Frank Sutton

[Danny62]

Actor. He is best remembered for his role of 'Gunnery Sergeant Vincent Carter' on the television comedy series "Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C." (1964 to 1968). Born in Clarksville, Tennessee, he was the only child of Frank Sims Sutton and Thelma Spencer, who met while both were working at the local newspaper, the Clarksville Leaf-Chronicle. About 1930, his father became a linotype operator for another newspaper, the Nashville Tennessean, and the family moved to Nashville, where Frank Jr would become an active member of his high school drama club. He was also a radio announcer and after military service during World War II, he went to Columbia University School of Drama, where he graduated Summa Cum Laude. In the 1950s and 1960s, he played many small roles, usually tough guys with a soft heart, in television and the movies, including such shows as "Captain Video" (1949 to 1956), the soap opera "The Secret Storm" (he was a regular during the 1960 to 1961 season), "Naked City", "The Untouchables", "Gunsmoke", "Maverick", "Combat", and "The Twilight Zone". His lasting fame came as the tough 'Sergeant Carter', the drill instructor for 'Private Gomer Pyle' (played by Jim Nabors) in "Gomer Pyle, USMC". After the show's cancellation, he remained friends with Nabors, and worked on Nabor's next show, "The Jim Nabors Hour" (1969). Following this, he continued to make guest television appearances and performed in dinner theater. He died suddenly of a heart attack, while preparing for an appearance in a dinner theater in Shreveport, Louisiana

He was funny as hell on Gomer Pyle USMC!!!

Sad how he was taken so suddenly!!!

[More Cheese Please]

Today is his birthday also... October 23rd, 1923

[RoRo]

Love Sgt Carter!!! I went to his grave a few weeks ago, he's buried in Clarksville

[Auntie Vi]

He wasn't a handsome man, but he had a nice bod on Gomer Pyle, especially his butt.

[johnny]

a few more interesting facts gleaned from imdb.

Graduated cum laude from Columbia University in dramatic arts.

Was a Black Belt in Judo

While serving in the U.S. Army in WWII, he distinguished himself by taking part in 14 assault landings, including Leyte, Luzon, Bataan and Corregidor.

So he was a for real hero! Good for you, Sgt Carter!!

[Cathy J.]

A few years back I stumbled upon an old TV Guide from either 1969, perhaps 1970.
They did a very large article on Sutton even showing a pic of him with his son who was just a child. Knowing that within a few years that child would be fatherless, of course it was a sad photograph to look at even though both had big smiles on their faces.

Sadly every pic they took of Sutton, he was seen smoking a cigar.

[Bidmor]

Pyle!!!!!!!!!

[midnitelamp]

the Leaf Chronicle will celebrate its 200th year in 2008.

[blair]

He wasn't a handsome man

I beg to differ--look at those bedroom eyes. I just wanna cuddle the Sut.

[Bidmor]

I suspect if Frank was still with us, he and R. Lee Ermey could swap some great stories.

[Auntie Vi]

He wasn't a handsome man

I beg to differ--look at those bedroom eyes. I just wanna cuddle the Sut.

Oh, I'd a cuddled, too!

[imogene schlogenwockle]

Yes, Frank Sutton was very funny in the role. He seemed to have been born for it and ran away with the show.

[Auntie Vi]

he's in the Ernest Borgnine Movie "Marty"

[Forever-27]

Jim Nabors has said its hard for him to watch the shows opening theme , since the Maines he is seen marching with were actual US Marines and went off to Vietnam, many did not return alive to the states.

I loved this show as a kid. Sargent Carter made the show.

[MagnusDippytack]

There was a rumor going around when I was a kid, this would be the late '60's, that Frank and Jim Nabors were secretly married. Frank actually appears as Sgt. Carter in an episode of THE ANDY GRIFFITH SHOW when Gomer joins the Corps.

Right before he died I saw Sutton on an episode of LOVE AMERICAN STYLE and he had grown out his hair and had pork chop sideburns. It really threw me for a loop seeing Sgt. Carter appearing with the longer hair and gaudy polyester '70's clown suit.

