Grady Sutton's Main TV Roles Show Character(s) The Ann Sothern Show Swann The Egg And I Jed Simmons

Main Movie Roles 1979 - Rock 'n' Roll High School 1971 - Support Your Local Gunfighter 1970 - Dirty Dingus Magee 1970 - Myra Breckinridge 1968 - I Love You, Alice B. Toklas! 1966 - Paradise, Hawaiian Style 1966 - The Chase 1965 - Tickle Me 1964 - My Fair Lady 1963 - 4 for Texas 1962 - Something's Got to Give 1962 - Billy Rose's Jumbo 1954 - A Star Is Born 1954 - White Christmas 1948 - Romance on the High Seas 1946 - Nobody Lives Forever 1946 - Dragonwyck 1945 - Anchors Aweigh 1945 - Brewster's Millions 1944 - Since You Went Away 1944 - The Great Moment 1941 - Blondie in Society 1941 - Penny Serenade 1940 - The Bank Dick 1940 - Sky Murder 1939 - You Can't Cheat an Honest Man 1939 - Blind Alley 1939 - Blondie Meets the Boss 1939 - It's a Wonderful World 1939 - In Name Only 1938 - The Mad Miss Manton 1938 - Having Wonderful Time 1938 - Joy of Living 1938 - Vivacious Lady 1937 - Stage Door 1936 - My Man Godfrey 1935 - Alice Adams 1933 - The Story of Temple Drake 1932 - Pack Up Your Troubles 1925 - The Freshman

BIOGRAPHY:

Grady Sutton (I) was born in Chattanooga, Tennessee. He arrived in California in 1924. He got his first break in Hollywood from director William A. Seiter who used him as an extra in The Mad Whirl (1925) starring May McAvoy. Grady remained a Hollywood staple for the next 55 years.

He specialized in playing naive, slightly befuddled young men and country bumpkins, adding comedic bits to many films. His most famous association came from appearing in four movies with W.C. Fields: The Pharmacist (1933), Man on the Flying Trapeze (1935), You Can't Cheat an Honest Man (1939) and The Bank Dick (1940). He can also be seen in such classics as My Man Godfrey (1936), Stage Door (1937), Alexander's Ragtime Band (1938), The Angels Wash Their Faces (1939), Anchors Aweigh (1945), White Christmas (1954) and A Star Is Born (1954). He was also a regular on "The Egg and I" (1951) and "The Pruitts of Southampton" (1966) television series.

In total, he appeared in over 200 feature films and short subjects spanning 1924 to 1979. His final film appearance was in Rock 'n' Roll High School (1979). In 1994 he moved to the Motion Picture and Television Home and Hospital in Woodland Hills, California where he died September 17, 1995, of natural causes.


TRIVIA:

• Signed for a series of 'Hal Roach (I)' (qv) two-reelers called the "Boy Friends" which also co-starred 'Mickey Daniels' (qv) from the original "Our Gang" shorts.
• The never-married character actor was known for his rather unflattering blank-looking country bumpkin portrayals and, though unbilled in many of his movies, usually enjoyed a side-splitting one-liner or two.
• See him as the would-be bridegroom to 'Carole Lombard (I)' (qv) in La Cava's _My Man Godfrey (1936)_ (qv).
• During World War II he was refused by the Army because of a bad stomach so he worked at Lockheed in order to support his country's war effort.
• Did a slew of commercials over the years for such products as Chevrolet, Ford and Mean Mary Jean.
• Came to Hollywood during a summer vacation with his roommate, the younger brother of director 'William A. Seiter' (qv). Grady was invited onto the set of one of Seiter's films and by chance given a job as an extra. He stayed in town for over six decades.