Frederic Richard "Dickie" Sullivan (sometimes credited as "Frederick"; 18 July 1872 – 24 July 1937), was an English-born American

film director A film director or filmmaker is a person who controls a film's artistic and dramatic aspects and visualizes the screenplay (or script) while guiding the film crew and actors in the fulfillment of that Goal, vision. The director has a key role ...

and actor of the

silent era A silent film is a film without synchronized recorded sound (or more generally, no audible dialogue). Though silent films convey narrative and emotion visually, various plot elements (such as a setting or era) or key lines of dialogue may, wh ...

. He directed 34 films between 1913 and 1923. He also appeared in 29 films between 1913 and 1935. He also acted on stage. He was a nephew of the composer

Arthur Sullivan Sir Arthur Seymour Sullivan (13 May 1842 – 22 November 1900) was an English composer. He is best known for 14 comic opera, operatic Gilbert and Sullivan, collaborations with the dramatist W. S. Gilbert, including ''H.M.S. Pinaf ...

Early life

Sullivan was born in

Pimlico Pimlico () is a district in Central London, in the City of Westminster, built as a southern extension to neighbouring Belgravia. It is known for its garden squares and distinctive Regency architecture. Pimlico is demarcated to the north by Lon ...

in London, England, the son of Fred Sullivan and Charlotte Louisa Lacy (1841–1885). His uncle was composer

. He had seven brothers and sisters: Amy Sophie (1863–1947), Florence Louise (1865–1891), Edith Mary (1866–1877), Herbert "Bertie" Thomas (1868–1928), Maud "Cissie" Helen (1870–1940), George Arthur (1874–1919) and William Lacy (1877–1902). Sullivan's father died in 1877, leaving his pregnant mother with seven children under the age of 14. After his father's death, Sullivan's uncle Arthur visited the family often and became guardian to all of the children. In 1881, Charlotte married Captain Benjamin Hutchinson, a man 13 years her junior. In December 1883, at the urging of Charlotte's brother, William Lacy, the family emigrated to

Los Angeles, California Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...

, in the United States, except for Sullivan's eldest brother, Bertie, who stayed with their uncle Arthur in London. Charlotte died in January 1885, barely a year after the move to the U.S. Sullivan's stepfather, Hutchinson, unable to cope with this loss and his responsibilities, soon returned to England, leaving the six surviving children (Edith had died) to be brought up mostly by their uncle William, with the financial support of their uncle Arthur. In 1885, the family went on a sightseeing trip of the American West with their visiting uncle Arthur, who continued to support the family until his death in 1900 and in his will.

Career, marriage and children

Sullivan directed at least 34 films, during the

, between 1913 and 1923. He also acted in at least 29 films between 1913 and 1935, including the

Marx Brothers The Marx Brothers were an American family comedy act known for their anarchic humor, rapid-fire wordplay, and visual gags. They achieved success in vaudeville, on Broadway, and in 14 motion pictures. The core group consisted of brothers Chi ...

film '' Duck Soup'', and he appeared on stage, including in several

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street ** Broadway Theatre (53rd Stre ...

shows, from 1905 to 1931. Sullivan married Kate Webb in 1902, and the couple had two daughters, Helen Mary (1906–1966) and Sheila (born 1919). Kate died in 1921, and Sullivan died in

at the age of 65.Genealogy record for Frederic Richard Sullivan
1998, accessed 20 January 2010

Selected filmography

;As director *''Cymbeline'' (1913) *'' The Country Girl'' (1915) *'' Divorce and the Daughter'' (1916) * ''

Her Life and His ''Her Life and His'' is a 1917 American silent drama film directed by Frederick Sullivan and starring Florence La Badie, Holmes Herbert and Ethyle Cooke.Connelly p.174 Plot Cast * Florence La Badie as Mary Murdock * Holmes Herbert as Ralph ...

'' (1917) *''

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) ;As actor *'' The Face on the Bar-Room Floor'' (1923) – Thomas Waring *''

Beggar on Horseback ''Beggar on Horseback'' is a 1924 play by George S. Kaufman and Marc Connelly. The play is a parody of the expressionistic parables that were popular at the time; its title derives from the proverb "Set a beggar on horseback, and he'll ride at ...

'' (1925) – Dr. Rice *'' The Mating Call'' (1928) – Uncredited *'' The Black Watch'' (1929) – General's Aide *'' Monkey Business'' (1931) – Pickpocket Victim #1 *'' Duck Soup'' (1933) – Second Judge *''

You're Telling Me! ''You're Telling Me!'' is a 1934 American pre-Code comedy film directed by Erle C. Kenton and starring W.C. Fields. It is a remake of the 1926 silent film ''So's Your Old Man'', also starring Fields. Both films are adapted from the short stor ...

'' (1934) – Mr. Edward Quimby Murchison *''

Thirty Day Princess ''Thirty Day Princess'' is a 1934 pre-Code comedy film directed by Marion Gering and starring Sylvia Sidney, Cary Grant and Edward Arnold. The film was based on a story of the same name by Clarence Budington Kelland (which appeared in ''Ladies ...

'' (1934) – Doctor at Gresham's

Notes

References

*Hayes, Scott. ''Uncle Arthur: The California Connection'' (2002; expanded 2nd ed. 2008) Sir Arthur Sullivan Society * * *

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Sullivan, Frederick 1872 births 1937 deaths English film directors English male film actors English male silent film actors People associated with Gilbert and Sullivan Male actors from London 20th-century English male actors British emigrants to the United States