Frank Sullivan

Who was Frank Sullivan?

Frank Sullivan was an American humorist, best remembered for creating the character Mr. Arbuthnot the Cliche Expert.

Sullivan was born in Saratoga Springs, New York in 1892 and graduated from Cornell University in 1914. He worked for The Saratogian newspaper until he was drafted in 1917. Upon his discharge Sullivan moved to New York City and worked for several papers as a reporter and feature writer.

Sullivan wrote his first article for The New Yorker in 1926, the year after it was founded. His most celebrated character, Mr. Arbuthnot, created in 1934, made his debut in the issue of August 31, 1935 in "The Cliche Expert Takes the Stand". In one story Mr. Arbuthnot was asked what he did for exercise, and he replied, "I keep the wolf from the door, let the cat out of the bag, take the bull by the horns, count my chickens before they are hatched, and see that the horse isn't put behind the cart or stolen before I lock the barn door".

The last Mr. Arbuthnot story, "The Cliche Expert Testifies On the Campaign", appeared in The New Yorker on September 13, 1952.

Sullivan never married. He returned to Saratoga Springs in the 1960s and lived there until his death in 1976.