Volume III: Biographies

SULLIVAN, James E. *

Actor (1916)

Thanhouser Career Synopsis: James E. Sullivan was an actor with Thanhouser in 1916.

Biographical Notes: James E. Sullivan was born in Newark, New Jersey circa 1864 (one account says 1880). At the age of six James E. Sullivan was on stage at the Academy of Music, in Brooklyn, New York, where he performed imitations of Harry Kernell, Pat Rooney, and the Russell brothers. It happened that certain objects of his mimicry were watching, and they responded with enthusiasm, thus launching his career. During most of the 1890s, and continuing for about 15 years, James E. Sullivan played Irish parts. He also played parts with a German dialect, causing some reviewers to describe him as a "German comedian." Around 1905 he appeared on Broadway for the first time, playing Bobstay in The Fisher Maiden at Hammerstein's Theatre. He appeared in The Belle of New York, staged in New York and London, The Casino Girl, All on Account of Eliza, The Medal and the Maid, The Orchid, and other productions, many of which were produced in England, where at one time he was very popular. On the screen, James E. Sullivan appeared in the 1916 Thanhouser release of Prudence the Pirate. James E. Sullivan died on June 1, 1931.

Notes: Several discrepancies occur in printed information about James E. Sullivan, perhaps due to confusing more than one person with the same name. His obituary in Variety, June 9, 1931, gave his age at death as 67 years, which does not correlate with the birth date of 1880 given in another listing. One account gives his middle name as Francis. Another man named James E. Sullivan was president of the Amateur Athletic Association and was a well known figure in sports. The death of this James E. Sullivan occurred in September 1914.

Thanhouser Filmography:

1916: Prudence the Pirate (10-22-1916)

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