Patrick Barry Sullivan (August 29, 1912 – June 6, 1994) was an American movie actor who appeared in over 100 movies from the 1930s to the 1980s, notably '' The Bad and the Beautiful'' opposite

Kirk Douglas Kirk Douglas (born Issur Danielovitch; December 9, 1916 – February 5, 2020) was an American actor and filmmaker. After an impoverished childhood, he made his film debut in ''The Strange Love of Martha Ivers'' (1946) with Barbara Stanwyck. Dou ...

. Ronald Bergan wrote in ''

The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper A newspaper is a periodical publication containing written information about current events and is often typed in black ink with a white or gray background. Newspapers can cover a wide ...

'' in 1994: "Second division Hollywood actors like Barry Sullivan ... are usually faintly praised for being reliable or solid. However, when given the chance, Sullivan was a powerful, often baleful presence on screen, providing more pleasure than many more touted stars. "Bergan, Ronald (June 10, 1994). "Personal: Highlighting the dark side Obituary: Barry Sullivan". ''

'': London.

Biography

Early years

Born in New York City, Sullivan was a law student at

New York University New York University (NYU) is a private research university in New York City. Chartered in 1831 by the New York State Legislature, NYU was founded by a group of New Yorkers led by then- Secretary of the Treasury Albert Gallatin. In 1832, ...

and

Temple University Temple University (Temple or TU) is a public university, public Commonwealth System of Higher Education, state-related research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It was founded in 1884 by the Baptists, Baptist minister Russell Conwell an ...

. He fell into acting when in college playing semi-pro football. He was later a department store buyer.

Career

Broadway stage, film shorts and radio

Sullivan's first appearance on Broadway was in ''I Want a Policeman'' in 1936. That year he was also in R.C. Sheriff's ''St Helena''. Sullivan appeared in shorts such as ''Strike! You're Out'' (1936), ''Broker's Follies'' (1937), ''Dime a Dance'' (1937) (alongside Imogene Coca, June Allyson and

Danny Kaye Danny Kaye (born David Daniel Kaminsky; yi, דוד־דניאל קאַמינסקי; January 18, 1911 – March 3, 1987) was an American actor, comedian, singer and dancer. His performances featured physical comedy, idiosyncratic pantomimes, an ...

), ''Dates and Nuts'' (1937), and ''Hi-Ho Hollywood'' (1937). He returned to Broadway with roles in ''All That Glitters'' (1938) and ''Eye on the Sparrow'' (1938) (with a young Montgomery Clift). He received attention when he joined the cast of the long running '' The Man Who Came to Dinner'' (1939) as Bert Jefferson. He was also in ''Mr Big'' (1941), ''Ring Around Elizabeth'' (1941) and ''Johnny 2 X 4'' (1942). Sullivan appeared with Bette Davis on stage in 1960 in ''

The World of Carl Sandburg ''The World of Carl Sandburg'' was a stage presentation of selections from the poetry and prose of Carl Sandburg, chosen and arranged by Norman Corwin, starring Bette Davis. There was a 21-week national tour 1959–1960, co-starring Davis's h ...

'' as a substitute for her husband Gary Merrill. In 1950, Sullivan replaced

Vincent Price Vincent Leonard Price Jr. (May 27, 1911 – October 25, 1993) was an American actor, art historian, art collector and gourmet cook. He appeared on stage, television, and radio, and in more than 100 films. Price has two stars on the Hollywood Wa ...

in the role of

Leslie Charteris Leslie Charteris (born Leslie Charles Bowyer-Yin, 12 May 1907 – 15 April 1993), was a List of British Chinese people, British-Chinese author of adventure fiction, as well as a screenwriter.

' Simon Templar on the NBC Radio show '' The Saint''. Sullivan lasted only two episodes before the show was cancelled.

Movies

Sullivan had a small role in the Universal serial '' The Green Hornet Strikes Again!'' (1941). Sullivan had a supporting part in ''

High Explosive An explosive (or explosive material) is a reactive substance that contains a great amount of potential energy that can produce an explosion if released suddenly, usually accompanied by the production of light, heat, sound, and pressure. An e ...

