Francis Loftus Sullivan (6 January 1903 – 19 November 1956) was an English film and stage actor.

Early life

Francis Loftus Sullivan attended Stonyhurst, the Jesuit public school in

Lancashire Lancashire ( , ; abbreviated Lancs) is the name of a historic county, ceremonial county, and non-metropolitan county in North West England. The boundaries of these three areas differ significantly. The non-metropolitan county of Lancas ...

, England, whose alumni include

Charles Laughton Charles Laughton (1 July 1899 – 15 December 1962) was a British actor. He was trained in London at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and first appeared professionally on the stage in 1926. In 1927, he was cast in a play with his future ...

and Sir

Arthur Conan Doyle Sir Arthur Ignatius Conan Doyle (22 May 1859 – 7 July 1930) was a British writer and physician. He created the character Sherlock Holmes in 1887 for ''A Study in Scarlet'', the first of four novels and fifty-six short stories about Ho ...

Career

A heavily built man with a striking double-chin and a deep voice, Sullivan made his acting debut at the

Old Vic Old or OLD may refer to: Places *Old, Baranya, Hungary *Old, Northamptonshire, England * Old Street station, a railway and tube station in London (station code OLD) *OLD, IATA code for Old Town Municipal Airport and Seaplane Base, Old Town, Ma ...

at age 18 in

Shakespeare William Shakespeare ( 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's nation ...

's ''

Richard III Richard III (2 October 145222 August 1485) was King of England and Lord of Ireland from 26 June 1483 until his death in 1485. He was the last king of the House of York and the last of the Plantagenet dynasty. His defeat and death at the Bat ...

''. He had considerable theatrical experience before he appeared in his first film in 1932, '' The Missing Rembrandt'', as a German villain opposite

Arthur Wontner Arthur Wontner (21 January 1875 – 10 July 1960) was a British actor best known for playing Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's master detective Sherlock Holmes in five films from 1931 to 1937. Career Wontner's acting career began on the stage where h ...

Sherlock Holmes Sherlock Holmes () is a fictional detective created by British author Arthur Conan Doyle. Referring to himself as a " consulting detective" in the stories, Holmes is known for his proficiency with observation, deduction, forensic science and ...

. Among his film roles are Mr Bumble in ''

Oliver Twist ''Oliver Twist; or, The Parish Boy's Progress'', Charles Dickens's second novel, was published as a serial from 1837 to 1839, and as a three-volume book in 1838. Born in a workhouse, the orphan Oliver Twist is bound into apprenticeship with ...

'' (1948) and Phil Nosseross in the

film noir Film noir (; ) is a cinematic term used primarily to describe stylish Hollywood crime dramas, particularly those that emphasize cynical attitudes and motivations. The 1940s and 1950s are generally regarded as the "classic period" of American '' ...

Night and the City ''Night and the City'' is a 1950 film noir directed by Jules Dassin and starring Richard Widmark, Gene Tierney and Googie Withers. It is based on the novel of the same name by Gerald Kersh. Shot on location in London and at Shepperton Studio ...

'' (1950). Sullivan also played the part of the lawyer Jaggers in two versions of

Charles Dickens Charles John Huffam Dickens (; 7 February 1812 – 9 June 1870) was an English writer and social critic. He created some of the world's best-known fictional characters and is regarded by many as the greatest novelist of the Victorian er ...

's ''

Great Expectations ''Great Expectations'' is the thirteenth novel by Charles Dickens and his penultimate completed novel. It depicts the education of an orphan nicknamed Pip (Great Expectations), Pip (the book is a ''bildungsroman''; a coming-of-age story). It ...

'' - in

1934 Events January–February * January 1 – The International Telecommunication Union, a specialist agency of the League of Nations, is established. * January 15 – The 8.0 Nepal–Bihar earthquake strikes Nepal and Bihar with a maxi ...

and

1946 Events January * January 6 - The first general election ever in Vietnam is held. * January 7 – The Allies recognize the Austrian republic with its 1937 borders, and divide the country into four occupation zones. * January 10 ** The ...

. He appeared in a fourth Dickens film, the 1935

Universal Pictures Universal Pictures (legally Universal City Studios LLC, also known as Universal Studios, or simply Universal; common metonym: Uni, and formerly named Universal Film Manufacturing Company and Universal-International Pictures Inc.) is an Americ ...

version of ''

The Mystery of Edwin Drood ''The Mystery of Edwin Drood'' is the final novel by Charles Dickens, originally published in 1870. Though the novel is named after the character Edwin Drood, it focuses more on Drood's uncle, John Jasper, a precentor, choirmaster and opium ...

