Billy Sullivan (July 18, 1891 – May 23, 1946), also known as W. A. Sullivan, William A. Sullivan, and Arthur Sullivan, was an American

character actor A character actor is an actor known for playing unusual, eccentric, or interesting character (arts), characters in supporting roles, rather than leading ones.28 April 2013, The New York Acting SchoolTen Best Character Actors of All Time Retrie ...

of the silent and early

sound film A sound film is a Film, motion picture with synchronization, synchronized sound, or sound technologically coupled to image, as opposed to a silent film. The first known public exhibition of projected sound films took place in Paris in 1900, bu ...

eras.

Biography

Born on Long Island, New York in the village of Great Neck on August 18, 1891, Sullivan had his start in

film short A short film is a film with a low running time. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) defines a short film as "an original motion picture that has a running time of not more than 40 minutes including all credits". Other film o ...

s in the 1910s. His first film production was a short which was part of a 23-part serial entitled, ''

The Million Dollar Mystery ''The Million Dollar Mystery'' is a 23-chapter film serial released in 1914, directed by Howell Hansel, and starring Florence La Badie and James Cruze. It is presumed lost. Plot A prologue for ''The Million Dollar Mystery'' introduced the ...

'', in 1914. The 23 episodes were edited into a feature-length film of the same name in 1918. His first feature-length film was in the role of King Arthur in 1917's ''Over the Hill''. During the early 1920s, he continued to work mainly in shorts, before moving into almost exclusively feature films in 1925. From 1924 through 1927, he starred in about 20 films for Rayart Pictures, such as ''The Slanderers'' (1924), ''Goat Getter'' (1925), '' The Winner'' (1926), and ''When Seconds Count'' (1927). During his career, he appeared in over 80 productions, including over 50 feature films.

Filmography

(Per AFI database) *'' The Cigarette Girl'' (1917) *'' Over the Hill'' (1917) *'' What Becomes of the Children?'' (1918) *''

The House of Mirth ''The House of Mirth'' is a novel by American author Edith Wharton, published on 7 October 1905. It is a sharp, brutal, and destructive tragedy which tells the story of Lily Bart, a well-born but impoverished woman belonging to New York City's ...

'' (1918) *''

The Lightning Raider ''The Lightning Raider'' is a 1919 American action film, action film serial directed by George B. Seitz. It was the on-screen debut of Boris Karloff, albeit as an extra. The film serial survives in an incomplete state with some reels preserved a ...

'' (1919 — serial) *'' A Manhattan Knight'' (1920) *''

The Courtship of Miles Standish ''The Courtship of Miles Standish'' is an 1858 narrative poem by American poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow about the early days of Plymouth Colony, the colonial settlement established in America by the ''Mayflower'' Pilgrims. Overview ''Th ...

'' (1923) *''

The Leather Pushers ''The Leather Pushers'' is a 1922 American film serial starring Reginald Denny (actor), Reginald Denny (and Billy Sullivan (actor), Billy Sullivan in the fourth series), and based on boxing stories by H. C. Witwer originally published in ''Collie ...

'' (1922 — serial) *'' The Slanderers'' (1924) *''

The Fear Fighter ''The Fear Fighter'' is a 1925 American silent comedy film directed by Albert S. Rogell and starring Billy Sullivan, Ruth Dwyer and J.P. McGowan.Munden p.234 Cast * Billy Sullivan as Billy Griffin * Ruth Dwyer as Catherine Curtis * J.P. ...

'' (1925) *'' Fighting Fate'' (1925) *''

Goat Getter ''Goat Getter'' is a 1925 American silent action film directed by Albert S. Rogell Albert S. Rogell (August 21, 1901 – April 7, 1988) was an American film director who was born in Oklahoma City and died in Los Angeles. Rogell directed more ...

'' (1925) *''

Ridin' Pretty ''Ridin' Pretty'' is a 1925 American silent Western film directed by Arthur Rosson and starring William Desmond, Ann Forrest, and Stanhope Wheatcroft. Plot As described in a review in a film magazine, Arizona cowboy Sky Parker (Desmond) goe ...

'' (1925) *''The Speed Champion'' (1925) *'' Broadway Billy'' (1926) *''Fighting Thorobreds'' (1926) *'' The Gallant Fool'' (1926) *'' The Heart of a Coward'' (1926) * '' One Punch O'Day'' (1926) *'' Rapid Fire Romance'' (1926) *'' Speed Cop'' (1926) * '' Speed Crazed'' (1926) * ''

Stick to Your Story ''Stick to Your Story'' is a 1926 American silent action film directed by Harry Joe Brown and starring Billy Sullivan, Bruce Gordon and Melbourne MacDowell.Munden p.765 It was distributed by the independent Rayart Pictures, the forerunner o ...

'' (1926) *'' The Windjammer'' (1926) *'' The Winner'' (1926) *'' The Patent Leather Pug'' (1926) *''

Red Clay Ultisol, commonly known as red clay soil, is one of twelve soil orders in the United States Department of Agriculture soil taxonomy. The word "Ultisol" is derived from "ultimate", because Ultisols were seen as the ultimate product of continuous ...

'' (1927) *''

The Cancelled Debt ''The Cancelled Debt'' is a 1927 American silent melodrama film, directed by Phil Rosen. It stars Rex Lease, Charlotte Stevens, and Florence Turner, and was released on September 1, 1927. Cast list * Rex Lease as Patrick Burke * Charlotte Steve ...

'' (1927) * '' Daring Deeds'' (1927) * '' Smiling Billy'' (1927) * ''

Speedy Smith Kenneth Jerome "Speedy" Smith Jr. (born January 28, 1993) is an American professional basketball player for Türk Telekom of the Turkish Basketbol Süper Ligi (BSL). He was named Conference USA Men's Basketball Player of the Year in 2015. Early ...

'' (1927) *'' When Seconds Count'' (1927) *'' Walking Back'' (1928) *''

Sweepstakes In the United States, a sweepstake is a type of contest where a prize or prizes may be awarded to a winner or winners. Sweepstakes began as a form of lottery that were tied to products sold. In response, the FCC and FTC refined U.S. broadcast ...

'' (1931) *''

Broadway Thru a Keyhole ''Broadway Through a Keyhole'', also billed as ''Broadway Thru a Keyhole'', is a 1933 American pre-Code musical film produced by Twentieth Century Pictures and released by United Artists. New York City speakeasy proprietress Texas Guinan appear ...

'' (1933) *'' Name the Woman'' (1934) *'' No More Women'' (1934) *'' Among the Missing'' (1934) *'' Murder by Television'' (1935) *'' One More Spring'' (1935) *''

It Happened in New York ''It Happened in New York'' is a 1935 American musical comedy film directed by Alan Crosland and starring Gertrude Michael, Heather Angel and Lyle Talbot.Monaco p.139 It is based on the play ''Bagdad on the Hudson'' by Ward Morehouse and Jean ...

'' (1935) *'' Public Hero No. 1'' (1935) *'' Transient Lady'' (1935) *'' Mister Dynamite'' (1935) *'' Lady Tubbs'' (1935) *'' Big Brown Eyes'' (1936)

References

External links

* * Male actors from Worcester, Massachusetts American male silent film actors 20th-century American male actors American male film actors 1891 births 1946 deaths {{US-film-actor-1890s-stub