'' (1943) for Pine-Thomas Productions, who released through Paramount, and he was the second male lead in '' The Woman of the Town'' (1943) with Claire Trevor. He was signed to a long term contract by Paramount, who gave him a good support role in an "A" film, the musical ''

Lady in the Dark ''Lady in the Dark'' is a musical with music by Kurt Weill, lyrics by Ira Gershwin and book and direction by Moss Hart. It was produced by Sam Harris. The protagonist, Liza Elliott, is the unhappy female editor of a fictional fashion magazine w ...

'' (1944) with

Ginger Rogers Ginger Rogers (born Virginia Katherine McMath; July 16, 1911 – April 25, 1995) was an American actress, dancer and singer during the Golden Age of Hollywood. She won an Academy Award for Best Actress for her starring role in ''Kitty Foyle'' ...

. He supported Dorothy Lamour in '' Rainbow Island'' (1944) and Alan Ladd and Loretta Young in '' And Now Tomorrow'' (1944), and was one of many Paramount names in '' Duffy's Tavern'' (1945). He supported Dennis O'Keefe and Marie McDonald in the comedy, '' Getting Gertie's Garter'' (1945). Then he went to

Monogram Pictures Monogram Pictures Corporation was an American film studio that produced mostly low-budget films between 1931 and 1953, when the firm completed a transition to the name Allied Artists Pictures Corporation. Monogram was among the smaller studios in ...

for '' Suspense'' (1946), the most expensive film that studio had made to date, produced by the King Brothers; Sullivan was second billed to Belita. Monogram were delighted with his work; Sullivan obtained a release from his Paramount contract and signed a three picture deal with Monogram. Sullivan supported

Brian Aherne William Brian de Lacy Aherne (2 May 190210 February 1986) was an English actor of stage, screen, radio and television, who enjoyed a long and varied career in Britain and the United States. His first Broadway appearance in '' The Barretts of ...

and

Constance Bennett Constance Campbell Bennett (October 22, 1904 – July 24, 1965) was an American stage, film, radio, and television actress and producer. She was a major Hollywood star during the 1920s and 1930s; during the early 1930s, she was the highest-pai ...

in '' Smart Woman'' (1948) for Bennett's company, releasing through Monogram (as Allied Artists). He received top billing for a Western from the King Brothers and Monogram, ''

Bad Men of Tombstone ''Bad Men of Tombstone'' is a 1949 American Western film from King Brothers Productions. It was co-written by Philip Yordan and stars Barry Sullivan and Broderick Crawford. King Brothers announced plans for a sequel, ''The Marshall of Tombstone' ...

'' (1949). MGM signed Sullivan to a contract, and he played supporting roles in '' Tension'' (1950), ''

The Outriders ''The Outriders'' is a 1950 American Western film directed by Roy Rowland and starring Joel McCrea. Plot With the Civil War nearing an end, rebel soldiers Will Owen, Jesse Wallace, and Clint Priest escape from a Union stockade in Missouri. ...

'' (1950), ''

Nancy Goes to Rio ''Nancy Goes to Rio'' is a Technicolor musical comedy film released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in 1950. It was directed by Robert Z. Leonard and produced by Joe Pasternak from a screenplay by Sidney Sheldon, based on a story by Ralph Block, Frederic ...

'' (1950), '' A Life of Her Own'' (1950), and ''

Grounds for Marriage ''Grounds for Marriage'' is a 1951 American romantic comedy film directed by Robert Z. Leonard. Written and produced by Samuel Marx, the film stars Van Johnson and Kathryn Grayson. Plot Ina Massine (Kathryn Grayson) is an opera diva who divorced ...

'' (1951). He was upped to leading man for '' Cause for Alarm!'' (1951) with Young and '' Payment on Demand'' (1951) with

Bette Davis Ruth Elizabeth "Bette" Davis (; April 5, 1908 – October 6, 1989) was an American actress with a career spanning more than 50 years and 100 acting credits. She was noted for playing unsympathetic, sardonic characters, and was famous for her p ...

at RKO but was back down the cast list for '' Three Guys Named Mike'' (1951), ''

Mr. Imperium ''Mr. Imperium'' (UK title: ''You Belong to My Heart'') is a 1951 romantic musical drama Technicolor film produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and starring Lana Turner and singer Ezio Pinza. It was directed by Don Hartman, who cowrote the screenplay ...

