Grady Harwell Sutton[citation needed] (April 5, 1906 – September 17, 1995) was an American film and television character actor from the 1920s to the 1970s. He appeared in more than 180 films.[1]
Grady Sutton | |
|---|---|
 Florence Bates with Sutton in My Dear Secretary (1948) | |
| Born | Grady Harwell Sutton April 5, 1906 Chattanooga, Tennessee, U.S. |
| Died | September 17, 1995 (aged 89) |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1925–1979 |
Early years
editSutton was born in Chattanooga, Tennessee,[1] the son of Mr. and Mrs. W. P. Sutton.[2] Raised in Florida, he attended St. Petersburg High School,[1] where he was a member of the swimming team.[2]
Career
editSutton began his career during the silent film era and made the transition to sound films with the college themed shorts The Boy Friends.[1] He moved on to countless character roles, where he frequently played dimwitted country boys. His best-known roles were as Frank Dowling, Katharine Hepburn's dancing partner, in Alice Adams (1935) and as a foil to W.C. Fields in four films, The Pharmacist (1933), Man on the Flying Trapeze (1935), You Can't Cheat an Honest Man (1939), and The Bank Dick (1940).
Film historian William J. Mann characterizes Sutton as a typical "Hollywood Sissy"; that is, a homosexual actor who ordinarily portrayed an effeminate character for comedic effect.[3]
He continued to work throughout the 1950s and 1960s, finally retiring from acting in 1979. The strength of his association with Fields was such that it was mentioned in the commentary for My Fair Lady. Sutton has a non-speaking role in some of the formal-dress scenes, and subtly performs some comic shtick. The commentator refers to him as "an old W. C. Fields actor".
On television, Sutton appeared in an episode of The Odd Couple, as well as some commercials.[1]
Death
editOn September 17, 1995,[1] Sutton died at the Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital in Woodland Hills, California at the age of 89.[4]
Filmography
editFilm
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1925 | The Mad Whirl | Minor Role | Uncredited |
| 1925 | The Freshman | Student who goes to dean | Uncredited Alternative title: College Days |
| 1926 | Skinner's Dress Suit | Party Guest | Uncredited |
| 1926 | Brown of Harvard | One of the Dickeys | Uncredited |
| 1926 | The Boy Friend | Uncredited | |
| 1926 | The Whole Town's Talking | Party Guest | Uncredited |
| 1929 | Why Be Good? | Guest at Junior's First Party | Uncredited |
| 1929 | The Sophomore | Cupie - Freshman Fraternity Brother | Uncredited |
| 1929 | Sailor's Holiday | Sailor Extra in Cafe | Uncredited |
| 1929 | Welcome Danger | Man at Party | (silent version) (scenes deleted) |
| 1929 | So This Is College | Football Spectator | Uncredited |
| 1929 | Hit the Deck | Sailor | Uncredited |
| 1930 | Wild Company | Anita's Boyfriend | Uncredited |
| 1930 | Let's Go Native | Diner | Uncredited |
| 1932 | This Reckless Age | Stepladder Schultz | |
| 1932 | Movie Crazy | Man afraid of mice | Uncredited |
| 1932 | The Age of Consent | Student at Dormitory | Uncredited |
| 1932 | Pack Up Your Troubles | the wrong Eddie | |
| 1932 | Hot Saturday | Archie | |
| 1933 | The Story of Temple Drake | Bob | Uncredited |
| 1933 | College Humor | Timid freshman | |
| 1933 | Ace of Aces | Party Guest with Newspaper | Uncredited |
| 1933 | The Sweetheart of Sigma Chi | Pledge | |
| 1933 | Only Yesterday | Charlie Smith, Party Guest | Uncredited |
| 1934 | Bachelor Bait | Don Beldon | |
