Patrick Barry Sullivan (August 29, 1912 – June 6, 1994) was an American actor of film, television, theatre, and radio. In a career that spanned over 40 years, Sullivan appeared in over 100 movies from the 1930s to the 1980s, primarily as a leading actor after establishing himself in the industry, and later as a character actor.
Memorable films and TV programs that Sullivan appeared in include The Great Gatsby, The Bad and the Beautiful, Forty Guns, The Price, and Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid. He was a featured guest performer in the top television series of his day, starring in two series, Harbormaster and The Tall Man. He was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for his performance on the 1955 teleplay The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial.
Ronald Bergan wrote in The Guardian 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. "
Sullivan was born in New York City. A law student at New York University and Temple University, he fell into acting when in college playing semi-pro football. He was later a department store buyer.
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), 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 as a substitute for her husband Gary Merrill.
In 1950, Sullivan replaced Vincent Price in the role of Leslie Charteris' Simon Templar on the NBC Radio show The Saint. Sullivan lasted only two episodes before the show was cancelled.
Sullivan had a small role in the Universal serial The Green Hornet Strikes Again! (1941). He had a supporting part in High Explosive (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 (1944) with Ginger Rogers. 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 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 and Constance Bennett 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 (1949).
MGM signed Sullivan to a contract, and he played supporting roles in Tension (1950), The Outriders (1950), Nancy Goes to Rio (1950), A Life of Her Own (1950), and Grounds for Marriage (1951). He was upped to leading man for Cause for Alarm! (1951) with Young and Payment on Demand (1951) with Bette Davis at RKO but was back down the cast list for Three Guys Named Mike (1951), Mr. Imperium (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 (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 (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 in Queen Bee (1955), Claudette Colbert in Texas Lady (1955), Barbara Stanwyck in The Maverick Queen (1956) and Doris Day 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's leading man in Another Time, Another Place (1958) and played star roles in some films for Allied Artists, including Wolf Larsen (1958), an adaptation of The Sea Wolf wherein Sullivan played the title role, and The Purple Gang (1959), a gangster film.