Milton Sills facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Milton Sills
Sills c. 1910
Born	(1882-01-12)January 12, 1882 Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Died	September 15, 1930(1930-09-15) (aged 48) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Burial place	Rosehill Cemetery
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1906–1914 (stage) 1914–1930 (film)
Spouse(s)	Gladys Edith Wynne ​ ​ (m. 1910; div. 1925)​ Doris Kenyon ​ (m. 1926)​
Children	2

Milton George Gustavus Sills (born January 12, 1882 – died September 15, 1930) was an American actor. He was famous for his work on both the stage and in early movies. He became a big star in the silent film era.

Milton Sills' Early Life and Career

Milton Sills was born in Chicago, Illinois. His family was quite wealthy. His father, William Henry Sills, was a successful mineral dealer. His mother, Josephine Antoinette Troost Sills, came from a rich banking family.

After high school, Milton received a special scholarship. He went to the University of Chicago. There, he studied interesting subjects like psychology and philosophy. After he graduated, the university offered him a job as a researcher. In just a few years, he became a professor at the school.

Becoming an Actor

In 1905, a stage actor named Donald Robertson visited the university. He gave a talk about the famous writer Henrik Ibsen. Robertson suggested that Milton try acting. Milton decided to give it a try. He left his teaching job to become an actor.

Milton joined Robertson's theater group. They traveled around the country, putting on plays.

In 1908, Milton was performing in New York City. Important Broadway producers noticed his talent. These included David Belasco and Charles Frohman. That same year, he made his first appearance on Broadway. The play was called This Woman and This Man. From 1908 to 1914, Milton Sills acted in about twelve Broadway shows.

In 1912, Milton joined the Summer Stock cast at the Elitch Theatre. The owner, Mary Elitch Long, said he was one of the most charming young men she knew.

Milton Sills' Family Life

In 1910, Milton married Gladys Edith Wynne. She was an English stage actress. They had one child, a daughter named Dorothy. Gladys and Milton divorced in 1925.

In 1926, Milton married Doris Kenyon. She was a silent film actress. They had a son together, Kenyon Clarence Sills, who was born in 1927.

Milton Sills in Movies

In 1914, Milton Sills started his film career. His first movie was a big drama called The Pit. He signed a contract with film producer William A. Brady. Milton made three more movies for this company. One of them was The Deep Purple, where he acted with Clara Kimball Young.

By the early 1920s, Milton Sills was a very popular actor. People called him a "matinee idol". He worked for many different film studios. These included Metro Pictures, Famous Players-Lasky, and Pathé Exchange.

In 1923, he starred with Colleen Moore in the very successful movie Flaming Youth. But his biggest movie hit was The Sea Hawk (1924). This movie earned the most money that year. In 1925, Milton and his wife, Doris Kenyon, starred in The Unguarded Hour. In 1926, he wrote the story for Men of Steel. He also starred in it with Doris Kenyon.

Milton Sills began acting in "talkies" (movies with sound) in 1928. His movie The Barker had some talking parts. His last movie role was in The Sea Wolf (1930). The New York Times newspaper said his performance was "incisive," meaning very clear and strong.

Milton Sills' Death and Lasting Impact

Milton Sills died suddenly in 1930. He was only 48 years old. He had a heart attack while playing tennis with his wife. This happened at his home in Brentwood. He was buried at Rosehill Cemetery in Chicago. In December 1930, a magazine called Photoplay published a poem that was found among his things.

Milton Sills helped start Actors' Equity in 1913. This group helps actors. On May 11, 1927, he was one of the first 36 people to create the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). This organization works to improve movies and filmmaking.

Milton Sills also wrote a book. It was published after he died in 1932. It was called Values: A Philosophy of Human Needs – Six Dialogues on Subjects from Reality to Immortality.

Milton Sills has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. It is located at 6263 Hollywood Boulevard. This star honors his important work in the movie industry.

Filmography

Images for kids

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  Sills' grave at Rosehill Cemetery

See also

In Spanish: Milton Sills para niños