[STsFirstmate]

I always liked his portrayal of Sgt. Carter. He did remind me of some of the old school Marines I had met.
I think his best work was in a great movie with Kirk Douglas set in occupied Germany. A group of US soldiers on leave are accused of rape and whether or not they actually did it mingles with the anger and desire for revenge from an occupied people and the political machination of the Army brass of the occupying Army not wanting to have an unhappy populace.
It was a good movie and until the end you really didn't know who might have done what. He was a decent serious character actor.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0055539/
Regards,
Mary

[Morto]

He was the most believable Marine Sgt!!!!

[growl]

When I got wise, I would watch Gomer Pyle to see Sgt. Carters Bod!! Hot, Hot, Hot!

[PiggyTx]

i loved this show. loved it. it kinda in a way made me join the corps. that and Full Metal Jacket. dont ask as to why those made me choose the corps. dunno. but best thing i ever did. still wish i was in. I love our troops

[Sampiro]

Here's a pic with his wife and kids. I think his son looks a lot like him. Odd seeing him in civilian attire.
.

[Sampiro]

Wow. His son still looks a lot like him. He's a stage actor and playwright who teaches at Dartmouth.

[cloudddae]

Yes... Sgt Carter, nice looking man! Always did think so. His son is a chip off the ole block!!!

[dirk diggler]

There was a rumor going around when I was a kid, this would be the late '60's, that Frank and Jim Nabors were secretly married. Frank actually appears as Sgt. Carter in an episode of THE ANDY GRIFFITH SHOW when Gomer joins the Corps.

Right before he died I saw Sutton on an episode of LOVE AMERICAN STYLE and he had grown out his hair and had pork chop sideburns. It really threw me for a loop seeing Sgt. Carter appearing with the longer hair and gaudy polyester '70's clown suit.

Heard that one too but a different version that Gomer was married to Rock Hudson..

[Upset]

Heard that one too but a different version that Gomer was married to Rock Hudson..

Apparently that one originated in a joke in the gay community in Hollywood. They made up joke wedding invitations for a party. Why have those two marry each other? Well, after the marriage, Hudson would be known as...

(wait for it)

ROCK PYLE!

Just goes to show you don't have to be heterosexual to make lame jokes. Who knew?

[bunkin91]

Back in the early 70s there was a Tarryton Cigarette ad in a magazine with Frank Sutton in it. The slogan at the time was "Us Tarryton smokers would rather fight than switch". Sutton was bald headed and had the black eye (which was in all their ads for a time.

[cloudddae]

Interesting, I remember the ad, didn't know it was Frank Sutton.

[deanfan]

He is buried by his parents in the Greenwood Cemetery in Clarksville. I have relatives buried there also. Been to his grave several times.

[Kman0072]

One can just imagine his reaction to the announcement of Jim Nabor's coming out:

[scottythebee]

So friggin what. Jim Nabors and any human have the right to be happy. About time we stop caring about this stuff, it ain't contagious.

[Bidmor]

I doubt that Sutton would not have had even an inkling, considering the run of the show. Besides, Gomer Pyle was probably Sutton's most lucrative work.

[choff]

I doubt that Sutton would not have had even an inkling, considering the run of the show. Besides, Gomer Pyle was probably Sutton's most lucrative work.

Yeah he knew..and besides after Gomer Pyle Frank Sutton had went on to join Nabors for his variety show in the early 70s. Sad that Frank Sutton had died so young but drinking a ton of black coffee and inhaling cigar smoke doesn't exactly do the body good. Hey for a time I smoked and inhaled cigars ( not the cheap ones like Phillies but the more costly ones like Punch ). I quit though but I can only imagine what my health would be like if I did continue my 4-cigars-a-day habit. The internet radio show "Stu's Show" in one of the old shows had brought up Frank Sutton and while they had nothing but good things to say about the man..I believe it was those cigars that killed him at such an early age.

[Dangitbawb]

I'm sure Sgt Carter is ok with the news, my concern is where does this leave poor Luanne Poovey?

[neilmpenny]

Funny guy. R.I.P.

[lulubaines]

He scared me as a kid. He looked to me like he would bite your face off.

