Milton George Gustavus Sills (January 12, 1882 – September 15, 1930) was an American stage and film actor of the early twentieth century.

Biography

Sills was born in

Chicago, Illinois (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...

, into a wealthy family. He was the son of William Henry Sills, a successful mineral dealer, and Josephine Antoinette Troost Sills, an heiress from a prosperous banking family. Upon completing high school, Sills was offered a one-year scholarship to the

University of Chicago The University of Chicago (UChicago, Chicago, U of C, or UChi) is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois. Its main campus is located in Chicago's Hyde Park neighborhood. The University of Chicago is consistently ranked among the b ...

, where he studied psychology and philosophy. After graduating, he was offered a position at the university as a researcher and within several years worked his way up to become a professor at the school. In 1905, stage actor Donald Robertson visited the school to lecture on author and playwright

Henrik Ibsen Henrik Johan Ibsen (; ; 20 March 1828 – 23 May 1906) was a Norwegian playwright and theatre director. As one of the founders of modernism in theatre, Ibsen is often referred to as "the father of realism" and one of the most influential playw ...

and suggested to Sills that he try his hand at acting. On a whim, Sills agreed and left his teaching career to embark on a stint in acting. Sills joined Robertson's stock theater company and began touring the country. In 1908, while Sills was performing in New York City, he attracted the notice of

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 Stree ...

producers such as

David Belasco David Belasco (July 25, 1853 – May 14, 1931) was an American theatrical producer, impresario, director, and playwright. He was the first writer to adapt the short story ''Madame Butterfly'' for the stage. He launched the theatrical career of m ...

and

Charles Frohman Charles Frohman (July 15, 1856 – May 7, 1915) was an American theater manager and producer, who discovered and promoted many stars of the American stage. Notably, he produced ''Peter Pan'', both in London and the US, the latter production ...

. That same year he made his Broadway debut in ''This Woman and This Man''. From 1908 to 1914, Sills appeared in about a dozen Broadway shows. In 1912, Sills joined the Summer Stock cast at the

Elitch Theatre The Historic Elitch Theatre is located at the original Elitch Gardens site in northwest Denver, Colorado. Opened in 1890, it was centerpiece of the park that was the first zoo west of Chicago. The theatre was Denver's first professional theatre ...

. Owner and producer of the theatre,

Mary Elitch Long Mary Elitch Long (maiden name Hauck) (May 10, 1856 – July 16, 1936) was one of the original owners of Elitch Gardens in Denver, CO. She was the first woman to own and manage a zoo—the first zoo between Chicago and the west coast—and one of t ...

, reported: "Milton Sills, one of the most charming young men I ever knew, came as my leading man, and Louise Woods as leading lady, for a limited engagement." In 1910, Sills married English stage actress Gladys Edith Wynne, a niece of actress

Edith Wynne Matthison Edith Wynne Matthison (November 23, 1875 – September 23, 1955) was an Anglo-American stage actress who also appeared in two silent films. Biography She was born on November 23, 1875, in England, the daughter of Kate Wynne Matthison and Henry ...

. The union produced one child, Dorothy Sills; Gladys filed for divorce in 1925. In 1926, Sills married silent film actress

Doris Kenyon Doris Margaret Kenyon (September 5, 1897 – September 1, 1979) was an American actress of motion pictures and television. Early life She grew up in Syracuse, New York, where her family had a home at 1805 Harrison Street. Her father, Dr. Ja ...

with whom he had a son, Kenyon Clarence Sills, born in 1927.

Motion pictures

In 1914, Sills made his film debut in the big-budget drama ''The Pit'' for the

World Film Company The World Film Company or World Film Corporation was an American film production and distribution company, organized in 1914 in Fort Lee, New Jersey. Short-lived but significant in American film history, World Film was created by financier and fil ...

and was signed to a contract with film producer William A. Brady. Sills made three more films for the company, including '' The Deep Purple'' opposite

Clara Kimball Young Clara Kimball Young (born Edith Matilda Clara Kimball; September 6, 1890 – October 15, 1960) was an American film actress who was popular in the early silent film era. Early life Edith Matilda Clara Kimball was born in Chicago on Septembe ...

. By the early 1920s, Sills had achieved matinee idol status and was working for various film studios, including

Metro Pictures Metro Pictures Corporation was a Film, motion picture production company founded in early 1915 in Jacksonville, Florida. It was a forerunner of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. The company produced its films in New York, Los Angeles, and sometimes at leas ...

Famous Players-Lasky Famous Players-Lasky Corporation was an American motion picture and distribution company formed on June 28, 1916, from the merger of Adolph Zukor's Famous Players Film Company—originally formed by Zukor as Famous Players in Famous Plays—and ...