'', in which he played Crisparkle. He was featured in ''

The Citadel The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina, commonly known simply as The Citadel, is a public senior military college in Charleston, South Carolina. Established in 1842, it is one of six senior military colleges in the United States. ...

'' (1938), starring

Robert Donat Friedrich Robert Donat (18 March 1905 – 9 June 1958) was an English actor. He is best remembered for his roles in Alfred Hitchcock's '' The 39 Steps'' (1935) and ''Goodbye, Mr. Chips'' (1939), winning for the latter the Academy Award for ...

, and a decade later he played the role of

Pierre Cauchon Pierre Cauchon (1371 – 18 December 1442) was Bishop of Beauvais from 1420 to 1432. He was a strong partisan of English interests in France during the latter years of the Hundred Years' War. He was the judge in the trial of Joan of Arc an ...

in the

technicolor Technicolor is a series of Color motion picture film, color motion picture processes, the first version dating back to 1916, and followed by improved versions over several decades. Definitive Technicolor movies using three black and white films ...

version of ''

Joan of Arc Joan of Arc (french: link=yes, Jeanne d'Arc, translit= �an daʁk} ; 1412 – 30 May 1431) is a patron saint of France, honored as a defender of the French nation for her role in the siege of Orléans and her insistence on the coronat ...

'' (1948), starring

Ingrid Bergman Ingrid Bergman (29 August 191529 August 1982) was a Swedish actress who starred in a variety of European and American films, television movies, and plays.Obituary '' Variety'', 1 September 1982. With a career spanning five decades, she is ofte ...

. In 1938 he starred in a revival of the Stokes brothers' play ''

Oscar Wilde Oscar Fingal O'Flahertie Wills Wilde (16 October 185430 November 1900) was an Irish poet and playwright. After writing in different forms throughout the 1880s, he became one of the most popular playwrights in London in the early 1890s. He is ...

'' at London's

Arts Theatre The Arts Theatre is a theatre in Great Newport Street, in Westminster, Central London. History It opened on 20 April 1927 as a members-only club for the performance of unlicensed plays, thus avoiding theatre censorship by the Lord Chamber ...

. He played the Attorney-General prosecuting the case defended by Robert Donat as barrister Sir Robert Morton, in the first film version of ''

The Winslow Boy ''The Winslow Boy'' is an English play from 1946 by Terence Rattigan based on an incident involving George Archer-Shee in the Edwardian era. The incident took place at the Royal Naval College, Osborne. Background Set against the strict c ...

'' (1948). Sullivan also acted in light comedies, including '' My Favorite Spy'' (1951), starring

Bob Hope Leslie Townes "Bob" Hope (May 29, 1903 – July 27, 2003) was a British-American comedian, vaudevillian, actor, singer and dancer. With a career that spanned nearly 80 years, Hope appeared in more than 70 short and feature films, with ...

and

Hedy Lamarr Hedy Lamarr (; born Hedwig Eva Maria Kiesler; November 9, 1914 January 19, 2000) was an Austrian-born American film actress and inventor. A film star during Hollywood's golden age, Lamarr has been described as one of the greatest movie actress ...

, in which he played an enemy agent, and the comedy '' Fiddlers Three'' (1944), portraying

Nero Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus ( ; born Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus; 15 December AD 37 – 9 June AD 68), was the fifth Roman emperor and final emperor of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, reigning from AD 54 un ...

. He also played the role of Pothinus in the film version of

George Bernard Shaw George Bernard Shaw (26 July 1856 – 2 November 1950), known at his insistence simply as Bernard Shaw, was an Irish playwright, critic, polemicist and political activist. His influence on Western theatre, culture and politics extended from ...

's '' Caesar and Cleopatra'' (1945). The film was directed by

Gabriel Pascal Gabriel Pascal (born Gábor Lehel; 4 June 1894 – 6 July 1954) was a Hungarian film producer and director whose best-known films were made in the United Kingdom. Pascal was the first film producer to successfully bring the plays of Georg ...

