Tully Marshall

Tully Marshall (April 10, 1864 – March 10, 1943) was an American character actor with nearly a quarter century of theatrical experience behind before he made his first film appearance in 1914.

Early years

Marshall was born William Phillips in Nevada City, California. He attended private schools and Santa Clara College, from which he graduated with an engineering degree.

Stage

Tully Marshall & Mabel Normand in The Slim Princess (1920), directed by Victor Schertzinger.

Marshall began acting on the stage at 19, appearing in Saratoga at the Winter Garden in San Francisco on March 8, 1883. He played a wide variety of roles on Broadway from 1887. His Broadway credits include The Clever Ones (1914).

For several years, Marshall played with a variety of stock theater troupes, including both acting and being stage manager for E. H. Sothern's company.

In 1909, appearing in Clyde Fitch's drama The City, he was the first actor to say "Goddamn" on Broadway.

Film

In 1914, Marshall arrived in Hollywood. His screen debut was in Paid in Full (1914). By the time D. W. Griffith cast him as the High Priest of Bel in Intolerance (1916), he had already appeared in a number of silent films.

His career continued to thrive during the sound era and he remained busy for the remaining three decades of his life. He played a vast array of drunken trail scouts, lovable grandpas, unforgiving fathers, sinister attorneys and lecherous aristocrats.

Personal life

Marshall was married to screenwriter and playwright Marion Fairfax.

Death

Marshall died on March 10, 1943, age 78, after a heart attack at his home in Encino, California. His grave is located in Hollywood Forever Cemetery.

Partial filmography

Stage plays