1939-05-05 | Corbin |
| Under Strange Flags | 1937-04-11 | Captain Morales |
| The Gay Buckaroo | 1931-12-02 | Dave Dumont |
| Kentucky Blue Streak | 1935-05-01 | Harry Johnson |
| Love Bound | 1932-03-01 | Juan de Leon |
| The Shadow of the Eagle | 1932-02-01 | Gardner |
| The Whispering Shadow | 1933-04-17 | Steinbeck |
| The Road to Romance | 1927-10-08 | Don Balthasar |
| Forbidden Hours | 1928-06-16 | Duke Nicky |
| Beware of Blondes | 1928-07-01 | Harry |
| Sherlock Holmes | 1932-11-05 | Manuel Lopez (uncredited) |
| File 113 | 1933-01-05 | |
| Graustark | 1925-08-30 | Dangloss |
| Valencia | 1926-12-18 | Don Fernando |
| Beverly of Graustark | 1926-04-18 | General Marlanax |
| Romance | 1930-08-20 | Minor Role (uncredited) |
| Pretty Ladies | 1925-09-06 | Paul Thompson |
| Buttons | 1927-12-24 | Henri Rizard |
| The Woman from Hell | 1929-04-20 | Slick Glicks |
| Orient Express | 1934-02-28 | Josef Grunlich |
| The Actress | 1928-04-27 | Gadd |
| The Masked Bride | 1925-12-13 | Prefect of Police |
| Frisco Sally Levy | 1927-04-02 | I. Stuart Gold |
| Dreams of Monte Carlo | 1926-11-15 | Prince Boris |