| 1934 | Gridiron Flash | Pudge Harrison | |
| 1935 | Laddie | Peter Dover | |
| 1935 | Stone of Silver Creek | Jimmy | |
| 1935 | Born to Gamble | College Man at Senior Prom | Uncredited |
| 1935 | Man on the Flying Trapeze | Claude Neselrode | Alternative title: The Memory Expert |
| 1935 | Alice Adams | Frank Dowling | |
| 1935 | Dr. Socrates | Grocery Store Clerk | Uncredited |
| 1936 | The Singing Kid | Young Man | (scenes deleted) |
| 1936 | Palm Springs | Bud | |
| 1936 | The Crime of Dr. Forbes | Student Doctor | Uncredited |
| 1936 | My Man Godfrey | Charlie Van Rumple | Uncredited |
| 1936 | King of the Royal Mounted | RCMP Const. Slim Callum | |
| 1936 | Valiant Is the Word for Carrie | Mat Burdon | |
| 1936 | Pigskin Parade | Mortimer Higgins | |
| 1936 | Two Minutes to Play | Hank Durkee | |
| 1937 | She's Dangerous | Drunk | Uncredited |
| 1937 | Waikiki Wedding | Everett Todhunter | |
| 1937 | We Have Our Moments | Clem Porter | |
| 1937 | Turn Off the Moon | Truelove Spencer | |
| 1937 | Dangerous Holiday | Max | |
| 1937 | Behind the Mike | Curly Conway | |
| 1937 | Stage Door | Butch | |
| 1937 | Love Takes Flight | Donald | |
| 1938 | Joy of Living | Florist | Uncredited |
| 1938 | Vivacious Lady | Culpepper | |
| 1938 | Having Wonderful Time | Gus | Alternative title: Having a Wonderful Time |
| 1938 | Three Loves Has Nancy | George Wilkins, Jr. | |
| 1938 | The Mad Miss Manton | D.A.'s Secretary | |
| 1938 | A Man to Remember | Raymond | Uncredited |
| 1938 | Hard to Get | Stanley Potter | |
| 1939 | You Can't Cheat an Honest Man | Chester Dalrymple | Uncredited |
| 1939 | Blondie Meets the Boss | Camera Store Clerk | Uncredited |
| 1939 | Three Smart Girls Grow Up | Clarence, a Guest | Uncredited |
| 1939 | They Made Her a Spy | Quiet Man on Train | Uncredited |
| 1939 | The Flying Irishman | Clothing Salesman | Uncredited |
| 1939 | Blind Alley | Holmes | Uncredited |
| 1939 | It's a Wonderful World | Lupton Peabody | |
| 1939 | Naughty but Nice | Mr. Mankton | Uncredited |
| 1939 | In Name Only | Paul Graham - Escort | Uncredited |
| 1939 | The Angels Wash Their Faces | Gildersleeve (Mayor's secretary) | Alternative title: Angels Wash Their Faces |
| 1939 | Three Sons | Grimson | |
| 1940 | City of Chance | R.O. Champion | Uncredited |
| 1940 | Millionaire Playboy | Jerry | Uncredited |
| 1940 | Torrid Zone | Sam, Steve's Secretary | |
| 1940 | Anne of Windy Poplars | Gibson's Secretary | Uncredited |
| 1940 | Millionaires in Prison | Jock, Vander's Nephew | Uncredited |
| 1940 | We Who Are Young | New Father | Uncredited |
| 1940 | Lucky Partners | Reporter | Uncredited |
| 1940 | He Stayed for Breakfast | Salesman | |
| 1940 | Sky Murder | Buster - Chris' Boyfriend | Uncredited |
| 1940 | Too Many Girls | Football Coach | Uncredited |
| 1940 | The Bank Dick | Og Oggleby, Bank Teller | |
| 1941 | Mr. District Attorney | Hat Salesman | Uncredited |
| 1941 | She Knew All the Answers | Ogleby | |
| 1941 | Hurry, Charlie, Hurry | Dore Dare, a Tailor | Uncredited |
| 1941 | Blondie in Society | Doghouse Salesman | Uncredited |
| 1941 | Flying Blind | Chester Gimble | |
| 1941 | Father Takes a Wife | Tailor | |
| 1941 | Doctors Don't Tell | Dr. Piper | |
| 1941 | You Belong to Me | Department Store Clerk | Uncredited |
| 1941 | Three Girls About Town | Meeting Doorman | Uncredited |
| 1941 | Cadet Girl | Elmer - Train Passenger | Uncredited |
| 1941 | Bedtime Story | Bert, Fashion Designer | Uncredited |
| 1942 | Four Jacks and a Jill | Nightclub Patron | Uncredited |