, and

Pathé Exchange Pathé Exchange, commonly known as Pathé, was an American film production and distribution company, largely of Hollywood's silent era. Known for its groundbreaking newsreel and wide array of shorts, it grew out of the American division of the ...

. In 1923 he was Colleen Moore's leading man in the very successful '' Flaming Youth'', but his biggest box office success was ''

The Sea Hawk ''The Sea Hawk'' is a 1915 novel by Rafael Sabatini. The story is set over the years 1588–1593 and concerns a retired Cornish seafaring gentleman, Sir Oliver Tressilian, who is villainously betrayed by a jealous half-brother. After being ...

'' (1924), the top-grossing film of that year. in 1925, Sills and his wife,

, starred in ''

The Unguarded Hour ''The Unguarded Hour'' is a 1936 American drama film directed by Sam Wood and starring Loretta Young and Franchot Tone. In England, a prominent young prosecutor in a murder trial is unaware that his wife is involved. It is based on Bernard Meriv ...

'' for First National Pictures. In 1926 he wrote the screenplay for '' Men of Steel'', also starring in it along with Kenyon. Sills had begun to make the transition to sound pictures as early as 1928 with the part-talking ''

The Barker ''The Barker'' is a 1928 part-talkie pre-Code romantic drama film produced and released by First National Pictures, a subsidiary of Warner Bros., acquired in September 1928. The film was directed by George Fitzmaurice and stars Milton Sills, ...

''. His final appearance was in the title role of ''

The Sea Wolf 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 ...

'' (1930), a performance called "incisive" by ''The New York Times''.

Death and legacy

Grave of Milton Sills (1882–1930) at Rosehill Cemetery, Chicago 1

Sills died unexpectedly of a

heart attack A myocardial infarction (MI), commonly known as a heart attack, occurs when blood flow decreases or stops to the coronary artery of the heart, causing damage to the heart muscle. The most common symptom is chest pain or discomfort which may tr ...

in 1930 while playing tennis with his wife at his Brentwood home at the age of 48. He was interred at

Rosehill Cemetery Rosehill Cemetery (founded 1859) is an American garden cemetery on the North Side of Chicago, Illinois, and at , is the largest cemetery in the City of Chicago. According to legend, the name "Rosehill" resulted from a City Clerk's error – the a ...

and Mausoleum in Chicago. In December 1930, ''

Photoplay ''Photoplay'' was one of the first American film (another name for ''photoplay'') fan magazines. It was founded in 1911 in Chicago, the same year that J. Stuart Blackton founded '' Motion Picture Story,'' a magazine also directed at fans. For mo ...

'' published a poem found among his personal effects. He was a founding member in 1913 of

Actors' Equity The Actors' Equity Association (AEA), commonly referred to as Actors' Equity or simply Equity, is an American labor union representing those who work in live theatrical performance. Performers appearing in live stage productions without a book ...

. On May 11, 1927, he was among the original 36 individuals in the film industry to found the

Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS, often pronounced ; also known as simply the Academy or the Motion Picture Academy) is a professional honorary organization with the stated goal of advancing the arts and sciences of motio ...

(AMPAS), a professional honorary organization dedicated to the advancement of the arts and sciences of motion pictures. Sills also wrote a book, published posthumously in 1932: ''Values: A Philosophy of Human Needs – Six Dialogues on Subjects from Reality to Immortality'', co-edited by Ernest Holmes. For his contribution to the motion picture industry, Milton Sills received a star 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, Californ ...

at 6263 Hollywood Boulevard. Sills was the favorite actor of poet

Weldon Kees Harry Weldon Kees (February 24, 1914 – disappeared July 18, 1955) was an American poet, painter, literary critic, novelist, playwright, jazz pianist, short story writer, and filmmaker. Despite his brief career, Kees is considered an importa ...

as a child, and Sills' ''Men of Steel'' influenced Kees' poem "1926".

Filmography

*'' The Pit'' (1914) as Corthell *'' The Deep Purple'' (1915) as William Lake *'' The Arrival of Perpetua'' (1915) as Thaddeus Curzon *'' Under Southern Skies'' (1915) as Burleigh Mavor *''

The Rack The rack is a torture device consisting of a rectangular, usually wooden frame, slightly raised from the ground, with a roller at one or both ends. The victim's ankles are fastened to one roller and the wrists are chained to the other. As the in ...

'' (1915) as Tom Gordon *''

Patria Patria may refer to: Entertainment * Patria (novel), a 2016 novel by Spanish writer Fernando Aramburu * Patria (TV series), a 2020 limited television series, based on the novel * ''Patria'' (serial), a 1917 American serial film Music * "Pátri ...

