Frank Spencer Sutton (October 23, 1923 - June 28, 1974) was an American actor who is best remembered for his role as the loud, hard-nosed drill instructor Sergeant Vincent Carter on the CBS television series Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. October 23 is the 296th day of the year (297th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1923 (MCMXXIII) was a common year starting on Monday (link will take you to calendar). ... June 28 is the 179th day of the year (180th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 186 days remaining. ... 1974 (MCMLXXIV) was a common year starting on Tuesday. ... CBS is derived from an abbreviation of Columbia Broadcasting System, the former legal name of a company Westinghouse Electric Corporation acquired in 1995. ... Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. was a television series that ran on CBS from September 25, 1964 to September 9, 1970. ...

Sutton was born in Clarksville, Tennessee in 1923. When he was eight years old, his father took a position as a linotype operator at the Nashville Tennessean in Nashville. While growing up in Nashville, he developed an interest in acting, earning his first role in at the age of nine. He later commented, "The first time I walked out on a stage, I had a warm feeling. I knew then I wanted to be an actor." However, the joy of learning his new craft was diminished during this time by the death of his father. The Roxy in Clarksvilles historic downtown section. ... The Tennessean is a dominant daily newspaper in Nashville, Tennessee. ... Nickname: Music City Location in Davidson County and the state of Tennessee Coordinates: Country United States State Tennessee Counties Davidson County Founded: 1779 Incorporated: 1806  - Mayor Bill Purcell (D) Area    - City 1362. ...

After Sutton graduated from East Nashville High School, he returned to Clarksville to become a radio disc jockey, then enlisted in the United States Army during World War II, and after basic training, was sent to the South Pacific, taking part in 14 assault landings. ^{[citation needed]} The United States Army is the largest branch of the United States armed forces and has primary responsibility for land-based military operations. ... Combatants Allied Powers: United Kingdom France Soviet Union United States Republic of China and others Axis Powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Winston Churchill Charles de Gaulle Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Chiang Kai-Shek Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tojo Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33...

Upon his release from the service, he made his professional debut in a Pennsylvania stock company production of "The Barretts of Wimpole Street in 1947. In 1949 he married Toby Igler. He then attended Columbia University, where he earned a bachelor's degree in drama in 1952. Year 1947 (MCMXLVII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1947 calendar). ... Year 1949 (MCMXLIX) was a common year starting on Saturday (the link is to a full 1949 calendar). ... Toby Igler (July 15, 1930 - December 25, 1999) was known as a soap opera writer and Frank Suttons wife. ... Columbia University is a private research university whose main campus lies in the Morningside Heights neighborhood of the Borough of Manhattan in New York City. ...

Throughout the next decade, he played small roles in such television shows as Gunsmoke and The Untouchables, often playing characters much older. He had a continuing role as Cadet Eric Rattison, the great rival of the "Polaris Unit" manned by the series' heroes, in TV's Tom Corbett, Space Cadet, from 1950 to 1955. In 1955, he received his big break in the Academy Award-winning movie Marty, playing the role of the title character's best friend, Ralph. The cast of radios Gunsmoke: Howard McNear (Doc), William Conrad (Matt), Georgia Ellis (Kitty) and Parley Baer (Chester) Gunsmoke was a long-running American old-time radio and television Western drama created by director Norman MacDonnell and writer John Meston. ... The Untouchables is the name of a television series that ran from 1959 to 1963 on the American Broadcasting Company. ... Tom Corbett is the main character in a series of Tom Corbett — Space Cadet stories that were depicted in television, radio, books, comic books, comic strips, coloring books, punch-out books, and View-master reels in the 1950s. ... 1955 (MCMLV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... For other uses, see Marty (disambiguation). ...

After returning to the stage in "The Andersonville Trial" in the early 1960s, Sutton then achieved lasting recognition when he landed the role of Sergeant Carter on an episode of The Andy Griffith Show entitled "Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C." in 1964. This episode led to a spin-off television series of the same name, where Sutton continued the role for five seasons, until the show ended its run in 1969. During the run of the show, he was made an honorary sergeant by the U.S. Marine Corps in recognition of his entertainment performances at camps, hospitals and bases. ^{[citation needed]} He also appeared in Public Service Commercials in the role of Sergeant Carter. The Andy Griffith Show was an American television series that aired from 1960 to 1968. ... A spin-off (or spinoff) is a new organization or entity formed by a split from a larger one such as a new company formed from a university research group. ... United States Marine Corps Emblem The United States Marine Corps (USMC) is the second smallest of the five branches of the United States armed forces, with 170,000 active and 40,000 reserve Marines as of 2002. ...

His friendship with co-star Jim Nabors continued when Nabors hosted a variety of series beginning in 1969, and lasted into the 1970s. Jim Nabors on the Muppet Show Season 1, episode 6 James Jim Thurston Nabors (born June 12, 1930 in Sylacauga, Alabama) is an American actor, singer, and comedian. ... Year 1969 (MCMLXIX) was a common year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1969 calendar). ... The 1970s decade refers to the years from 1970 to 1979, inclusive. ...

After Gomer Pyle, Sutton went on to perform in dinner theater and made guest appearances on other television programs. While preparing for a performance of the comedy "Luv" at the Beverly Barn Dinner Playhouse in Shreveport, Louisiana, he died of a heart attack. Sutton was buried in his hometown of Clarksville. Dinner theater is an entertainment that combines a restaurant meal with a staged play. ... Nickname: Port City, Ratchet City(a reference to the citys wildly popular hip-hop dance), River City Motto: City of Shreveport 1836 Location in the state of Louisiana. ... Acute myocardial infarction (AMI or MI), commonly known as a heart attack, is a disease state that occurs when the blood supply to a part of the heart is interrupted. ...

Trivia

• On "Gomer Pyle USMC" , Sergeant Carter's mortal enemy was Mess Staff Sergeant Hacker, played by Allan Melvin. In one episode Hacker and Carter are nearly driven crazy when they have to search 400 loaves of bread after Gomer drops a ring in bread dough before mess call.
• In the series Sergeant Carter was a Korean War Veteran; as noted above Frank Sutton served in World War II.

Allan Melvin (born February 18, 1922) is an American actor with a long history of sitcom and voice-over work. ... Combatants United Nations: Republic of Korea  Australia  Belgium Canada  Colombia Ethiopia  France Greece  Netherlands  New Zealand  Philippines South Africa  Thailand  Turkey  United Kingdom United States Medical staff:  Denmark  Australia  Italy  Norway  Sweden Communist states: Democratic People’s Republic of Korea People’s Republic of China  Soviet Union Commanders Syngman Rhee... Combatants Allied Powers: United Kingdom France Soviet Union United States Republic of China and others Axis Powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Winston Churchill Charles de Gaulle Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Chiang Kai-Shek Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tojo Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33...

External link

• Frank Sutton at the Internet Movie Database
• Find A Grave Entry