'' (1951), and '' Inside Straight'' (1951). He was given top billing in '' No Questions Asked'' (1951), a role originally meant for Gable. Sullivan played the lead in a series of lower budgeted films noir: ''

Loophole A loophole is an ambiguity or inadequacy in a system, such as a law or security, which can be used to circumvent or otherwise avoid the purpose, implied or explicitly stated, of the system. Originally, the word meant an arrowslit An arrowsli ...

'' (1954) for Allied Artists, '' Playgirl'' (1954) at Universal, and '' The Miami Story'' (1954) for Sam Katzman. He went back to MGM for a support role in '' Her Twelve Men'' (1954). In June 1954 he returned to Broadway to replace Henry Fonda in '' The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial''. He went to Paramount to support James Stewart in ''

Strategic Air Command Strategic Air Command (SAC) was both a United States Department of Defense Specified Command and a United States Air Force (USAF) Major Command responsible for command and control of the strategic bomber and intercontinental ballistic missile c ...

'' (1955) and guested on shows like '' General Electric Theater'', '' Studio One in Hollywood'', '' Climax!'' and '' Ford Star Jubilee'' (reprising his ''Caine Mutiny'' performance). Sullivan was leading man to

Joan Crawford Joan Crawford (born Lucille Fay LeSueur; March 23, ncertain year from 1904 to 1908was an American actress. She started her career as a dancer in traveling theatrical companies before debuting on Broadway. Crawford was signed to a motion pic ...

in ''

Queen Bee A queen bee is typically an adult, mated female ( gyne) that lives in a colony or hive of honey bees. With fully developed reproductive organs, the queen is usually the mother of most, if not all, of the bees in the beehive. Queens are develope ...

'' (1955), Claudette Colbert in '' Texas Lady'' (1955),

Barbara Stanwyck Barbara Stanwyck (; born Ruby Catherine Stevens; July 16, 1907 – January 20, 1990) was an American actress, model and dancer. A stage, film, and television star, during her 60-year professional career she was known for her strong, realistic sc ...

in '' The Maverick Queen'' (1956) and

Doris Day Doris Day (born Doris Mary Kappelhoff; April 3, 1922 – May 13, 2019) was an American actress, singer, and activist. She began her career as a big band singer in 1939, achieving commercial success in 1945 with two No. 1 recordings, " Sent ...

in '' Julie'' (1956). In 1956 he was in ''Too Late the Phalarope'' on Broadway which had a short run. He had the lead in a low budget Western '' Dragoon Wells Massacre'' (1957), '' The Way to the Gold'' (1957), and Sam Fuller's '' Forty Guns'' (1957) with Stanwyck. He was

Lana Turner Lana Turner ( ; born Julia Jean Turner; February 8, 1921June 29, 1995) was an American actress. Over the course of her nearly 50-year career, she achieved fame as both a pin-up model and a film actress, as well as for her highly publicized pe ...

's leading man in '' Another Time, Another Place'' (1958) and played star roles in some films for Allied Artists, ''

Wolf Larsen Seawolf, Sea wolf or Sea Wolves may refer to: Animals * Sea wolf, a wolf subspecies found in the Vancouver coastal islands * Seawolf (fish), a marine fish also known as wolffish or sea wolf * A nickname of the killer whale * South American sea ...

'' (1958), an adaptation of '' The Sea Wolf'' where Sullivan played the title role, and '' The Purple Gang'' (1959), a gangster film. His last film was ''

The Last Straw ''The last straw'' is an idiom referring to the Straw that broke the camel's back The idiom "the straw that broke the camel's back" describes the minor or routine action that causes an unpredictably large and sudden reaction, because of the cumu ...

'' in 1987.