[Dave62]

He wasn't a handsome man, but he had a nice bod on Gomer Pyle, especially his butt.

It's a wonder that no one ever made a gay-porn parody of Gomer Pyle. I've seen Str8 porn parodies of The Flintstones, The Munsters and Star Trek. Some twink could play Pyle, and some muscle-butch daddy would play Sgt Carter, probably renamed "Sgt Harder", lol.

That family pic at Xmastime is very touching, realizing that he left behind not only a widow but a very young daughter as well as a son on the verge of adulthood.

[SgtDoakes]

He died when I was about 8 months old. I watched Gomer Pyle years later on reruns. I've seen every episode and it remains one of my all time favorite shows. RIP, Frank.

[Bidmor]

Sutton from a B-Movie "The Satan Bug" with future Lou Grant, Ed Asner. This movie was released in 1965, but Gomer Pyle began in the 1964 season. Considering that Sutton had longer hair in this pic from the movie, he must have shot it immediately shooting began on Gomer Pyle.

[theotherlondon]

Actor. He is best remembered for his role of 'Gunnery Sergeant Vincent Carter' on the television comedy series "Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C." (1964 to 1968). Born in Clarksville, Tennessee, he was the only child of Frank Sims Sutton and Thelma Spencer, who met while both were working at the local newspaper, the Clarksville Leaf-Chronicle. About 1930, his father became a linotype operator for another newspaper, the Nashville Tennessean, and the family moved to Nashville, where Frank Jr would become an active member of his high school drama club. He was also a radio announcer and after military service during World War II, he went to Columbia University School of Drama, where he graduated Summa Cum Laude. In the 1950s and 1960s, he played many small roles, usually tough guys with a soft heart, in television and the movies, including such shows as "Captain Video" (1949 to 1956), the soap opera "The Secret Storm" (he was a regular during the 1960 to 1961 season), "Naked City", "The Untouchables", "Gunsmoke", "Maverick", "Combat", and "The Twilight Zone". His lasting fame came as the tough 'Sergeant Carter', the drill instructor for 'Private Gomer Pyle' (played by Jim Nabors) in "Gomer Pyle, USMC". After the show's cancellation, he remained friends with Nabors, and worked on Nabor's next show, "The Jim Nabors Hour" (1969). Following this, he continued to make guest television appearances and performed in dinner theater. He died suddenly of a heart attack, while preparing for an appearance in a dinner theater in Shreveport, Louisiana

He was funny as hell on Gomer Pyle USMC!!!

Sad how he was taken so suddenly!!!

Very true at such an early age.

[pkstracy]

I used to watch reruns of Gomer Pyle with my Grandpa, Frank was funny on there, did you know that Christina Crawford played on The Secret Storm as well, then Joan took over for her playing her role, when Christina was in the Hospital.

[theotherlondon]

Here's a pic with his wife and kids. I think his son looks a lot like him. Odd seeing him in civilian attire.
.

Thank you for showing this he died too young.

[theotherlondon]

Today is his birthday also... October 23rd, 1923

I love how his home town of Clarksville Tennessee gave him a statue.

[Noelle1966]

Who else found him really hot looking?

[theotherlondon]

Who else found him really hot looking?

True, he also died so early.

[suzycreamcheese1]

always thought he should have won an Emmy

[Noelle1966]

I still think he was hot

[theotherlondon]

always thought he should have won an Emmy

very true, so enjoyed that American sitcom.(and him)

[theotherlondon]

He is buried by his parents in the Greenwood Cemetery in Clarksville. I have relatives buried there also. Been to his grave several times.

I see they put up a Statue of Frank Sutton him in his hometown of Clarksville Tennessee.

[Follower]

I know how broad and silly this sounds, but we recall that Bob Crane also died in a part of his career when he was doing dinner theater. It's vague, but it is a correlation.

[Slick SKillet Mayhand]

I haven't been able to find any death notice for Sutton's wife Toby Igler Sutton (although she might have remarried afterwards). If she's still living, today would be her 100th birthday.

[pkstracy]

It would appear Toby is still alive, Find a grave does not have her and imdb does not have her listed as dead.