Roy D'Arcy
Encyclopedia
Roy D'Arcy was an American film actor of the silent film
and early sound period of the 1930s noted for his portrayal of flamboyant villain
s. He appeared in 50 different films between 1925 and 1939, such as The Temptress
in 1926 with actresses such as Greta Garbo
.
. After several years of traveling and various business ventures in South America and Asia he returned to the United States and decided to become involved in the theater. He was hired as a singer in several touring theatrical companies. He spent some time in vaudeville
as a monologist
, and took his act to Europe and Asia.
D'Arcy was performing his show on a Los Angeles
stage when he was spotted by director Erich von Stroheim
, who thought D'Arcy was just right for the part of the villainous, arrogant Prince Mirko in The Merry Widow
. Von Stroheim had wanted to play the part himself, but was forbidden from doing so by MGM production head Irving Thalberg
. It was a troubled production - from which von Stroheim was fired, brought back, then fired again - but the film was a great critical and financial success, and D'Arcy received wide acclaim for his portrayal of the dissolute Mirko.
With the success of film he was cast in several other MGM productions as the head villain, such as Beverly of Graustark
(1925), La Bohème
(1926) and The Temptress
(1926) alongside Greta Garbo
, but he soon appeared in such comedies as Adam and Evil (1927) and On Ze Boulevard (1927). He developed a revue he took to Broadway in 1928, called "The Greatest Array of Talent Ever Assembled on Any Bill in This Country", which consisted of singers, dancers, and D'Arcy himself walking out into the audience and telling stories of his travels around the world.
D'Arcy made the transition from silent film very well, and played a succession of foreigners, both villainous and otherwise, in films of the early 1930s. However, as acting styles changed because of the introduction of sound, D'Arcy's unique florid style went out of fashion, and in a few years he was reduced to doing small, low-budget pictures for lower independent studios, such as Broadway to Cheyenne
(1932) for Monogram Pictures
and Discarded Lovers
(1932) for Tower Pictures. He did though have noted roles in a serial for Mascot Pictures Corporation
, The Shadow of the Eagle
(1932), starring a young John Wayne
, and in his second serial, The Whispering Shadow
(1933) with Bela Lugosi
.
By the mid 1930s D'Arcy continued playing villainous roles in a number of low-budget productions including Revolt of the Zombies (1936), Captain Calamity
(1936) and Under Strange Flags (1937). His final film was to be a major one, in the Ginger Rogers
/Fred Astaire
musical The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle
in 1939 which received widespread acclaim.
Finishing his film career around the age of 45, D'Arcy retired to his own real estate business. He died in 1969.
Silent film
A silent film is a film with no synchronized recorded sound, especially with no spoken dialogue. In silent films for entertainment the dialogue is transmitted through muted gestures, pantomime and title cards...
and early sound period of the 1930s noted for his portrayal of flamboyant villain
Villain
A villain is an "evil" character in a story, whether a historical narrative or, especially, a work of fiction. The villain usually is the antagonist, the character who tends to have a negative effect on other characters...
s. He appeared in 50 different films between 1925 and 1939, such as The Temptress
The Temptress
The Temptress is an American silent romantic drama film directed by Fred Niblo. Starring Greta Garbo, Antonio Moreno, Lionel Barrymore and Roy D'Arcy it premiered on October 10, 1926...
in 1926 with actresses such as Greta Garbo
Greta Garbo
Greta Garbo , born Greta Lovisa Gustafsson, was a Swedish film actress. Garbo was an international star and icon during Hollywood's silent and classic periods. Many of Garbo's films were sensational hits, and all but three were profitable...
.
Biography
Roy D'Arcy was born as Roy Francis Giusti in San Francisco but educated in Europe and studied painting in ParisParis
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. After several years of traveling and various business ventures in South America and Asia he returned to the United States and decided to become involved in the theater. He was hired as a singer in several touring theatrical companies. He spent some time in vaudeville
Vaudeville
Vaudeville was a theatrical genre of variety entertainment in the United States and Canada from the early 1880s until the early 1930s. Each performance was made up of a series of separate, unrelated acts grouped together on a common bill...
as a monologist
Monologist
-Monologist:A monologist is a solo artist who recites or gives dramatic readings from a monologue, soliloquy, poetry or work of literature for the entertainment of an audience...
, and took his act to Europe and Asia.
D'Arcy was performing his show on a Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
stage when he was spotted by director Erich von Stroheim
Erich von Stroheim
Erich von Stroheim was an Austrian-born film star of the silent era, subsequently noted as an auteur for his directorial work.-Background:...
, who thought D'Arcy was just right for the part of the villainous, arrogant Prince Mirko in The Merry Widow
The Merry Widow (1925 film)
The Merry Widow is a 1925 American silent MGM romantic drama film and black comedy directed and written by Erich von Stroheim. The film stars Mae Murray, John Gilbert and Roy D'Arcy. Joan Crawford and Clark Gable had uncredited roles in the film....
. Von Stroheim had wanted to play the part himself, but was forbidden from doing so by MGM production head Irving Thalberg
Irving Thalberg
Irving Grant Thalberg was an American film producer during the early years of motion pictures. He was called "The Boy Wonder" for his youth and his extraordinary ability to select the right scripts, choose the right actors, gather the best production staff and make very profitable films.-Life and...
. It was a troubled production - from which von Stroheim was fired, brought back, then fired again - but the film was a great critical and financial success, and D'Arcy received wide acclaim for his portrayal of the dissolute Mirko.