, and was the last film personally supervised by Shaw himself. Sullivan reprised the role in a stage revival of the play. On television, Sullivan starred in "The Man Who Would Be King", the 17 October 1950, episode of ''

Suspense Suspense is a state of mental uncertainty, anxiety, being Decision-making, undecided, or being Doubt, doubtful. In a Drama, dramatic work, suspense is the anticipation of the wikt:outcome, outcome of a plot (narrative), plot or of the solution t ...

''. Sullivan, who eventually became a naturalised US citizen, won a

Tony Award The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual c ...

in 1955 for the

Agatha Christie Dame Agatha Mary Clarissa Christie, Lady Mallowan, (; 15 September 1890 – 12 January 1976) was an English writer known for her 66 detective novels and 14 short story collections, particularly those revolving around fiction ...

play ''

Witness for the Prosecution In law, a witness is someone who has knowledge about a matter, whether they have sensed it or are testifying on another witnesses' behalf. In law a witness is someone who, either voluntarily or under compulsion, provides testimonial evidence, e ...

''. Earlier, he had played

Hercule Poirot Hercule Poirot (, ) is a fictional Belgian detective created by British writer Agatha Christie. Poirot is one of Christie's most famous and long-running characters, appearing in 33 novels, two plays ('' Black Coffee'' and ''Alibi''), and more ...

at London's Embassy Theatre in the Christie play '' Black Coffee'' (1930).

Personal life

In 1935, Sullivan married stage designer Frances Joan Perkins in

Westminster Westminster is an area of Central London, part of the wider City of Westminster. The area, which extends from the River Thames to Oxford Street, has many visitor attractions and historic landmarks, including the Palace of Westminster, B ...

in London. In 1939 they were living at 'Hatch Hill' on Kingsley Green at

Fernhurst Fernhurst is a village and civil parish in the Chichester District of West Sussex, England, on the A286 Milford, Surrey, to Chichester road, south of Haslemere. The parish includes the settlements of Henley Common, Kingsley Green and Bell Vale ...

West Sussex West Sussex is a county in South East England on the English Channel coast. The ceremonial county comprises the shire districts of Adur, Arun, Chichester, Horsham, and Mid Sussex, and the boroughs of Crawley and Worthing. Covering an ...

.1939 England and Wales Register for Francis L Sullivan: Sussex, Horsham RD - Ancestry.com
/ref> They remained married until his death.

Death

He died of a heart attack on 19 November 1956, aged 53 (some sources claim he died from an unspecified "lung ailment").

Filmography

*'' The Missing Rembrandt'' (1932) as Baron von Guntermann (film debut) *'' The Chinese Puzzle'' (1932) as Herman Strumm *''

When London Sleeps ''When London Sleeps'' is a 1932 British crime film directed by Leslie S. Hiscott and starring Harold French, Francis L. Sullivan, Diana Beaumont and René Ray. It was filmed at Twickenham Studios in west London. It was based on a play by ...

'' (1932) as Rodney Haines *'' Called Back'' (1933) as Kaledin *'' F.P.1 Doesn't Answer'' (1933) as A Sailor *''

The Wandering Jew The Wandering Jew is a mythical immortal man whose legend began to spread in Europe in the 13th century. In the original legend, a Jew who taunted Jesus on the way to the Crucifixion was then cursed to walk the Earth until the Second Coming. ...

'' (1933) as Archbishop Juan de Texada *'' Red Wagon'' (1933) as Cranley *'' The Right to Live'' (1933) as Roger Stoneham *'' The Fire Raisers'' (1934) as Stedding *''

The Warren Case ''The Warren Case'' is a 1934 British crime film directed by Walter Summers and starring Richard Bird, Nancy Burne and Diana Napier. It was made at Welwyn Studios by British International Pictures.Wood p.80 Cast * Richard Bird as Louis Bevan ...

'' (1934) as Prosecuting Counsel (uncredited) *''

The Return of Bulldog Drummond ''The Return of Bulldog Drummond'' is a 1934 British thriller film directed by Walter Summers and starring Ralph Richardson, Ann Todd and Claud Allister. It was based on the 1922 novel ''The Black Gang'' by H.C. McNeile and the fourth film i ...

'' (1934) as Carl Peterson *'' Princess Charming'' (1934) as Alakiev *''

Chu Chin Chow ''Chu Chin Chow'' is a musical comedy written, produced and directed by Oscar Asche, with music by Frederic Norton, based (with minor embellishments) on the story of '' Ali Baba and the 40 Thieves''. Gänzl, Kurt"''Chu Chin Chow'' Musical Tal ...