Television

In the 1953-1954 television season, Sullivan appeared with other celebrities as a musical judge on ''Jukebox Jury''. His first starring television role was a syndicated adaptation of the radio series '' The Man Called X'' for

Ziv Television Ziv Television Programs, Inc. was an American production company that specialized in productions for first-run television syndication in the 1950s. History The company was founded by Frederick Ziv in 1948 and was a subsidiary of his successful r ...

in 1956-1957 as secret agent Ken Thurston. In the 1957-1958 season, Sullivan starred in the adventure/drama television series ''

Harbormaster A harbourmaster (or harbormaster, see spelling differences) is an official responsible for enforcing the regulations of a particular harbour or port, in order to ensure the safety of navigation, the security of the harbour and the correct opera ...

''. He played a commercial ship's captain, David Scott, and Paul Burke played his partner Jeff Kittridge in five episodes of the series, which aired first on CBS and then ABC under the revised title ''Adventure at Scott Island''. He directed some episodes as well as episodes of '' Highway Patrol'', which was made by Ziv, who did ''Harbourmaster''. He continued to make guest appearances on shows like ''

Alfred Hitchcock Presents ''Alfred Hitchcock Presents'' is an American television anthology series created, hosted and produced by Alfred Hitchcock, aired on CBS and NBC between 1955 and 1965. It features dramas, thrillers and mysteries. Between 1962 and 1965 it was r ...

'', '' Pursuit'', '' Playhouse 90'', '' The DuPont Show with June Allyson'', ''

The United States Steel Hour ''The United States Steel Hour'' is an anthology series which brought hour long dramas to television from 1953 to 1963. The television series and the radio program that preceded it were both sponsored by the U.S. Steel, United States Steel Corpor ...

'' and '' Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse'', and he was in a TV adaptation of '' My Three Angels''. Barry Sullivan starred in a western TV show, The Tall Man ...(1960-1962) Sullivan starred in the television series '' The Road West'', as family patriarch Ben Pride. He guest starred on '' Mission: Impossible'', ''

Bonanza ''Bonanza'' is an American Western television series that ran on NBC from September 13, 1959, to January 16, 1973. Lasting 14 seasons and 432 episodes, ''Bonanza'' is NBC's longest-running western, the second-longest-running western series on ...

'', ''

Garrison's Gorillas ''Garrison's Gorillas'' is an ABC TV series originally broadcast from 1967 to 1968; a total of 26 hour-long episodes were produced. It was inspired by the 1967 film '' The Dirty Dozen'', which featured a similar scenario of training Allied priso ...

'', '' The Man from U.N.C.L.E.'', '' That Girl'', and '' It Takes a Thief''. Barry Sullivan also appeared in the first season of Barnaby Jones; episode titled, "A Little Glory, A Little Death" which initially aired April 29, 1973. He has two stars on the

Hollywood Walk of Fame The Hollywood Walk of Fame is a historic landmark which consists of more than 2,700 five-pointed terrazzo and brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along 15 blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in Hollywood, Calif ...

: one at 1500 Vine St. for his work in television, and another at 6160 Hollywood Blvd. for motion pictures.

Personal life

Sullivan was a Democratic Party activist and an advocate for the mentally disabled. He was married three times and had three children. Marie Brown (married 1937, divorced 1957), a Broadway actress, was mother to both Jenny and John Sullivan. He married model and actress

Gita Hall Gita Hall (6 September 1933 – 13 August 2016) was a Swedish-American model and actress who was the second wife of actor Barry Sullivan and a member of the jet set in the 1950s and 1960s. Early years Hall was born Birgitta Wetterhall in Lin ...

in 1958, and they were divorced June 1961. The couple's daughter, Patsy, became the youngest model ever, at 12 years old, to sign a contract with a cosmetic company. Patsy provided her parents with six grandchildren via her romance and marriage to songwriter

Jimmy Webb Jimmy Layne Webb (born August 15, 1946) is an American songwriter, composer, and singer. He has written numerous platinum-selling songs, including " Up, Up and Away", " By the Time I Get to Phoenix", " MacArthur Park", " Wichita Lineman", " Wo ...

