Erskine Sanford

Erskine Sanford (November 19, 1885 – July 7, 1969) was an American actor on the stage, radio and motion pictures. Long associated with the Theatre Guild, he later joined Orson Welles's Mercury Theatre company and appeared in several of Welles's films, including Citizen Kane (1941), in which he played Herbert Carter, the bumbling, perspiring newspaper editor.[3]

Erskine Sanford
Erskine Sanford in Porgy (1928–1930)
Born(1885-11-19)November 19, 1885
Trinidad, Colorado, U.S.
DiedJuly 7, 1969(1969-07-07) (aged 83)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
OccupationActor
Years active1904–1952
Spouse(s)Fanny Reynolds Howe
(m. 1918; 19??) [1]
Children2[2]

Biography

Erskine Sanford was born in Trinidad, Colorado, and was educated at the Horace Mann School in New York City.[4] Beginning his acting career with Minnie Maddern Fiske's company,[5] he made his professional debut in Leah Kleschna.[6] He appeared in The Blue Bird and The Piper (1910–11) at the New Theatre in New York City, and in Shakespearean repertory with Ben Greet.[5]: 16 

For some 15 years he was associated with the Theatre Guild, playing roles on Broadway and on tour, including performances of Porgy and Strange Interlude on the London stage.[7]

In Kenosha, Wisconsin, Sanford first met Orson Welles in 1922, when the seven-year-old boy came backstage to meet him after a touring performance of Mr. Pim Passes By. Years later, Sanford left the Theatre Guild to join Welles's Mercury Theatre company,[8] and made his Mercury debut in the 1938 stage production of Heartbreak House. Appearing as Mazzini Dunn, Sanford reprised the role he had created 18 years before in the Theatre Guild's world premiere production.[9]: 351 

In 1941, Sanford married psychiatric nursing pioneer Adele Poston,[10][11] but the marriage lasted only a short time.

