Ted Sullivan (director)
Encyclopedia
Ted Sullivan is an American
director
/writer
/producer
/editor
. He is a graduate of the University of Southern California
Film Writing School. He wrote for daytime serials such as Guiding Light
, As the World Turns
and One Life to Live
. He was nominated for both an Daytime Emmy Award
and a Writers Guild of America Award
.
Sullivan began directing Off Broadway in 2000, first with the cult hit Katie and CeCe: We're Not That Way, and later with the long running sketch comedy
show, What If We Did This?. He directed and produced both shows, teaming with his brother Paul Francis Sullivan, who directed and produced short film
s for the multimedia shows.
During these productions, he formed long term creative relationships with writer-performers CeCe Pleasants and Patrick Gallo. He moved both production to Los Angeles, California
in 2001, where they enjoyed long runs in West Hollywood
at the Coast Playhouse.
Later, both Pleasants and Gallo went on to co-star in the Sullivan Brother's first feature film, I'll Believe You
, released theatrically November 9, 2007. The film also stars David Alan Basche
(United 93
), Patrick Warburton
(TV's Rules of Engagement
), Chris Elliott
(There's Something About Mary
), Fred Willard
(Best in Show
), Ed Helms
(The Office) and Thomas Gibson
(TV's Criminal Minds
). The independent film
was financed through a group of Bay Area based Venture Capitalist groups and was later sold to Stand Up Films, a new distribution company focusing on family friendly
entertainment.
After his divorce, he left writing and producing and became an adjunct professor at his alma mater, USC, where he taught screenwriting. He is also a guest lecturer at colleges across the country.
He frequently teams up with his creative partner, Patrick Gallo. Together the two have directed and produced many award winning short films, including Check-Mate! and I Don't Speak German, which was nationally broadcast on IFC
early in 2007.
Ted Sullivan remarried in August 2009 to Marya Schulte, Ph.D.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
director
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
/writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
/producer
Film producer
A film producer oversees and delivers a film project to all relevant parties while preserving the integrity, voice and vision of the film. They will also often take on some financial risk by using their own money, especially during the pre-production period, before a film is fully financed.The...
/editor
Film editing
Film editing is part of the creative post-production process of filmmaking. It involves the selection and combining of shots into sequences, and ultimately creating a finished motion picture. It is an art of storytelling...
. He is a graduate of the University of Southern California
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
Film Writing School. He wrote for daytime serials such as Guiding Light
Guiding Light
Guiding Light is an American daytime television drama that is credited by the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest running drama in television and radio history, running from 1937 until 2009...
, As the World Turns
As the World Turns
As the World Turns is an American television soap opera that aired on CBS from April 2, 1956 to September 17, 2010. Irna Phillips created As the World Turns as a sister show to her other soap opera Guiding Light...
and One Life to Live
One Life to Live
One Life to Live is an American soap opera which debuted on July 15, 1968 and has been broadcast on the ABC television network. Created by Agnes Nixon, the series was the first daytime drama to primarily feature racially and socioeconomically diverse characters and consistently emphasize social...
. He was nominated for both an Daytime Emmy Award
Daytime Emmy Award
The Daytime Emmy Awards are awards presented by the New York-based National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences and the Los Angeles-based Academy of Television Arts & Sciences in recognition of excellence in American daytime television programming...
and a Writers Guild of America Award
Writers Guild of America Award
The Writers Guild of America Award for outstanding achievements in film, television, and radio has been presented annually by the Writers Guild of America, East and Writers Guild of America, West since 1949...
.
Sullivan began directing Off Broadway in 2000, first with the cult hit Katie and CeCe: We're Not That Way, and later with the long running sketch comedy
Sketch comedy
A sketch comedy consists of a series of short comedy scenes or vignettes, called "sketches," commonly between one and ten minutes long. Such sketches are performed by a group of comic actors or comedians, either on stage or through an audio and/or visual medium such as broadcasting...
show, What If We Did This?. He directed and produced both shows, teaming with his brother Paul Francis Sullivan, who directed and produced short film
Short subject
A short film is any film not long enough to be considered a feature film. No consensus exists as to where that boundary is drawn: the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences defines a short film as "an original motion picture that has a running time of 40 minutes or less, including all...
s for the multimedia shows.
During these productions, he formed long term creative relationships with writer-performers CeCe Pleasants and Patrick Gallo. He moved both production to Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
in 2001, where they enjoyed long runs in West Hollywood
West Hollywood, California
West Hollywood, a city of Los Angeles County, California, was incorporated on November 29, 1984, with a population of 34,399 at the 2010 census. 41% of the city's population is made up of gay men according to a 2002 demographic analysis by Sara Kocher Consulting for the City of West Hollywood...
at the Coast Playhouse.