'' (1917) as Capt. Donald Parr *'' The Honor System'' (1917) as Joseph Stanton *''

Souls Adrift ''Souls Adrift'' is a 1917 American silent drama film directed by Harley Knoles and starring Ethel Clayton, Milton Sills and Frank DeVernon.Monaco p.175 Cast * Ethel Clayton as Elma Raybourne * Milton Sills as Micah Steele * Frank DeVernon ...

'' (1917) as Micah Steele *''

Married in Name Only ''Married in Name Only'' is a 1917 American silent film written by Ivan Abramson and directed by Edmund Lawrence, starring Gretchen Hartman, Milton Sills, and Marie Shotwell. Plot The plot is based on eugenics. Madeline Francis (played by Gret ...

'' (1917) as Robert Worthing *'' The Fringe of Society'' (1917) as Martin Drake *''

Diamonds and Pearls ''Diamonds and Pearls'' is the thirteenth studio album by American recording artist Prince, and the first with his new backing band The New Power Generation. It was released on October 1, 1991, by Paisley Park Records and Warner Bros. Record ...

'' (1917) as RobertVan Ellstrom *'' The Other Woman'' (1918) as Mr. Harrington *'' The Struggle Everlasting'' (1918) as Mind, aka Bruce *''

The Reason Why ''The Reason Why'' is the fourth studio album by American country group Little Big Town. It was released on August 24, 2010 via Capitol Nashville. "Little White Church," which was released in March 2010 as the album's lead-off single, has since be ...

'' (1918) as Lord Tancred *'' The Mysterious Client'' (1918) as Harry Nelson *''

The Yellow Ticket ''The Yellow Ticket'' is a 1931 pre-Code American drama film based on the 1914 play of the same name by Michael Morton, produced by the Fox Film Corporation, directed by Raoul Walsh, and starring Elissa Landi, Lionel Barrymore and Laurence ...

'' (1918) as Julian Rolfe *'' The Claw'' (1918) as Major Anthony Kinsella *'' The Savage Woman'' (1918) as Jean Lerier *'' The Hell Cat'' (1918) as Sheriff Jack Webb *''

Shadows A shadow is a dark area where light from a light source is blocked by an opaque object. It occupies all of the three-dimensional volume behind an object with light in front of it. The cross section of a shadow is a two-dimensional silhouette, ...

'' (1919) as Judson Barnes *''

Satan Junior ''Satan Junior'' is a 1919 American silent comedy film, directed by Herbert Blaché and John H. Collins. It was Collins' final involvement in film. Collins began directing the film, production of which had to be suspended due to the flu epidem ...

'' (1919) as Paul Worden *''

The Stronger Vow ''The Stronger Vow'' is a 1919 American silent melodrama film directed by Reginald Barker and distributed by Samuel Goldwyn.

'' (1919) as Juan Estudillo *''

The Hushed Hour ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the ...

'' (1919) as Luke Appleton *''

The Woman Thou Gavest Me ''The Woman Thou Gavest Me'' is a 1919 silent film directed by Hugh Ford and starring Jack Holt, Katherine MacDonald and Milton Sills. It was produced by Famous Players–Lasky and distributed through Famous Players–Lasky and Paramount Pictu ...

'' (1919) as Conrad *''

The Fear Woman ''The Fear Woman'' is a lost film, lost 1919 American silent drama film produced and distributed by Goldwyn Pictures and starring Pauline Frederick. Some of the filming took place in Berkeley, California. Plot As described in a film magazine, be ...

'' (1919) as Robert Craig *''

Eyes of Youth ''Eyes of Youth'' is a 1919 American silent drama film directed by Albert Parker and starring Clara Kimball Young. The film was based on the stage play ''Eyes of Youth'', performed on Broadway in 1917-18 and starred Marjorie Rambeau. This fil ...

'' (1919) as Louis Anthony *''

What Every Woman Learns ''What Every Woman Learns'' is a 1919 American silent drama film directed by Fred Niblo. Plot Amy (Bennett) is married to a cad but visits another man who loves her and helps her endure her marriage. After a confrontation and struggle between ...

'' (1919) as Walter Melrose *'' The Street Called Straight'' (1920) as Peter Devenant *'' The Inferior Sex'' (1920) as Knox Randall *''

Dangerous to Men ''Dangerous to Men'' is a lost 1920 American silent comedy film directed by William C. Dowland and starring Viola Dana. It was distributed through Metro Pictures.The Week-End ''The Week-End'' is a lost 1920 American silent comedy film directed by George L. Cox and starring Margarita Fischer and Milton Sills. It was produced and distributed by Pathé Exchange. Cast *Margarita Fischer as Vera Middleton *Milton Sills a ...