Theatre credits
Erskine Sanford, Dudley Digges and Laura Hope Crews in the Theatre Guild production of A.A. Milne's Mr. Pim Passes By (1921)
Howard Smith, Mary Wickes, Orson Welles, Virginia Nicolson, William Herz, Erskine Sanford, Eustace Wyatt and Joseph Cotten during the two-week run of the Mercury Theatre stage production of Too Much Johnson (1938)
Date Title Role Notes
February 11, 1916 Playlets Belasco Theatre, New York City[12]
November 14 – December 30, 1916 Gertrude Kingston and a Visiting Company Neighborhood Playhouse and Maxine Elliott Theatre, New York City[13]
October 13, 1919 – January 1920 The Faithful Hara, Honzo Garrick Theatre, New York City[14]
Theatre Guild production[15]
November 25, 1919 – February 1920 The Rise of Silas Lapham Mr. Sewell Garrick Theatre, New York City[16]
January 15 – March 1920 The Power of Darkness Mitrich Garrick Theatre, New York City[17]
February 23 – September 1920 Jane Clegg Mr. Morrison Garrick Theatre, New York City[18]
September 4 – October 1920 The Treasure The President of the Community Garrick Theatre, New York City[19]
November 10, 1920 – February 26, 1921 Heartbreak House Mazzini Dunn Garrick Theatre, New York City[20]
February 28 – June 1921 Mr. Pim Passes By Carraway Pim Garrick Theatre, New York City[21]
April 20 – June 1921 Liliom Captain, First Policeman of the Beyond Garrick Theatre, New York City[22]
December 20, 1922 – February 1923 Johannes Kreisler Theodor Apollo Theatre, New York City[23]
March 26 – April 1923 Sandro Botticelli Fra Filippo Lippi Provincetown Playhouse, New York City[24]
November 19, 1923 – January 1924 The Failures The Musician Garrick Theatre, New York City[25]
April 14 – June 1924 Man and the Masses Third Banker, A Priest Garrick Theatre, New York City[26]
October 19 – December 1925 The Glass Slipper Captain Gal, Police Sergeant Guild Theatre, New York City[27]
January 25 – March 1926 The Goat Song Starsina, Priest Guild Theatre, New York City[28]
March 23 – April 1926 What's the Big Idea Peter Clausen Bijou Theatre, New York City[29]
October 11 – November 1926 Juarez and Maximilian Lawyer Siliceo, Jose Rincon Gallardo Guild Theatre, New York City[30]
November 18 – December 1926 The Witch Master Laurentius Greenwich Village Theatre, New York City[31]
February 24 – March 1927 Puppets of Passion Attendant Theatre Masque, New York City[32]
April 18 – August 1927 Mr. Pim Passes By Carraway Pim Garrick Theatre, New York City[33]
1928 – August 1928 Porgy Alan Archdale Republic Theatre, New York City[34]
1928–29 Porgy Alan Archdale Tour including nine weeks in Chicago, six weeks in London, and performances in Boston, Philadelphia, Cincinnati, Washington, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Baltimore, Detroit, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and cities in the northwestern United States and Canada[35]
September 13 – October 1929 Porgy Alan Archdale Martin Beck Theatre, New York City[36]
October 14, 1929 – January 1930 Porgy Alan Archdale National tour[37][38]
October 27 – December 1930 Roar China Mr. Tourist Martin Beck Theatre, New York City[39]
October 26, 1931 – March 1932 Mourning Becomes Electra Dr. Joseph Blake, Abner Small Guild Theatre, New York City[40]
