Milton George Gustavus Sills (January 12, 1882 â€" 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 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 producers such as David
Belasco and Charles Frohman. 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.
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 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 producers such as David
Belasco and Charles Frohman. 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.
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