| 1942 | The Bashful Bachelor | Cedric Wiehunt | |
| 1942 | Whispering Ghosts | Jonathan Flack | |
| 1942 | The Affairs of Martha | Justin I. Peacock, Jr | |
| 1942 | Somewhere I'll Find You | Man in Private Dining Room | Uncredited |
| 1943 | The More the Merrier | Diner server | Uncredited |
| 1943 | Young Ideas | Minor Role | |
| 1943 | A Lady Takes a Chance | Malcolm Scott | Alternative title: The Cowboy and the Girl |
| 1943 | What a Woman | Mr. Clark | Alternative title: The Beautiful Cheat |
| 1944 | Week-End Pass | Pajama Man | |
| 1944 | Nine Girls | Photographer | |
| 1944 | Since You Went Away | Soldier Hunting for Susie Fleming | Uncredited |
| 1944 | Johnny Doesn't Live Here Anymore | George | |
| 1944 | The Great Moment | Homer Quimby | |
| 1944 | Allergic to Love | Cuthbert | |
| 1944 | Casanova Brown | Tod | Uncredited |
| 1944 | Goin' to Town | Cedric | |
| 1944 | Hi, Beautiful | Attendant | |
| 1945 | Grissly's Millions | Robert Palmor Jr. | |
| 1945 | Her Lucky Night | Joe | |
| 1945 | Salty O'Rourke | Floorwalker | Uncredited |
| 1945 | A Royal Scandal | Boris | Uncredited |
| 1945 | Brewster's Millions | Packard - Costume Designer | Uncredited |
| 1945 | Pillow to Post | Alex, Coast Oil Flunky | Uncredited |
| 1945 | Three's a Crowd | Willy Davaney | |
| 1945 | Captain Eddie | Lester Thomas | |
| 1945 | A Bell for Adano | Pfc. Edward - Algiers Mail Clerk | Uncredited |
| 1945 | On Stage Everybody | Cathcart | Uncredited |
| 1945 | Anchors Aweigh | Bertram Kraler - Susan's beau | |
| 1945 | Guest Wife | Joe's Admirer | Uncredited |
| 1945 | Ziegfeld Follies | Texan ('Number Please') | Uncredited |
| 1945 | Song of the Prairie | William Van Welby | |
| 1945 | She Went to the Races | Hotel Clerk | Uncredited |
| 1945 | Sing Your Way Home | Book Shop Proprietor | Uncredited |
| 1945 | Hit the Hay | Wilbur Whittlesey | |
| 1945 | The Stork Club | Peter - Salesman | Uncredited |
| 1946 | Idea Girl | Percy Witherspoon | Uncredited |
| 1946 | Partners in Time | Cedric Weehunt / Caleb Weehunt | |
| 1946 | Dragonwyck | Astor House clerk | Uncredited |
| 1946 | Two Sisters from Boston | Recital Guest | Uncredited |
| 1946 | Holiday in Mexico | Tom, Iturbi's Assistant | Uncredited |
| 1946 | It's Great to Be Young | Ambrose Kenton | Uncredited |
| 1946 | No Leave, No Love | Hat Salesman | Uncredited |
| 1946 | Nobody Lives Forever | Horace | Uncredited |
| 1946 | The Magnificent Rogue | George Sheffield | |
| 1946 | Plainsman and the Lady | Male Secretary | Uncredited |
| 1946 | My Dog Shep | John H. Latham | |
| 1946 | Susie Steps Out | Dixon | |
| 1946 | The Fabulous Suzanne | Marstenson | |
| 1946 | The Show-Off | Mr. Hotchkiss | Uncredited |
| 1947 | Beat the Band | Harold | |
| 1947 | Philo Vance's Gamble | Mr. Willetts | |
| 1947 | Love and Learn | Pedestrian Against Divorce | Uncredited |
| 1947 | Always Together | Jack, the Soda Jerk | Uncredited |
| 1947 | My Wild Irish Rose | Brown | |
| 1948 | Romance on the High Seas | Ship Radio operator | Uncredited Alternative title: It's Magic |
| 1948 | My Dear Secretary | Sylvan Scott | |
| 1948 | Jiggs and Maggie in Court | Mr. Twiddle | |
| 1948 | Last of the Wild Horses | Curly, the cook | |
| 1949 | Grand Canyon | Halfnote | |
| 1949 | Air Hostess | Ned Jenkins | |
| 1954 | Living It Up | Gift Shop Owner | Uncredited |
| 1954 | A Star Is Born | Artie Carver | Uncredited |
| 1954 | White Christmas | Mr. Herring | Uncredited |
| 1955 | The Naked Dawn | Cabaret Brawler | Uncredited |
| 1961 | Madison Avenue | Dilbock | Uncredited |
