Milton Sills

Personal Info

Known For

Acting

Born

January 11, 1882

Died

September 15, 1930 (age 48)

Place of Birth

Chicago, Illinois, USA

Milton Sills

Biography

From Wikipedia Milton George Gustavus Sills (January 12, 1882 – September 15, 1930) was an American stage and film actor of the early twentieth century. Sills was born in Chicago, Illinois 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, 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 and suggested to Sills that he try his hand at acting. On a whim, Sills agreed and left his prestigious teaching career to embark on a stint in acting. Sills joined Robertson's stock theater company and began touring the country. In 1914, Sills decided to conquer the new medium of motion pictures. He made his film debut the same year in the big-budget drama The Pit for the World Film Company and was signed to a contract with film producer William A. Brady. The film was enormously successful, and Sills made three more films for the company, including another huge box-office draw The Deep Purple opposite silent screen star Clara Kimball Young. By the late 1910s, Sills had reached leading man status and parted ways with World Film, taking the then unusual path of freelancing as an actor. By the early 1920s, Sills was enjoying a highly successful acting career and working for such prominent film studios as MGM, Paramount Pictures, and Pathé Exchange. He was often paired with the most popular leading ladies of the era, including: Geraldine Farrar, Gloria Swanson and Viola Dana. His greatest public and commercial successes came with the now lost Flaming Youth (1923) opposite Colleen Moore, and the enormous box-office hit The Sea Hawk (1924). Sills made two sound pictures, showing that he had an excellent voice. Many may have forgotten that Sills had extensive stage training before embarking on his career before the cameras. Sills died unexpectedly of a heart attack in 1930 while playing tennis with his wife at his Santa Barbara, California home at the age of 48. He was interred at the Rosehill Cemetery and Mausoleum in Chicago, Illinois.

Known For

Filmography

1961FilmThe Legend of Rudolph Valentinoas Self (archive footage)1930FilmThe Sea Wolfas 'Wolf' Larsen1930FilmMan Troubleas Mac1929FilmLove and the Devil1929FilmHis Captive Woman1928FilmThe Crashas Jim Flannagan1928FilmThe Barkeras Nifty Miller1928FilmThe Hawk's Nestas The Hawk/John Finchley1928FilmBurning Daylightas Elam 'Burning Daylight' Harnish1928FilmThe Circus: Premiereas Self1927FilmThe Valley of the Giantsas Bryce Cardigan1927FilmHard-Boiled Haggertyas Hard-Boiled Haggerty1927FilmFramedas Etienne Hilaire1927FilmThe Sea Tigeras Justin Ramos1926FilmThe Silent Loveras Count Pierre Tornal1926FilmParadiseas Tony1926FilmMen of Steelas Jan Bokak1926FilmPuppetsas Nicola Riccobini1925FilmThe Unguarded Houras Andrea1925FilmThe Knockoutas Sandy Donlin1925FilmThe Making of O'Malleyas O'Malley1925FilmI Want My Manas Gulian Eyre1925FilmAs Man Desiresas Major John Craig1924FilmMadonna of the Streetsas Reverend John Morton1924FilmSingle Wivesas Perry Jordan1924FilmThe Sea Hawkas Sir Oliver Tressilian1924FilmFlowing Goldas Calvin Gray1924FilmThe Heart Banditas John Rand1924FilmA Lady of Qualityas Gerald Mertoun, Duke of Osmonde1923FilmFlaming Youthas Cary Scott1923FilmAdam's Ribas Michael Ramsay1923FilmThe Spoilersas Roy Glennister1923FilmLegally Deadas Will Campbell / George Brown1923FilmSouls for Saleas Self - Celebrity Actor (uncredited)1923FilmThe Isle of Lost Shipsas Frank Howard1923FilmWhat a Wife Learnedas Rudolph Martin1923FilmThe Last Houras Steve Cline1922FilmEnvironmentas Steve MacLaren1922FilmThe Forgotten Lawas Richard Jarnette1922FilmSeeing Starsas Self1922FilmBurning Sandsas Daniel Lane1922FilmSkin Deepas Bud Doyle1922FilmA Trip to Paramountownas Self1922FilmThe Woman Who Walked Aloneas Clement Gaunt1922FilmOne Clear Callas Dr. Alan Hamilton1921FilmMiss Lulu Bettas Neil Cornish1921FilmThe Great Momentas Bayard Delaval1921FilmAt the End of the Worldas Gordon Deane1921FilmSalvageas Fred Martin1921FilmThe Little Foolas Richard Forrest1921FilmThe Faith Healeras Michaelis1920FilmThe Furnaceas Keene Mordaunt1920FilmBehold My Wifeas Frank Armour1920FilmSweet Lavenderas Horace Weatherburn1920FilmDangerous to Menas Sandy Verrall1920FilmThe Inferior Sexas Knox Randall1920FilmThe Street Called Straightas Peter Devenant1919FilmEyes of Youthas Louis Anthony1919FilmWhat Every Woman Learnsas Walter Melrose1919FilmThe Fear Womanas Robert Craig1919FilmThe Woman Thou Gavest Meas Conrad1919FilmThe Hushed Houras Luke Appleton1919FilmThe Stronger Vowas Juan Estudillo1919FilmSatan Junioras Paul Worden1918FilmThe Hell Catas Sheriff Jack Webb1918FilmThe Savage Womanas Jean Lerier1918FilmThe Clawas Major Anthony Kinsella1918FilmThe Yellow Ticketas Julian Rolfe1917FilmMarried in Name Onlyas Robert Worthing1917FilmMaking Monkey Businessas The Flea1917FilmThe Honor Systemas Joseph Stanton1917FilmPatriaas Capt. Donald Parr1915FilmThe Woman Who Liedas Jack Stanley1915FilmUnder Southern Skiesas Burleigh Mavor1915FilmThe Taming of Maryas Harry Benton1915FilmThe Arrival of Perpetuaas Thaddeus Curzon1914FilmThe Pitas Corthell

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