Roy William Neill was a film director best known today for directing several of the Sherlock Holmes films starring Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce.

With his father as the captain, Neill was born on a ship off the coast of Ireland on 4 September 1887 and 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 film noir.

Also credited as R. William Neill, Roy W. Neill, and Roy Neill. Neill died on 14 December 1946 in London, England of a heart attack.

Was born on a ship off the coast of Ireland. His father was the captain.

Died of a heart attack while on vacation in England visiting relatives.