[1] He began as a circus performer before moving on to the theater where he would find success as both an actor and writer.

[3] By 1902,[4] he was associated with (John) Fitzgerald Murphy (a noted actor, playwright, and political activist of the time).

During 1904, Sully was the principal actor for several of Fitzgerald Murphy's plays, namely, The Irish Statesman, a role originally played by Carroll Johnson as early as 1892 [5] and The Old Mill Stream at the California Theatre in San Francisco on respectively 6–7 March and the 13 March of that year.

[6] He also starred in Fitzgerald's play "The Chief Justice" in Salt Lake City, Utah.

[7] Sully remained active on the legitimate stage and vaudeville until shortly before his death.