February 21 – March 1933 American Dream Murdoch Guild Theatre, New York City[41]
February 21 – April 1934 They Shall Not Die Sheriff Nelson Royale Theatre, New York City[42]
December 10, 1934 – January 1935 Valley Forge Mr. Folsom Guild Theatre, New York City[43]
October 11 – October 1935 Sweet Mystery of Life Doctor Warren Shubert Theatre, New York City[44]
April 29 – June 11, 1938 Heartbreak House Mazzini Dunn Mercury Theatre, New York City[45][46]: 47 
August 16–29, 1938 Too Much Johnson Frederic Stony Creek Theatre, Stony Creek, Connecticut[46]: 50 
February 27 – March 1939 Five Kings (Part One) Lord Chief Justice Colonial Theatre, Boston[46]: 54 [47]: 350–351 
March 13 – March 1939 Five Kings (Part One) Lord Chief Justice National Theatre, Washington, D.C.[47]: 351 
March 20–25, 1939 Five Kings (Part One) Lord Chief Justice Chestnut Street Opera House, Philadelphia[9]: 428 [47]: 351 
March 24 – June 28, 1941 Native Son Mr. Dalton St. James Theatre, New York City[48]
May 28–31, 1947 Macbeth Duncan Kingsbury Hall, University of Utah, Salt Lake City
Six performances staged in preparation for the film version shot in June 1947 with the same principal cast[46]: 52–53 [47]: 401 

Filmography
Erskine Sanford in the Citizen Kane trailer (1940)
Erskine Sanford as Herbert Carter in the Citizen Kane trailer (1940)
Joseph Cotten, Orson Welles, Everett Sloane and Erskine Sanford in Citizen Kane (1941)
Year Title Role Notes
1938 Too Much Johnson Frederic [49]
1940 Pop Always Pays Hayes [50]
1940 Citizen Kane trailer Himself, Herbert Carter Short[51]
1941 Andy Hardy's Private Secretary Mr. Bossiny Uncredited[50]
1941 Citizen Kane Herbert Carter / Screening Room Reporter [50]
1941 Appointment for Love Hastings's butler Uncredited[50]
1942 The Wife Takes a Flyer Jan [50]
1942 The Magnificent Ambersons Roger Bronson [50]
1943 Jane Eyre Mr. Briggs Uncredited[50]
1944 Uncertain Glory Drover Uncredited[50]
1944 Mr. Skeffington Dr. Fawcette [50]
1944 Enemy of Women Levine Uncredited
1944 Ministry of Fear George Rennit [50]
1945 A Tree Grows in Brooklyn Undertaker Uncredited[50]
1945 Spellbound Dr. Galt Uncredited[50]
1945 Girls of the Big House Professor O'Neill [50]
1946 From This Day Forward Higgler [50]
1946 Without Reservations Timothy Helgelander Uncredited[50]
1946 The Stranger Party guest Uncredited[46]: 197 
1946 Crack-Up Barton [50]
1946 Angel on My Shoulder Minister [50]
1946 The Best Years of Our Lives Bullard [50]
1947 Possessed Dr. Max Sherman [50]
1947 Mourning Becomes Electra Josiah Borden [50]
1947 The Lady from Shanghai Judge [50]
1948 The Voice of the Turtle Storekeeper [50]
1948 You Were Meant for Me Dr. Frank R. Smith Uncredited[50]
1948 Letter from an Unknown Woman Porter [50]
1948 Texas, Brooklyn and Heaven Dr. Danson Uncredited[50]
1948 They Live by Night Doctor Uncredited
1948 Macbeth Duncan [50]
1948 Kidnapped Rankeillor [50]
1948 Wake of the Red Witch Dokter Van Arken [50]
1949 Your Show Time (TV) "The Invisible Wound"[52][53]
1949 Impact Dr. Henry Bender [50]
1949 Night Unto Night Dr. Gallen Altheim [50]
1949 The Woman on Pier 13 Desk Clerk at Christine's Apartment Uncredited
1950 Sierra Judge Prentiss [50]
1951 The Company She Keeps Planetarium Guide Uncredited[50]
1952 My Son John Professor (scenes deleted), (final film role)[50]