. Sullivan's third marriage to Desiree Sumara produced no children and ended in divorce in 1965. Sullivan's last public romance was with actress Irene Kelly. His daughter Jenny Sullivan wrote the play ''J for J'' (''Journals for John'') after she found a packet of unsent letters (in 1995) written by Barry decades earlier to her older brother Johnny, who was mentally disabled. The play premiered on October 20, 2001. John Ritter, who in real life had a handicapped brother, played Johnny, Jenny played herself, and actor Jeff Kober portrayed Sullivan.

Death

Sullivan died at age 81 of

respiratory failure Respiratory failure results from inadequate gas exchange by the respiratory system, meaning that the arterial oxygen, carbon dioxide, or both cannot be kept at normal levels. A drop in the oxygen carried in the blood is known as hypoxemia; a rise ...

on June 6, 1994.

Partial filmography

*'' The Green Hornet Strikes Again!'' (1940) as Thug in Back Seat *''

'' (1943) as Mike Douglas *'' The Woman of the Town'' (1943) as King Kennedy *''

'' (1944) as Dr. Brooks *'' Rainbow Island'' (1944) as Ken Masters *'' And Now Tomorrow'' (1944) as Jeff Stoddard *'' Duffy's Tavern'' (1945) as Danny Murphy *'' Getting Gertie's Garter'' (1945) as Ted Dalton *'' Suspense'' (1946) as Joe Morgan *'' Framed'' (1947) as Steve Price *'' The Gangster'' (1947) as Shubunka *'' Smart Woman'' (1948) as Frank McCoy *''

'' (1949) as Tom Horn *''

Any Number Can Play ''Any Number Can Play'' is a 1949 drama film directed by Mervyn LeRoy. It is based on Edward Harris Heth's novel of the same name. It stars Clark Gable and Alexis Smith. Plot Casino owner Charley Enley Kyng (Clark Gable) is advised by his physic ...

'' (1949) as Tycoon *''

The Great Gatsby ''The Great Gatsby'' is a 1925 novel by American writer F. Scott Fitzgerald. Set in the Jazz Age on Long Island, near New York City, the novel depicts first-person narrator Nick Carraway's interactions with mysterious millionaire Jay Gatsb ...

'' (1949) as Tom Buchanan *'' Tension'' (1950) as Lt. Collier Bonnabel *''

'' (1950) as Jesse Wallace *''

'' (1950) as Paul Berten *'' A Life of Her Own'' (1950) as Lee Gorrance *''

'' (1951) as Chris Bartlett *'' Payment on Demand'' (1951) as David Anderson Ramsey *'' Three Guys Named Mike'' (1951) as Mike Tracy *'' Inside Straight'' (1951) as Johnny Sanderson *''

'' (1951) as Paul Hunter *'' Cause for Alarm!'' (1951) as George Z. Jones *'' No Questions Asked'' (1951) as Steve Keiver *'' The Unknown Man'' (1951) as Joe Bucknor *'' Skirts Ahoy!'' (1952) as Lt. Cmdr. Paul Elcott *'' The Bad and the Beautiful'' (1952) as Fred Amiel *'' Jeopardy'' (1953) as Doug Stilwin *'' Cry of the Hunted'' (1953) as Lt. Tunner *'' A Slight Case of Larceny'' (1953) as Radio Stock Quoter (voice, uncredited) *'' China Venture'' (1953) as Cmdr. Bert Thompson *''

'' (1954) as Mike Donovan *'' Playgirl'' (1954) as Mike Marsh *'' The Miami Story'' (1954) as Mick Flagg aka Mike Pierce *'' Her Twelve Men'' (1954) as Richard Y. Oliver, Sr. *''

'' (1955) as Lt. Col. Rocky Samford *''

'' (1955) as Avery Phillips *'' Texas Lady'' (1955) as Chris Mooney *'' The Maverick Queen'' (1956) as Jeff Younger *'' Julie'' (1956) as Cliff Henderson *'' Forty Guns'' (1957) as Griff Bonell *'' The Way to the Gold'' (1957) as Marshal Hannibal *'' Dragoon Wells Massacre'' (1957) as Link Ferris *'' Another Time, Another Place'' (1958) as Carter Reynolds *''

'' (1958) as Wolf Larsen *'' The Purple Gang'' (1959) as Police Lt. William P. Harley *'' Seven Ways from Sundown'' (1960) as Jim Flood *'' Light in the Piazza'' (1962) as Noel Johnson *''

A Gathering of Eagles ''A Gathering of Eagles'' is a 1963 SuperScope Eastmancolor film about the U.S. Air Force during the Cold War and the pressures of command. The plot is patterned after the World War II film ''Twelve O'Clock High'', which producer-screenwriter S ...