| 1962 | Billy Rose's Jumbo | Driver | |
| 1962 | The Chapman Report | Simon | Uncredited |
| 1963 | Come Blow Your Horn | Clothing Store Manager | Uncredited |
| 1963 | 4 for Texas | Bank Clerk | |
| 1964 | My Fair Lady | Ascot Extra / Guest at Ball | Uncredited |
| 1965 | Tickle Me | Mr. Dabney | |
| 1965 | The Bounty Killer | Minister | |
| 1966 | The Chase | Mr. Siftifieus | Uncredited |
| 1966 | Paradise, Hawaiian Style | Mr. Cubberson | |
| 1968 | Star! | First Salesman at Cartier's | Uncredited |
| 1968 | I Love You, Alice B. Toklas! | Funeral Director | Alternative title: Kiss My Butterfly |
| 1970 | The Great Bank Robbery | Rev. Simms | |
| 1970 | Myra Breckinridge | Kid Barlow | |
| 1970 | Suppose They Gave a War and Nobody Came | Rev. Dinwood | |
| 1970 | Dirty Dingus Magee | Corporal | Uncredited |
| 1971 | Support Your Local Gunfighter | Storekeeper | |
| 1979 | Rock 'n' Roll High School | School Board President | (final film role) |
Television
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1952 | Studio One | Mr. Caslon | 1 episode |
| 1954 | I Married Joan | Newsroom Walk Through | 1 episode |
| Dear Phoebe | Store Manager | 1 episode | |
| 1955 | Waterfront | Ramsdale | 1 episode |
| Stage 7 | Blonde's Companion / Desk Clerk | 2 episodes | |
| The Milton Berle Show | Harold Helot | 1 episode | |
| 1955–56 | The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet | Mr. Van Buskirk / The Photographer | 2 episodes |
| 1956 | The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp | Store Clerk | 1 episode |
| 1957 | Code 3 | Ray Pence | 1 episode |
| 1960 | The Ann Sothern Show | Swann | 2 episodes |
| Shirley Temple's Storybook | Simon | 1 episode | |
| Death Valley Days | Joe Shelton | 1 episode | |
| Sugarfoot | Charles | 1 episode | |
| 1960–62 | Lawman | Stiles / Ben Toomey | 13 episodes |
| 1961 | Cheyenne | Photographer | 1 episode |
| Rawhide | Desk Clerk | 1 episode | |
| 1961–62 | Father of the Bride | Oscar | 2 episodes |
| 1962 | 77 Sunset Strip | Doorman | 1 episode |
| General Electric Theater | The Questioner | 1 episode | |
| 1963 | Dennis the Menace | Alvin Jessup | 1 episode |
| 1964 | Dr. Kildare | Christopher Blair | 1 episode |
| Mickey | Mr. Freebish | 1 episode | |
| 1965 | Burke's Law | Hubie | 1 episode |
| Petticoat Junction | Chef | 1 episode | |
| 1966 | The Red Skelton Hour | Torture Device Customer | 1 episode |
| 1966–67 | The Pruitts of Southampton | Sturgis | 11 episodes |
| 1967 | Batman | Irving Cash | 1 episode |
| 1972 | Hawaii Five-O | Minister | 1 episode |
| 1974 | The Odd Couple | Pops Belkin | 1 episode |
References
edit- ^ a b c d e f Gifford, Denis (1995-09-26). "Obituary: Grady Sutton". The Independent (London). Retrieved 2009-01-29.
- ^ a b "Grady Sutton is still trying for romance". Tampa Bay Times. July 8, 1938. p. 8. Retrieved June 8, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Mann, William J. (2002). Behind the Screen: How Gays and Lesbians Shaped Hollywood, 1910-1969. New York: Penguin Books. ISBN 978-0-1420-0114-1.
- ^ "Grady Sutton, 89, a Comic Foil to Fields, Hepburn and Lombard". The New York Times. 1992-10-28. Retrieved 2009-01-29.
Further reading
edit- Maltin, Leonard (2015) [First published 1969]. "Grady Sutton". The Real Stars : Profiles and Interviews of Hollywood's Unsung Featured Players (softcover) (Sixth / eBook ed.). Great Britain: CreateSpace Independent. pp. 256–277. ISBN 978-1-5116-4485-3.
External links
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