C. Gardner Sullivan
C. Gardner Sullivan was an influential American screenwriter born in 1886 in Stillwater, Minnesota. He initially pursued a career in journalism, working for various newspapers before transitioning to screenwriting. Sullivan's journey into the film industry began in earnest when he started producing story sketches for vaudeville shows in New York, eventually selling his first film scenario in 1911. Recognized for his talent by notable producer Thomas W. Ince, Sullivan relocated to California, where he made significant contributions to the silent film era, notably crafting scripts that incorporated detailed staging and character development.
His works included critical successes like *Two-Gun Hicks*, which helped establish his reputation as a sophisticated storyteller. Throughout his career, Sullivan produced approximately 375 film scenarios, often tackling complex social issues. After Ince's untimely death in 1924, Sullivan became one of Hollywood's highest-paid writers, adapting to the changing industry by writing for both silent and sound films, including notable projects like *The Woman Disputed* and an adaptation of Eugene O'Neill's *Strange Interlude*. He retired in 1940 and passed away in 1965, leaving a lasting impact on early American cinema.
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C. Gardner Sullivan
- Born: September 18, 1886
- Birthplace: Stillwater, Minnestoa
- Died: September 5, 1965
Biography
Like many writers of Hollywood screenplays, Charles Gardner Sullivan began his writing career as a journalist. Born in 1886 in Stillwater, Minnesota, he attended the University of Minnesota at St. Paul but dropped out in 1907 to become a journalist. He worked initially for the St. Paul Daily News, but he soon left to accept a job with a newspaper in Chicago and later worked in Cleveland and Philadelphia before finally landing a choice position as a syndicated columnist for the Evening Journal in New York City.
While he was working in New York, Sullivan began producing story sketches for vaudeville shows. He tried to interest some film producers in these sketches, and in 1911 Edison and Lubin Pictures bought his scenario for Her Polished Family and produced it. Sullivan continued to sell scenarios to this company for short, one-reel silent films, although he dreamed of writing more substantial scripts in time. In 1913, his dream was fulfilled when he sold a sketch for a film pitting American Indians against the military to the New York Motion Picture Company, whose head of production was Thomas W. Ince.
Ince recognized Sullivan’s talent and became his staunchest advocate. In 1914, he offered Sullivan an opportunity to move to California as a screenwriter. As soon as Sullivan arrived in Santa Monica, he began turning out stories in quantity, fifteen in 1915 alone. His scripts included specifics for staging, make-up, camera angles, and other details that made them suitable for immediate production.
Two-Gun Hicks brought Sullivan enthusiastic critical recognition. This film was not just another Western but was a sophisticated approach to developing character. William Hart played the lead, and Sullivan wrote several other films specifically for Hart. He also developed silent films filled with social content, dealing with drug addiction, prostitution, and other complex topics. When Ince’s production company merged with the Triangle Corporation in 1915, Sullivan was named head of the company’s scenario department. Despite his administrative duties, which were extensive, he began writing more highly developed films, five-reel productions of feature length.
When Ince moved to Paramount Pictures in 1917, he took Sullivan with him, but by 1919, Sullivan struck out on his own as a freelance writer. He continued to sell the silent films scenarios that he produced at a brisk pace, turning out some 375 film scenarios by the time the silent film era ended in the late 1920’s. In 1924, Ince died unexpectedly; in that year, Sullivan was said to be the highest-paid film writer in Hollywood. Devastated by Ince’s death, Sullivan began to work with Cecil B. DeMille, but the silent film era was coming to an end. The last silent movies on which Sullivan worked were Sadie Thompson, starring Gloria Swanson, and Tempest, starring John Barrymore.
Sullivan now began to write for sound films, producing The Woman Disputed and The Locked Door, among others. In 1932, he provided the screenplay for an adaptation of Eugene O’Neill’s Strange Interlude. He retired in 1940 and died in 1965.