The composer's brother, Fred Sullivan, was an actor who appeared mostly in operettas and comic operas. The playwright F. C. Burnand wrote of Fred: "As he was the most absurd person, so was he the very kindliest. The brothers were devoted to each other, but Arthur went up, and poor little Fred went under." Fred played roles in several of his brother's operas: "Cox and Box", "Thespis", "The Contrabandista" and "Trial by Jury". He fell ill in 1876 and died in January 1877.