Francis John Sullivan (September 22, 1892 – February 19, 1976) was an American humorist, best remembered for creating the character Mr. Arbuthnot the Cliche Expert.
Upon his discharge, Sullivan moved to New York City and worked for several papers as a reporter and feature writer.
His most celebrated character, Mr. Arbuthnot, 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.