Later, both Pleasants and Gallo went on to co-star in the Sullivan Brother's first feature film, I'll Believe You
I'll Believe You
I'll Believe You is a 2007 American comedy film, starring David Alan Basche, Patrick Warburton and Siobhan Fallon.Late-night radio host Dale Sweeney 's usual line up of odd-ball, conspiracy-obsessed callers is interrupted by a panicked phone call in an indecipherable language...
, released theatrically November 9, 2007. The film also stars David Alan Basche
David Alan Basche
-Life and career:Basche was born in Hartford, Connecticut. His first acting role was in a school production of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer when he was in the sixth grade at West Hartford's Norfeldt Elementary School...
(United 93
United 93 (film)
United 93 is a 2006 fact-based historical drama film written, co-produced, and directed by Paul Greengrass that chronicles events aboard United Airlines Flight 93, which was hijacked during the September 11 attacks...
), Patrick Warburton
Patrick Warburton
Patrick John Warburton is an American actor of television, film, and voice. He is best known for his several TV roles, including the title role of The Tick, David Puddy on Seinfeld, the evil Johnny Johnson on NewsRadio, and anchorman Jeb Denton on Less Than Perfect...
(TV's Rules of Engagement
Rules of Engagement (TV series)
Rules of Engagement is a sitcom that debuted on CBS on February 5, 2007, as a midseason replacement, immediately following Two and a Half Men, in the time slot that was occupied by now-cancelled The New Adventures of Old Christine...
), Chris Elliott
Chris Elliott
Christopher Nash "Chris" Elliott is an American actor, comedian and writer. He is best known for his comedic sketches on Late Night with David Letterman, starring in the cult comedy series Get a Life and for his recurring role as Peter MacDougall on Everybody Loves Raymond...
(There's Something About Mary
There's Something About Mary
There's Something About Mary is a 1998 American comedy film, directed by the Farrelly brothers, Bobby and Peter. It stars Cameron Diaz, Matt Dillon and Ben Stiller, and it is a combination of romantic comedy and gross-out film....
), Fred Willard
Fred Willard
Fred Willard is an American actor, comedian, and voice over actor, best known for his improvisational comedy skills. He is known for his roles in the Christopher Guest mockumentary films This is Spinal Tap, Waiting for Guffman, Best in Show, A Mighty Wind, and For Your Consideration as well as...
(Best in Show
Best in Show (film)
Best in Show is a 2000 independent film that follows five entrants in a prestigious dog show. The film focuses on the slightly surreal interactions among the various owners and handlers as they travel to the show and compete. Much of the dialogue was improvised.Christopher Guest directed; he also...
), Ed Helms
Ed Helms
Edward Paul "Ed" Helms is an American actor and comedian known for his work as a correspondent on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, as Andy Bernard on the US version of the sitcom/mockumentary The Office and for his role as Dr. Stu Price in The Hangover films.- Early life :Helms was born and raised...
(The Office) and Thomas Gibson
Thomas Gibson
Thomas Ellis Gibson is an American actor who is perhaps best known for his roles as Daniel Nyland in the Medical drama series Chicago Hope, as Greg Montgomery in the comedy series Dharma & Greg, and as Supervisory Special Agent Aaron "Hotch" Hotchner in the highly-popular CBS drama, Criminal...
(TV's Criminal Minds
Criminal Minds
Criminal Minds is an American police procedural drama that premiered September 22, 2005, on CBS. The series follows a team of profilers from the FBI's Behavioral Analysis Unit based in Quantico, Virginia. The BAU is part of the FBI National Center for the Analysis of Violent Crime...
). The independent film
Independent film
An independent film, or indie film, is a professional film production resulting in a feature film that is produced mostly or completely outside of the major film studio system. In addition to being produced and distributed by independent entertainment companies, independent films are also produced...
was financed through a group of Bay Area based Venture Capitalist groups and was later sold to Stand Up Films, a new distribution company focusing on family friendly
Family-friendliness
Entertainment or information is called "family friendly" if it is considered suitable for all members of the average family. In particular it means that it is not considered inappropriate for children, which may imply restrictions on engagement in, or depiction of, nudity, sex, violence, horror,...
entertainment.
After his divorce, he left writing and producing and became an adjunct professor at his alma mater, USC, where he taught screenwriting. He is also a guest lecturer at colleges across the country.
He frequently teams up with his creative partner, Patrick Gallo. Together the two have directed and produced many award winning short films, including Check-Mate! and I Don't Speak German, which was nationally broadcast on IFC
Independent Film Channel
The Independent Film Channel is an American cable TV network that airs independent film and related programming. IFC programming includes commercially interrupted feature-length films, original documentaries, shorts, animated series, original series, acquired series, and content exclusively for...
early in 2007.
External links
Ted Sullivan remarried in August 2009 to Marya Schulte, Ph.D.