'' (1934) as The Caliph *''

What Happened Then? ''What Happened Then?'' is a 1934 British crime film directed by Walter Summers and starring Richard Bird, Lorna Hubbard and Geoffrey Wardwell. It was made at Welwyn Studios.Wood p.84 Cast * Richard Bird as Peter Bromley * Lorna Hubbard ...

'' (1934) as Richard Bentley, Prosecution Counsel *'' Jew Süss'' (1934) as Remchingen (uncredited) *''

'' (1934) as

Jaggers Jaggers is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Bobby Jaggers (1948–2012), American wrestler * Orval Lee Jaggers (1916–2004), American Christian minister, writer, and scholar See also * Great Expectations#Mr Jaggers and his ci ...

*'' Cheating Cheaters'' (1934) as Dr. George Brockton *'' Strange Wives'' (1934) as Bellamy *''

'' (1935) as Rev. Mr. Septimus Crisparkle *''

Her Last Affaire ''Her Last Affaire'' is a 1935 British drama film directed by Michael Powell and starring Hugh Williams, Viola Keats, Cecil Parker and Googie Withers. The wife of a politician is found dead at a country inn. It was based on the play ''S.O.S.'' b ...

'' (1935) as Sir Julian Weyre *'' A Woman Alone'' (1936) as Prosecutor *''

The Interrupted Honeymoon ''The Interrupted Honeymoon'' is a 1936 British comedy film directed by Leslie S. Hiscott and starring Jane Carr, Helen Haye and Jack Hobbs. It was made at Beaconsfield Studios. In the film, a couple returning home from a honeymoon in Paris fin ...

'' (1936) as Alphonse *''

Spy of Napoleon ''Spy of Napoleon'' is a 1936 British historical drama film directed by Maurice Elvey and starring Richard Barthelmess, Dolly Haas, Frank Vosper, Henry Oscar and James Carew. It is based on the 1934 novel '' A Spy of Napoleon'' by Baroness Emm ...

'' (1936) as Chief of Police *'' The Limping Man'' (1936) as Theodore Disher *'' Action for Slander'' (1937) as Sir Quinton Jessops *''The Wasp's Nest'' (1937, TV) as

*'' Non-Stop New York'' (1937) as Hugo Brant *'' Dinner at the Ritz'' (1937) as Brogard *'' Fine Feathers'' (1937) as Hugo Steinway *'' The Drum'' (1938) as Governor *'' Kate Plus Ten'' (1938) as Lord Flamborough *''

'' (1938) as Ben Chenkin *'' Climbing High'' (1938) as Madman *'' The Ware Case'' (1938) as Prosecuting Attorney *''

The Gables Mystery ''The Gables Mystery'' is a 1938 British crime film directed by Harry Hughes and starring Francis L. Sullivan, Antoinette Cellier and Leslie Perrins. It is an adaptation of the play ''The Man at Six'' by Jack Celestin and Jack DeLeon, previou ...

'' (1938) as Power *'' The Four Just Men'' (1939) as Léon Poiccard *'' Young Man's Fancy'' (1939) as Blackbeard, Vincent St George *''

21 Days ''21 Days'' (also known as ''21 Days Together'', ''The First and the Last'' and ''Three Weeks Together'') is a 1940 British drama film based on the short 1919 play '' The First and the Last'' by John Galsworthy. It was directed by Basil Dean an ...

'' (1940) as Mander *''

"Pimpernel" Smith ''"Pimpernel" Smith'' (released in the USA as ''Mister V'') is a 1941 British anti-Nazi thriller, produced and directed by its star Leslie Howard, which updates his role in ''The Scarlet Pimpernel'' (1934) from Revolutionary France to pre-Seco ...

'' (1941) as General von Graum *''

The Day Will Dawn ''The Day Will Dawn'', released in the US as ''The Avengers'', is a 1942 British war film set in Norway during World War II. It stars Ralph Richardson, Deborah Kerr, Hugh Williams and Griffith Jones, and was directed by Harold French from a sc ...

