Frank Sutton

Frank Spencer Sutton (October 23, 1923 – June 28, 1974) was an American actor born in Clarksville, Tennessee, whose career spanned stage, film, and television. He is best known for portraying Gunnery Sergeant Vince Carter on the CBS comedy series Gomer Pyle – USMC.

Sutton's interest in acting began at age nine, and he participated in the drama club at East Nashville High School, graduating in 1941. After high school, he returned to Clarksville to work as a radio announcer. He attempted to enlist in the U.S. Marine Corps during World War II but was medically rejected due to color blindness. He subsequently enlisted in the U.S. Army, serving from 1943 to 1946 as a sergeant in the 6th Infantry Division's 293rd Joint Assault Signal Company. His service included 14 assault landings in the South Pacific, with combat operations that encompassed the Leyte Campaign, the Luzon Campaign, the Battle for the Recapture of Bataan, and the Battle for Manila, followed by participation in the U.S. Occupation of South Korea.

Following his honorable discharge, Sutton pursued formal training at the Columbia University School of General Studies, earning a bachelor's degree in drama cum laude in 1952. He began building his acting career on stage and television throughout the 1950s, taking on small roles in series including Gunsmoke, The Twilight Zone, The Untouchables, Naked City, Route 66, The Fugitive, and The Goldbergs, among others. He also held a recurring role as Cadet Eric Rattison in Tom Corbett, Space Cadet from 1950 to 1955. In 1955, he appeared in the Academy Award-winning film Marty, playing Ralph, a friend of the title character. He later appeared in the 1965 spy thriller The Satan Bug.

Sutton's Broadway career included an appearance in The Andersonville Trial in 1959. His television breakthrough came in 1964 when he appeared in a Gomer Pyle – USMC episode of The Andy Griffith Show, playing the cynical Gunnery Sergeant Vince Carter opposite Jim Nabors as Gomer Pyle. That episode served as the pilot for the spin-off series Gomer Pyle – USMC, in which Sutton continued the role for five seasons until the show concluded in 1969. He also appeared in public service announcements reprising the character of Sergeant Carter.

After Gomer Pyle ended, Sutton joined Nabors on The Jim Nabors Hour, appearing regularly alongside Gomer Pyle co-star Ronnie Schell. On that program, he played the brother-in-law of Nabors' character in comedy sketches. He also performed in dinner theater, taking on roles that included the father in Norman, Is That You?, and made guest appearances on additional television programs.

In his personal life, Sutton married soap-opera writer Toby M. Igler in 1946. They had two children, Joe Sutton and Amanda. Sutton died of a heart attack on June 28, 1974, while preparing for a performance of the comedy Luv at the Beverly Barn Dinner Playhouse in Shreveport, Louisiana. He is buried at Greenwood Cemetery in Clarksville, Tennessee.