'' (1963) as Col. Bill Fowler *'' Pyro... The Thing Without a Face'' (1964) as Vance Pierson *''

Man in the Middle In cryptography and computer security, a man-in-the-middle, monster-in-the-middle, machine-in-the-middle, monkey-in-the-middle, meddler-in-the-middle, manipulator-in-the-middle (MITM), person-in-the-middle (PITM) or adversary-in-the-middle (AiTM ...

'' (1964) as Gen. Kempton *'' Stage to Thunder Rock'' (1964) as Sheriff Horne *'' My Blood Runs Cold'' (1965) as Julian Merriday *'' Harlow'' (1965) as Marino Bello *'' Planet of the Vampires'' (1965) as Capt. Mark Markary *''

The Poppy Is Also a Flower ''The Poppy Is Also a Flower'' is a 1966 American-French-Austrian made-for-television spy and anti-drug film. It was originally made under the auspices of the United Nations as part of a series of television specials designed to promote the ...

'' (1966) as Chasen *'' That Girl'' (1966, TV Series) as Himself *''

Intimacy An intimate relationship is an interpersonal relationship that involves physical or emotional intimacy. Although an intimate relationship is commonly a sexual relationship, it may also be a non-sexual relationship involving family, friends, ...

'' (1966) as Walter Nicholson *'' An American Dream'' (1966) as Police Lt. G. Roberts *'' Mission: Impossible'' (1967) as Alex Lowell *'' Buckskin'' (1968) as Chaddock *'' How to Steal the World'' (1968) as Dr. Robert Kingsley *'' It Takes All Kinds'' (1969) as Orville Benton *'' Shark!'' (1969) as Prof. Dan Mallare *'' Tell Them Willie Boy Is Here'' (1969) as Ray Calvert *'' The Arrangement'' (1969) as Chet Collier (uncredited) *'' The Immortal'' (1969–1970, TV Series) as Jordan Braddock *'' The High Chaparral'' (1970) as Dan Casement *'' Kung Fu'' (1972) pilot movie, as Dillon *'' Savage'' (1973) as Judge Daniel Stern *'' Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid'' (1973) as Chisum *''

Hurricane A tropical cyclone is a rapidly rotating storm system characterized by a low-pressure center, a closed low-level atmospheric circulation, strong winds, and a spiral arrangement of thunderstorms that produce heavy rain and squalls. Depe ...

'' (1974) as Hank Stoddard *''

Earthquake An earthquake (also known as a quake, tremor or temblor) is the shaking of the surface of the Earth resulting from a sudden release of energy in the Earth's lithosphere that creates seismic waves. Earthquakes can range in intensity, from ...

'' (1974) as Stockle *'' Take a Hard Ride'' (1975) as Kane *'' The 'Human' Factor'' (1975) as Edmonds *'' Violent Naples'' (1976) as 'O' Generale *''Survival'' (1976) as Barry *''Grand Jury'' (1976) as Don Bentine *'' Oh, God!'' (1977) as Bishop Reardon *''The Washington Affair'' (1977) as Walter Nicholson *'' The Bastard'' (1978) as Abraham Ware *'' Caravans'' (1978) as Richardson *''The Last Straw'' (1987) (final film role)

Radio appearances

In 1950 Barry Sullivan filled in for Vincent Price (delayed in Paris) as The Saint (The Ghost that Giggled, Sept 17, 1950)

References

External links

* * *
Barry Sullivan as The Saint
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sullivan, Barry 1912 births 1994 deaths Male actors from New York City American male film actors American male stage actors American male radio actors Temple University alumni New York University School of Law alumni 20th-century American male actors Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer contract players Western (genre) television actors