'' (1920) asArthur Tavenor *'' Behold My Wife!'' (1920) as Frank Armour *'' Sweet Lavender'' (1920) as Horace Weather Burn *'' The Furnace'' (1920) as Keene Mordaunt *''

The Faith Healer ''The Faith Healer'' is a lost 1921 American silent drama film directed by George Melford and written by Z. Wall Covington and Mrs. William Vaughn Moody from William Vaughn Moody's play. The film stars Milton Sills, Ann Forrest, Fontaine La Ru ...

'' (1921) as Michaelis *''

The Little Fool ''The Little Fool'' is a 1921 American silent drama film directed by Phil Rosen and starring Milton Sills, Frances Wadsworth and Nigel Barrie.Parish & Pitts p.320 Cast * Milton Sills as Dick * Frances Wadsworth as Florence * Nigel Barrie as ...

'' (1921) as Dick *'' Salvage'' (1921) as Fred Martin *'' The Great Moment'' (1921) as Bayard Delaval *'' At the End of the World'' (1921) *'' Miss Lulu Bett'' (1921) as Neil Cornish *''

A Trip to Paramountown ''A Trip to Paramountown'' is a 1922 American short silent documentary film produced by Famous Players-Lasky and released through Paramount Pictures, to celebrate 10 years of Paramount's founding. The film runs about 20 minutes and features m ...

'' (1922, Short) *'' One Clear Call'' (1922) as Dr. Alan Hamilton *''

The Woman Who Walked Alone ''The Woman Who Walked Alone'' is a 1922 American silent drama film directed by George Melford and written by John Colton and Will M. Ritchey. The film stars Dorothy Dalton, Milton Sills, E. J. Ratcliffe, Wanda Hawley, Frederick Vroom, Mayme ...

'' (1922) as Clement Gaunt *'' Borderland'' (1922) as James Wayne *'' Burning Sands'' (1922) as Daniel Lane *'' Skin Deep'' (1922) as Bud Doyle *'' The Forgotten Law'' (1922) as Richard Jarnette *''

Environment Environment most often refers to: __NOTOC__ * Natural environment, all living and non-living things occurring naturally * Biophysical environment, the physical and biological factors along with their chemical interactions that affect an organism or ...

'' (1922) as Steve MacLaren *''

The Marriage Chance ''The Marriage Chance'' is a 1922 American silent comedy film directed by Hampton Del Ruth and starring Alta Allen, Milton Sills and Irene Rich.Munden p.493 Cast * Alta Allen as Eleannor Douglas * Milton Sills as William Bradley * Henry B. Wa ...

'' (1922) as William Bradley *'' The Last Hour'' (1923) as Steve Cline *'' What a Wife Learned'' (1923) as Rudolph Martin *'' The Isle of Lost Ships'' (1923) as Frank Howard *''

Legally Dead ''Legally Dead'' is a 1923 American drama film directed by William Parke and written by Harvey Gates. The film stars Milton Sills, Margaret Campbell, Claire Adams, Eddie Sturgis, Faye O'Neill, and Charles A. Stevenson. The film was released ...

'' (1923) as Will Campbell / George Brown *'' The Spoilers'' (1923) as Roy Glennister *''

Adam's Rib ''Adam's Rib'' is a 1949 American romantic comedy-drama film directed by George Cukor from a screenplay written by Ruth Gordon and Garson Kanin. It stars Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn as married lawyers who come to oppose each other in ...

'' (1923) as Michael Ramsay *''

Why Women Remarry ''Why Women Remarry'' is a 1923 American silent crime drama film directed by John Gorman and starring Milton Sills, Ethel Grey Terry and William Lowery.Munden p.899 Synopsis Martin Talbot, a heavy gambler who mistreats his family is murdered ...

'' (1923) as Dan Hannon *'' Flaming Youth'' (1923) as Cary Scott *'' Souls for Sale'' (1923) as Himself (uncredited) *'' A Lady of Quality'' (1924) as Gerald Mertoun, Duke of Osmonde *'' The Heart Bandit'' (1924) as John Rand *'' Flowing Gold'' (1924) as Calvin Gray *''

'' (1924) as Sir Oliver Tressilian *''

Single Wives ''Single Wives'' is a 1924 American silent drama film directed by George Archainbaud and produced by and starring Corinne Griffith. It was distributed by First National Pictures. Cast Preservation status ''Single Wives'' is preserved at the ...