'' (1942) as Kommandant Ulrich Wettau *'' The Foreman Went to France'' (1942) as French Skipper *'' Lady from Lisbon'' (1942) as Minghetti *'' The Butler's Dilemma'' (1943) as Leo Carrington *'' Fiddlers Three'' (1944) as

*'' Caesar and Cleopatra'' (1945) as Pothinus *''

The Laughing Lady ''The Laughing Lady'' is a 1946 British Technicolor musical drama film directed by Paul L. Stein and starring Anne Ziegler, Webster Booth and Francis L. Sullivan. Based on a play by Ingram D'Abbes, its plot follows a young aristocrat who makes ...

'' (1946) as Sir Williams Tremayne *''

'' (1946) as Mr. Jaggers *''

The Man Within ''The Man Within'' (1929) is the first novel by author Graham Greene. It tells the story of Francis Andrews, a reluctant smuggler, who betrays his colleagues, and the aftermath of his betrayal. It is Greene's first published novel. (Two earlier a ...

'' (1947) as Mr. Braddock *''

Take My Life ''Take My Life'' is a 1947 British crime film directed by Ronald Neame and starring Hugh Williams, Greta Gynt and Marius Goring. It was adapted from Winston Graham's 1947 novel of the same name. It was shot at Pinewood Studios and on loca ...

'' (1947) as Prosecuting Counsel *''

Broken Journey ''Broken Journey'' (also known as ''Rescue'') is a 1948 British drama film directed by Ken Annakin and featuring Phyllis Calvert, James Donald, Margot Grahame, Raymond Huntley and Guy Rolfe. ''Broken Journey'' deals with people struggling to sur ...

'' (1948) as Perami *''

'' (1948) as Mr. Bumble *''

'' (1948) as Attorney General *''

'' (1948) as

(Count-Bishop of Beauvais) *''

Christopher Columbus Christopher Columbus * lij, Cristoffa C(or)ombo * es, link=no, Cristóbal Colón * pt, Cristóvão Colombo * ca, Cristòfor (or ) * la, Christophorus Columbus. (; born between 25 August and 31 October 1451, died 20 May 1506) was a ...

'' (1949) as

Francisco de Bobadilla Francisco Fernández de Bobadilla (c. 1448 – 1 July 1502) was an official under the Crown of Castile and a knight of the Order of Calatrava. He was also the brother of Beatriz de Bobadilla, marchioness (''marquesa'') of Moya and of Peñalosa ...

*'' The Red Danube'' (1949) as Colonel Humphrey 'Blinker' Omicron *''

'' (1950) as Philip Nosseross *''

Behave Yourself! ''Behave Yourself!'' is a 1951 American comedy directed and cowritten by George Beck, starring Farley Granger and Shelley Winters and released by RKO Radio Pictures. Plot Mild mannered young CPA Bill Denny forgets about his and his wife Kate' ...

'' (1951) as Fat Freddy *'' My Favorite Spy'' (1951) as Karl Brubaker *'' Caribbean Gold'' (1952) as Andrew MacAllister *'' Sangaree'' (1953) as Dr. Bristol *''

Plunder of the Sun ''Plunder of the Sun'' is a 1949 novel written by David F. Dodge about a hunt for ancient Peruvian treasure. It was adapted for the November 8, 1949 episode of the radio series ''Escape'' and later into the 1953 film noir of the same title, starr ...

'' (1953) as Thomas Berrien *''

Drums of Tahiti ''Drums of Tahiti'' is a 1954 American south seas adventure film directed by William Castle and starring Dennis O'Keefe, Patricia Medina and Francis L. Sullivan. ''Drums of Tahiti'' was released in 3-D, and was one of three 3-D movies made by d ...

'' (1954) as Commissioner Pierre Duvois *'' The Prodigal'' (1955) as Bosra *''

Hell's Island ''Hell's Island'' is a 1955 American film noir directed by Phil Karlson starring John Payne and Mary Murphy. The film was shot in the VistaVision wide-screen format. ''Hell's Island'' was re-released in 1962 under the title ''South Sea Fury''. ...

'' (1955) as Barzland (final film)

References

External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Sullivan, Francis L. 1903 births 1956 deaths American male film actors American male stage actors English male film actors English emigrants to the United States English male stage actors People from Wandsworth People educated at Stonyhurst College Male actors from London Tony Award winners 20th-century American male actors 20th-century English male actors People with acquired American citizenship British male comedy actors British emigrants to the United States People from Fernhurst