 He began as a circus performer before moving on to the theater where he would find success as both an actor and writer.Sully was most remembered for his 1884 play, "The Corner Grocery", that had its genesis in Edwin Waugh's "The Chimney Corner".In 1900 Sully found success with Daniel J. Hart’s play "The Parish Priest", a dramatic comedy in which he played the central character, Father John Whalen.