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, in which he played Herbert Carter, the bumbling, perspiring newspaper editor.

Biography Erskine Sanford was born in Trinidad, Colorado, and was educated at the Horace Mann School in New York City. Beginning his acting career with Minnie Maddern Fiske's company, 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.

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.

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, 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. but the marriage lasted only a short time.

Sanford died in 1969.

Theatre credits

Date Title Role Notes February 11, 1916 Playlets Belasco Theatre, New York City November 14 – December 30, 1916 Gertrude Kingston and a Visiting Company Neighborhood Playhouse and Maxine Elliott Theatre, New York City October 13, 1919 – January 1920 The Faithful Hara, Honzo Garrick Theatre, New York City Theatre Guild production November 25, 1919 – February 1920 The Rise of Silas Lapham Mr. Sewell Garrick Theatre, New York City January 15 – March 1920 The Power of Darkness Mitrich Garrick Theatre, New York City February 23 – September 1920 Jane Clegg Mr. Morrison Garrick Theatre, New York City September 4 – October 1920 The Treasure The President of the Community Garrick Theatre, New York City November 10, 1920 – February 26, 1921 Heartbreak House Mazzini Dunn Garrick Theatre, New York City February 28 – June 1921 Mr. Pim Passes By Carraway Pim Garrick Theatre, New York City April 20 – June 1921 Liliom Captain, First Policeman of the Beyond Garrick Theatre, New York City December 20, 1922 – February 1923 Johannes Kreisler Theodor Apollo Theatre, New York City March 26 – April 1923 Sandro Botticelli Fra Filippo Lippi Provincetown Playhouse, New York City November 19, 1923 – January 1924 The Failures The Musician Garrick Theatre, New York City April 14 – June 1924 Man and the Masses Third Banker, A Priest Garrick Theatre, New York City October 19 – December 1925 The Glass Slipper Captain Gal, Police Sergeant Guild Theatre, New York City January 25 – March 1926 The Goat Song Starsina, Priest Guild Theatre, New York City March 23 – April 1926 What's the Big Idea Peter Clausen Bijou Theatre, New York City October 11 – November 1926 Juarez and Maximilian Lawyer Siliceo, Jose Rincon Gallardo Guild Theatre, New York City November 18 – December 1926 The Witch Master Laurentius Greenwich Village Theatre, New York City February 24 – March 1927 Puppets of Passion Attendant Theatre Masque, New York City April 18 – August 1927 Mr. Pim Passes By Carraway Pim Garrick Theatre, New York City 1928 – August 1928 Porgy Alan Archdale Republic Theatre, New York City 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 September 13 – October 1929 Porgy Alan Archdale Martin Beck Theatre, New York City October 14, 1929 – January 1930 Porgy Alan Archdale National tour October 27 – December 1930 Roar China Mr. Tourist Martin Beck Theatre, New York City October 26, 1931 – March 1932 Mourning Becomes Electra Dr. Joseph Blake, Abner Small Guild Theatre, New York City February 21 – March 1933 American Dream Murdoch Guild Theatre, New York City February 21 – April 1934 They Shall Not Die Sheriff Nelson Royale Theatre, New York City December 10, 1934 – January 1935 Valley Forge Mr. Folsom Guild Theatre, New York City October 11 – October 1935 Sweet Mystery of Life Doctor Warren Shubert Theatre, New York City April 29 – June 11, 1938 Heartbreak House Mazzini Dunn Mercury Theatre, New York City August 16–29, 1938 Too Much Johnson Frederic Stony Creek Theatre, Stony Creek, Connecticut March 24 – June 28, 1941 Native Son Mr. Dalton St. James Theatre, New York City May 28–31, 1947 Macbeth Duncan Kingsbury Hall, University of Utah, Salt Lake CitySix performances staged in preparation for the film version shot in June 1947 with the same principal cast 1940 Pop Always Pays Hayes 1940 Citizen Kane trailer Himself, Herbert Carter Short 1941 Andy Hardy's Private Secretary Mr. Bossiny Uncredited 1949 Impact Dr. Henry Bender September 5, 1938 The Mercury Theatre on the Air Secretary "The Man Who Was Thursday" October 6, 1941 The Orson Welles Show October 20, 1941 The Orson Welles Show December 22, 1941 The Orson Welles Show