'' (1924) as Perry Jordan *'' Madonna of the Streets'' (1924) as Reverend John Morton *''

As Man Desires ''As Man Desires'' is a 1925 American silent drama film directed by Irving Cummings and starring Viola Dana. It was produced and distributed by First National Pictures. Plot As described in a review in a film magazine, Major John Craig (Sills) ...

'' (1925) as Major John Craig *''

I Want My Man ''I Want My Man'' is a 1925 American drama film directed by Lambert Hillyer and written by Joseph F. Poland, Earle Snell, and Earl Hudson. It is based on the 1924 novel ''The Interpreter's House'' by Maxwell Struthers Burt. The film stars Dori ...

'' (1925) as Gulian Eyre *''

The Making of O'Malley ''The Making of O'Malley'' is a 1925 American silent drama film directed by Lambert Hillyer and written by Eugene Clifford. The film stars Milton Sills, Dorothy Mackaill, Helen Rowland, Warner Richmond, Thomas Carrigan and Julia Hurley. The f ...

'' (1925) as O'Malley *''

The Knockout ''The Knockout'' is a 1914 American silent comedy film starring Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle. It also features Charlie Chaplin in a small role, his seventeenth film for Keystone Studios. It is one of only a few films in which Chaplin's Little ...

'' (1925) as Sandy Donlin *''

A Lover's Oath ''A Lover's Oath'' is a lost 1925 American silent fantasy film directed by Ferdinand P. Earle, jun. and featuring Ramon Novarro. The film is based upon the '' Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam'', as translated by Edward Fitzgerald, and included quotes ...

'' (1925) -- editor *''

'' (1925) as Andrea *''

Puppets A puppet is an object, often resembling a human, animal or mythical figure, that is animated or manipulated by a person called a puppeteer. The puppeteer uses movements of their hands, arms, or control devices such as rods or strings to mov ...

'' (1926) as Nicki *'' Men of Steel'' (1926) as Jan Bokak *''

Paradise In religion, paradise is a place of exceptional happiness and delight. Paradisiacal notions are often laden with pastoral imagery, and may be cosmogonical or eschatological or both, often compared to the miseries of human civilization: in paradis ...

'' (1926) as Tony *''

The Silent Lover ''The Silent Lover'' is a 1926 American silent adventure film directed by George Archainbaud and starring Milton Sills, Natalie Kingston and Viola Dana.Munden p.717 Cast * Milton Sills as Count Pierre Tornal * Natalie Kingston as Vera Sherman ...

'' (1926) as Count Pierre Tornal *''

The Sea Tiger ''The Sea Tiger'' is a 1927 American silent film, silent drama film produced and distributed by First National Pictures and directed by John Francis Dillon (director), John Francis Dillon. The film stars Milton Sills and Mary Astor. It is now a ...

'' (1927) as Justin Ramos *'' Framed'' (1927) as Etienne Hilaire *''

Hard-Boiled Haggerty Don Stansauk (April 2, 1925 – January 27, 2004) was an American professional wrestler and actor, known by his ring name, Hard Boiled Haggerty. He was previously a professional American football player, and became a successful character actor af ...

'' (1927) as Hard-Boiled Haggerty *'' The Valley of the Giants'' (1927) as Bryce Cardigan *''

Burning Daylight ''Burning Daylight'' is a novel by Jack London, published in 1910, one of the best-selling books of that year and London's best-selling book in his lifetime. The novel has been adapted for film. Plot The first part of the novel takes place in ...

'' (1928) as Elam 'Burning Daylight' Harnish *'' The Hawk's Nest'' (1928) as The Hawk / John Finchley *'' The Crash'' (1928) as Jim Flannagan *''

'' (1928) as Nifty Miller *'' His Captive Woman'' (1929) as Officer Thomas McCarthy *'' Love and the Devil'' (1929) as Lord Dryan *''

Man Trouble ''Man Trouble'' is a 1992 American romantic black comedy film starring Jack Nicholson and Ellen Barkin. It was directed by Bob Rafelson and written by Carole Eastman, who together had been responsible for 1970's ''Five Easy Pieces''. The fil ...

'' (1930) as Mac *''

'' (1930) as 'Wolf' Larsen (final film role)

References

External links

* *
Photographs and literature"The Actor's Part"
article written by Sills in 1927 {{DEFAULTSORT:Sills, Milton 1882 births 1930 deaths Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences founders American male film actors American male silent film actors American male stage actors Burials at Rosehill Cemetery Male actors from Chicago University of Chicago alumni University of Chicago faculty 20th-century American male actors People from Brentwood, Los Angeles