Before becoming an actor, he was a professor of philosophy at the University of Chicago (IL).
Daughter Dorothy Sills.
Fluent in Italian, Russian, French, and German
His principal heir was his nephew, Frederick (Fritz) Sills, who went on to become a world-famous body-builder. Fritz was lured to Hollywood in the 1960s where he was offered the starring role in Tarzan. He turned down the role when he learned that the salary was $1,750 a week, less than he was receiving from his uncles Trust Fund. Fritz Sills died in Hollywood in 1968.
One of the 36 founders of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS)
Son Kenyon Clarence Sills (6 May 1927 - 11 April 1971)