Radio credits
Date Title Role Notes
July 25, 1938 The Mercury Theatre on the Air The President "A Tale of Two Cities"[47]: 344 [54]: 51 
September 5, 1938 The Mercury Theatre on the Air Secretary "The Man Who Was Thursday"[47]: 345 [54]: 51 
December 24, 1939 The Campbell Playhouse "A Christmas Carol"[47]: 356 
March 17, 1940 The Campbell Playhouse "Huckleberry Finn"[47]: 359 
April 6, 1941 The Free Company Colonel Egenhorn "His Honor, the Mayor"[46]: 113–115 [55][56]
October 6, 1941 The Orson Welles Show [47]: 367 
October 20, 1941 The Orson Welles Show [47]: 367 
December 22, 1941 The Orson Welles Show [47]: 368 

References
  1. Social Register, Summer 1918. New York City: Social Register Association. 1918. p. 479. OCLC 145379781. Fanny Reynolds Howe Sanford.
  2. Ancestry.com. New York, State Census, 1925 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012. Retrieved 2016-04-02.
  3. Welles, Orson; Estrin, Mark W. (2002). Orson Welles: interviews. Univ. Press of Mississippi. p. 1. ISBN 1-57806-209-8.
  4. "Who's Who in 'Mr. Pim Passes By' at Majestic". The Journal Gazette. Fort Wayne, Indiana. April 16, 1922. Retrieved April 1, 2016.
  5. "Who's Who in the Cast". Playbill for Native Son. April 13, 1941. Retrieved October 29, 2014.
  6. Staff (December 29, 1929). "'Porgy' Lead Has Played Very Often for Theater Guild". The Capital Times. p. 6.
  7. "Who's Who in the Cast". Heartbreak House. Playbill. May 2, 1938. Retrieved April 1, 2016.
  8. "Ten Little Winged Mercuries". The New York Times. May 4, 1941. Retrieved March 30, 2016.
  9. Houseman, John (1972). Run-Through: A Memoir. New York: Simon & Schuster. ISBN 0-671-21034-3.
  10. Hollywood's Movie Radio Guide, December 6–12, 1941
  11. Marriage License, November 4, 1941 County of Coconino, Flagstaff, Arizona (Houston Family Archives).
  12. "Theatrical Notes". The New York Times. February 10, 1916. Retrieved March 30, 2016.
  13. "Gertrude Kingston and a Visiting Company". Internet Broadway Database. Retrieved March 30, 2016.
  14. "The Faithful". Internet Broadway Database. Retrieved March 30, 2016.
  15. "Theatre Guild to Give 'The Faithful'". The New York Times. September 30, 1919. Retrieved March 30, 2016.
  16. "The Rise of Silas Lapham". Internet Broadway Database. Retrieved March 30, 2016.
  17. "The Power of Darkness". Internet Broadway Database. Retrieved March 30, 2016.
  18. "Jane Clegg". Internet Broadway Database. Retrieved March 30, 2016.
  19. "The Treasure". Internet Broadway Database. Retrieved March 30, 2016.
  20. "Heartbreak House". Internet Broadway Database. Retrieved March 30, 2016.
  21. "Mr. Pim Passes By". Internet Broadway Database. Retrieved March 30, 2016.
  22. "Liliom". Internet Broadway Database. Retrieved March 30, 2016.
  23. "Johannes Kreisler". Internet Broadway Database. Retrieved March 30, 2016.
  24. "Sandro Botticelli". Internet Broadway Database. Retrieved March 30, 2016.
  25. "The Failures". Internet Broadway Database. Retrieved March 30, 2016.
  26. "Man and the Masses". Internet Broadway Database. Retrieved March 30, 2016.
  27. "The Glass Slipper". Internet Broadway Database. Retrieved March 30, 2016.
  28. "The Goat Song". Internet Broadway Database. Retrieved March 30, 2016.
  29. "What's the Big Idea". Internet Broadway Database. Retrieved March 30, 2016.
  30. "Juarez and Maximilian". Internet Broadway Database. Retrieved March 30, 2016.
  31. "The Witch". Internet Broadway Database. Retrieved March 30, 2016.
  32. "Puppets of Passion". Internet Broadway Database. Retrieved March 30, 2016.
  33. "Mr. Pim Passes By". Internet Broadway Database. Retrieved March 30, 2016.
  34. Republic Theatre, The New York Magazine Program. Porgy, week beginning July 2, 1928.
  35. "Rose McClendon Scrapbooks". Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division, The New York Public Library. Retrieved March 31, 2016.
  36. "Porgy". Internet Broadway Database. Retrieved March 30, 2016.
  37. "'Porgy' Returns to Fords, Baltimore, After Scoring Triumph in London". Denton Journal. Denton, Maryland. October 12, 1929. p. 4.
  38. "Players in 'Porgy', Which Comes to Garrick Monday". The Capital Times. January 5, 1930. p. 6.
  39. "Roar China". Internet Broadway Database. Retrieved April 1, 2016.
  40. "Mourning Becomes Electra". Internet Broadway Database. Retrieved April 1, 2016.
  41. "American Dream". Internet Broadway Database. Retrieved April 1, 2016.
  42. "They Shall Not Die". Internet Broadway Database. Retrieved April 1, 2016.
  43. "Valley Forge". Internet Broadway Database. Retrieved April 1, 2016.
  44. "Sweet Mystery of Life". Internet Broadway Database. Retrieved April 1, 2016.
  45. "Heartbreak House". Internet Broadway Database. Retrieved April 1, 2016.
  46. Wood, Bret (1990). Orson Welles: A Bio-Bibliography. Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Press. ISBN 0-313-26538-0.
  47. Welles, Orson; Bogdanovich, Peter; Rosenbaum, Jonathan (1992). This is Orson Welles. New York: HarperCollins Publishers. ISBN 0-06-016616-9.
  48. "Native Son". Internet Broadway Database. Retrieved April 1, 2016.
  49. "Too Much Johnson Work Print". National Film Preservation Foundation. Retrieved April 1, 2016.
  50. "Erkine Sanford". AFI Catalog of Feature Films. American Film Institute. Retrieved March 29, 2016.
  51. Salmon, Paul (Autumn 2006). "'The People Will Think … What I Tell Them to Think': Orson Welles and the Trailer for Citizen Kane". Canadian Journal of Film Studies. Carleton University. 15 (2): 96–113. doi:10.3138/cjfs.15.2.96. Retrieved March 30, 2016.
  52. "Your Show Time". Classic TV Archive. Retrieved April 1, 2016.
  53. Vernon, Terry (May 16, 1953). "Tele-Vues". The Independent. Long Beach, California. … in 'The Invisible Wound', KTLA at 9 p.m. with Reginald Denny, Maria Palmer and Erskine Sanford.
  54. Orson Welles on the Air: The Radio Years. New York: The Museum of Broadcasting, catalogue for exhibition October 28–December 3, 1988.
  55. Welles, Orson (1941). His Honor, The Mayor. New York: The Free Company. p. 7. OCLC 5435074.
  56. "His Honor, the Mayor". Internet Archive. April 6, 1941. Retrieved March 30, 2016.
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