With the success of film he was cast in several other MGM productions as the head villain, such as Beverly of Graustark
Beverly of Graustark
__notoc__Beverly of Graustark is a silent film directed by Sidney Franklin, starring Marion Davies, Antonio Moreno and Creighton Hale. The film's screenplay was written by Agnes Christine Johnston based on the novel by George Barr McCutcheon, and set on the fictional land of Graustark. The movie...
(1925), La Bohème
La Bohème (1926 film)
La Bohème is a 1926 silent drama film directed by King Vidor, based on the opera La bohème by Giacomo Puccini.-Plot:The film takes place in Paris in 1830. Several bohemians try to survive on the streets, living under poor conditions and desiring to one day become famous. One of them is Marcel , a...
(1926) and The Temptress
The Temptress
The Temptress is an American silent romantic drama film directed by Fred Niblo. Starring Greta Garbo, Antonio Moreno, Lionel Barrymore and Roy D'Arcy it premiered on October 10, 1926...
(1926) alongside Greta Garbo
Greta Garbo
Greta Garbo , born Greta Lovisa Gustafsson, was a Swedish film actress. Garbo was an international star and icon during Hollywood's silent and classic periods. Many of Garbo's films were sensational hits, and all but three were profitable...
, but he soon appeared in such comedies as Adam and Evil (1927) and On Ze Boulevard (1927). He developed a revue he took to Broadway in 1928, called "The Greatest Array of Talent Ever Assembled on Any Bill in This Country", which consisted of singers, dancers, and D'Arcy himself walking out into the audience and telling stories of his travels around the world.
D'Arcy made the transition from silent film very well, and played a succession of foreigners, both villainous and otherwise, in films of the early 1930s. However, as acting styles changed because of the introduction of sound, D'Arcy's unique florid style went out of fashion, and in a few years he was reduced to doing small, low-budget pictures for lower independent studios, such as Broadway to Cheyenne
Broadway to Cheyenne
Broadway to Cheyenne is a 1932 American film directed by Harry L. Fraser. The film is also known as From Broadway to Cheyenne .-Cast:*Rex Bell as "Breezy" Kildare*Marceline Day as Ruth Carter*Matthew Betz as Joe Carter...
(1932) for Monogram Pictures
Monogram Pictures
Monogram Pictures Corporation is a Hollywood studio that produced and released films, most on low budgets, between 1931 and 1953, when the firm completed a transition to the name Allied Artists Pictures Corporation. Monogram is considered a leader among the smaller studios sometimes referred to...
and Discarded Lovers
Discarded Lovers
-Cast:*Natalie Moorhead as Irma Gladden*Russell Hopton as Bob Adair*J. Farrell MacDonald as Chief Sommers*Barbara Weeks as Valerie Christine*Jason Robards Sr. as Rex Forsythe*Roy D'Arcy as Andre Leighton*Sharon Lynn as Mrs. Sibley*Fred Kelsey as Sgt. Delaney...
(1932) for Tower Pictures. He did though have noted roles in a serial for Mascot Pictures Corporation
Mascot Pictures Corporation
Mascot Pictures Corporation was a minor film company of the 1920s and 1930s best known for producing film serials and B-westerns. Mascot's serial The King of the Kongo was the first serial to include sound, beating Universal Studios by several months.Mascot was formed in 1927 by film producer Nat...
, The Shadow of the Eagle
The Shadow of the Eagle
The Shadow of the Eagle is a Mascot film serial starring John Wayne in his first serial role. This serial is now in the public domain.-Plot:...
(1932), starring a young John Wayne
John Wayne
Marion Mitchell Morrison , better known by his stage name John Wayne, was an American film actor, director and producer. He epitomized rugged masculinity and became an enduring American icon. He is famous for his distinctive calm voice, walk, and height...
, and in his second serial, The Whispering Shadow
The Whispering Shadow
The Whispering Shadow is a Serial film, starring Béla Lugosi in his first of five serial roles. Lugosi received $10,000, the highest known salary of his career, for this film. . The serial was filmed in only 12 days...
(1933) with Bela Lugosi
Béla Lugosi
Béla Ferenc Dezső Blaskó , commonly known as Bela Lugosi, was a Hungarian actor of stage and screen. He was best known for having played Count Dracula in the Broadway play and subsequent film version, as well as having starred in several of Ed Wood's low budget films in the last years of his...
.
By the mid 1930s D'Arcy continued playing villainous roles in a number of low-budget productions including Revolt of the Zombies (1936), Captain Calamity
Captain Calamity (film)
Captain Calamity is a 1936 American film directed by John Reinhardt and starring George Houston.- Cast :*George Houston as Captain Bill Jones / Captain Calamity*Marian Nixon as Madge Lewis*Vince Barnett as Burp*Juan Torena as Mike*Movita as Annana...
(1936) and Under Strange Flags (1937). His final film was to be a major one, in the Ginger Rogers
Ginger Rogers
Ginger Rogers was an American actress, dancer, and singer who appeared in film, and on stage, radio, and television throughout much of the 20th century....
/Fred Astaire
Fred Astaire
Fred Astaire was an American film and Broadway stage dancer, choreographer, singer and actor. His stage and subsequent film career spanned a total of 76 years, during which he made 31 musical films. He was named the fifth Greatest Male Star of All Time by the American Film Institute...
musical The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle
The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle
The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle is an American biographical musical comedy, released in 1939 and directed by H.C. Potter. The film stars Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, Edna May Oliver, and Walter Brennan....
in 1939 which received widespread acclaim.
Finishing his film career around the age of 45, D'Arcy retired to his own real estate business. He died in 1969.