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.
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Biography from TMDB.
- September 4, 1887
- December 14, 1946 (aged 59)
- Ireland, United Kingdom
- Director and producer, also writer
- 20 on MovieCove · 105 credits in all
Known for
What are Roy William Neill's films like?
Across their 20 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Morality and Bonds.
Genres
Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.
Themes
What they feel like to watch
Ironic 0 · Wry 1 · Earnest 19
Light 5 · Serious 12 · Dark 3
Grounded 8 · Stylized 11 · Heightened 1
Gentle 2 · Charged 16 · Intense 2
A split, not a type: Steady 10 · Shifting 9 · Whiplash 1
Straight-faced 13 · Some laughs 7 · Funny 0
Slow burn 3 · Even-paced 15 · Relentless 2
Casual 8 · Engaged 11 · Full focus 1
Easy watch 13 · Affecting 6 · Heavy 1
Resolved 14 · Open-ended 6 · Ambiguous 0
Moods and endings
- Happy16
- Bittersweet3
- Tragic1
AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.
Where can I watch Roy William Neill's films?
As of October 24, 2026, 7 of their 20 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on The Roku Channel (7).
- Sherlock Holmes Faces Death (1943) · director, producer · free
- Dressed to Kill (1946) · director, producer · free
- Terror by Night (1946) · director, producer · free
- Sherlock Holmes in Washington (1942) · director, producer · free
- The Woman in Green (1945) · director, producer · free
- Sherlock Holmes and the Secret Weapon (1942) · director · free
- Black Moon (1934) · director · free
Subscription and free streaming for Roy William Neill's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.
Filmography
105 credits, 20 with a MovieCove page.
Black Angel(1946)
Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films
Dressed to Kill(1946)
Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films
Terror by Night(1946)
Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films
Pursuit to Algiers(1945)
Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films
The Woman in Green(1945)
Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films
The House of Fear(1945)
Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films
Destiny(1944)
Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films
Gypsy Wildcat(1944)
Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all films
The Pearl of Death(1944)
Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films
The Scarlet Claw(1944)
Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all films
The Spider Woman(1943)
Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films
Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all films
Two Tickets to London (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1943)
Rhythm of the Islands (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1943)
Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films
Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films
Midcredits score: 63rd percentile of all films
Madame Spy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1942)
Eyes of the Underworld (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1942)
Hoots Mon (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1940)
His Brother’s Keeper (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1940)
Murder Will Out (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1939)
A Gentleman's Gentleman (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1939)
The Good Old Days (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1939)
Everything Happens to Me (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1938)
Thank Evans (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1938)
Quiet, Please (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1938)
The Viper (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1938)
Double or Quits (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1938)
Simply Terrific (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1938)
Doctor Syn (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1937)
Gypsy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1936)
The Lone Wolf Returns (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1935)
The Black Room(1935)
Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films
Eight Bells (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1935)
Mills of the Gods(1934)
Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)
Jealousy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1934)
I'll Fix It (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1934)
Blind Date (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1934)
Black Moon(1934)
Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films
Whirlpool (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1934)
The 9th Guest (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1934)
Above the Clouds (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1933)
Fury of the Jungle(1933)
Midcredits score: 43rd percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)
As the Devil Commands (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1933)
The Circus Queen Murder (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1933)
That's My Boy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1932)
The Menace (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1932)
American Madness(1932)
Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films
Fifty Fathoms Deep (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1931)
The Good Bad Girl (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1931)
The Avenger (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1931)
Just Like Heaven (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1930)
Cock o' the Walk (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1930)
The Melody Man (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1930)
Wall Street (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1929)
Behind Closed Doors (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1929)
The Viking (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1928)
Lady Raffles (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1928)
Cleopatra (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1928)
The Olympic Hero (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1928)
The Virgin Queen (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1928)
San Francisco Nights (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1928)
The Arizona Wildcat (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1927)
Marriage (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1927)
The City (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1926)
Black Paradise (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1926)
A Man Four-Square (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1926)
The Fighting Buckaroo (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1926)
The Cowboy and the Countess (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1926)
Greater Than a Crown (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1925)
My Lady's Lips (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1925)
The Kiss Barrier (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1925)
Percy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1925)
Marriage in Transit (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1925)
Broken Laws (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1924)
Vanity's Price (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1924)
By Divine Right (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1924)
Toilers of the Sea (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1923)
The Man from M.A.R.S. (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1922)
What's Wrong with the Women? (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1922)
The Iron Trail (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1921)
The Conquest of Canaan (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1921)
The Idol of the North (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1921)
Dangerous Business (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1920)
The Inner Voice (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1920)
Good References (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1920)
Yes or No (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1920)
The Woman Gives (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1920)
The Bandbox (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1919)
The Career of Katherine Bush (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1919)
Trixie from Broadway (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1919)
Puppy Love (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1919)
Vive la France! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1918)
Green Eyes (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1918)
The Kaiser's Shadow (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1918)
Tyrant Fear (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1918)
Love Me (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1918)
Love Letters (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1917)
The Price Mark (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1917)
The Mother Instinct (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1917)
The Girl, Glory (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1917)
A Corner in Colleens (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1916)
The Czarina's Secret (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)
The Lady of Victories (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)
Career shape
A full career of 104 titles, 102 of them dated from 1916 to 1946.
Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored.
How do Roy William Neill's films land?
Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 74th percentile, the median of all 20; across their 20 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 69th percentile for acclaim.
- 75th and up9
- 50th to 74th7
- 25th to 49th4
Shape of the crowd
13 of their 20 titles are Crowd Pleasers.
- Universally Loved2
- Cult Classic1
- Crowd Pleaser13
- Broadly Agreed2
- Mixed2
Reviewers score the atmosphere 74/100 and the pacing 65/100 in their films, across 17 reviewed titles. The element that speaks to their work as a director.
Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.
Who does Roy William Neill work with?
People who share at least 2 of Roy William Neill's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Nigel Bruce shares the most, 12.
Writers
- Arthur Conan DoyleShared titles: Dressed to Kill (1946), Terror by Night (1946), Pursuit to Algiers (1945), The House of Fear (1945), The Woman in Green (1945), The Pearl of Death (1944), The Scarlet Claw (1944), Sherlock Holmes Faces Death (1943), The Spider Woman (1943), Sherlock Holmes and the Secret Weapon (1942), Sherlock Holmes in Washington (1942)See all 11 shared titles with Arthur Conan Doyle
- Bertram MillhauserShared titles: The Woman in Green (1945), The Pearl of Death (1944), Sherlock Holmes Faces Death (1943), The Spider Woman (1943), Sherlock Holmes in Washington (1942)See all 5 shared titles with Bertram Millhauser
- Roy ChanslorShared titles: Black Angel (1946), The House of Fear (1945), Destiny (1944)See all 3 shared titles with Roy Chanslor
- Frank GruberShared titles: Dressed to Kill (1946), Terror by Night (1946)See all 2 shared titles with Frank Gruber
Actors
- Nigel BruceShared titles: Dressed to Kill (1946), Terror by Night (1946), Pursuit to Algiers (1945), The House of Fear (1945), The Woman in Green (1945), Gypsy Wildcat (1944), The Pearl of Death (1944), The Scarlet Claw (1944), Sherlock Holmes Faces Death (1943), The Spider Woman (1943), Sherlock Holmes and the Secret Weapon (1942), Sherlock Holmes in Washington (1942)See all 12 shared titles with Nigel Bruce
- Basil RathboneShared titles: Dressed to Kill (1946), Terror by Night (1946), Pursuit to Algiers (1945), The House of Fear (1945), The Woman in Green (1945), The Pearl of Death (1944), The Scarlet Claw (1944), Sherlock Holmes Faces Death (1943), The Spider Woman (1943), Sherlock Holmes and the Secret Weapon (1942), Sherlock Holmes in Washington (1942)See all 11 shared titles with Basil Rathbone
- Dennis HoeyShared titles: Terror by Night (1946), The House of Fear (1945), The Pearl of Death (1944), Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man (1943), Sherlock Holmes Faces Death (1943), The Spider Woman (1943), Sherlock Holmes and the Secret Weapon (1942)See all 7 shared titles with Dennis Hoey
- Mary GordonShared titles: Dressed to Kill (1946), The Pearl of Death (1944), Sherlock Holmes Faces Death (1943), The Spider Woman (1943), Sherlock Holmes and the Secret Weapon (1942), Sherlock Holmes in Washington (1942)See all 6 shared titles with Mary Gordon
Composers, cinematographers and editors
- Saul A. GoodkindShared titles: Black Angel (1946), Dressed to Kill (1946), Terror by Night (1946), Pursuit to Algiers (1945), The House of Fear (1945)See all 5 shared titles with Saul A. Goodkind
- Frank SkinnerShared titles: Black Angel (1946), Destiny (1944), Sherlock Holmes and the Secret Weapon (1942), Sherlock Holmes in Washington (1942)See all 4 shared titles with Frank Skinner
- George RobinsonShared titles: Destiny (1944), Gypsy Wildcat (1944), The Scarlet Claw (1944), Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man (1943)See all 4 shared titles with George Robinson
- Paul IvanoShared titles: Black Angel (1946), Pursuit to Algiers (1945), Destiny (1944)See all 3 shared titles with Paul Ivano
Producers
- Howard BenedictShared titles: Dressed to Kill (1946), Terror by Night (1946), Pursuit to Algiers (1945), The Woman in Green (1945), Destiny (1944), The Scarlet Claw (1944), Sherlock Holmes and the Secret Weapon (1942), Sherlock Holmes in Washington (1942)See all 8 shared titles with Howard Benedict
- George WaggnerShared titles: Gypsy Wildcat (1944), Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man (1943)See all 2 shared titles with George Waggner
