Frank Sutton was a military man both inside and outside of Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. On the series, he played the role of Sergeant Carter who was a mixture of strict discipline, frustration, and occasional warmth beneath the surface.

Before Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. and The Jim Nabors Hour, Sutton’s entertainment career started while he was still in college. In fact, at the age of 15, he was in a Nashville theater production of Twelfth Night.

He was also a radio announcer and appeared in multiple theater productions; however, his time on Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. gave him the boost he needed to become a household name and a full-time celebrity.

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According to a 1969 interview with Deseret News, Sutton said that before Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C., he was mostly known for very serious roles.

"Until five years ago, the closest I came to comedy was being strapped into an electric chair as a convicted killer or being shot by the FBI," Sutton said. "I was in one gangster role after another in movies and television. You might say now I am a killer turned comedian."

Sutton said he thought it was ironic that many comedians at the time would "kill"—no pun intended—to become dramatic actors. He added that he was an actor who yearned for dramatic roles, only to become a comic.

"Some of my roles were so vicious during the early part of my career, I'd have people hiss at me if they happened to recognize me on the street," Sutton said. 

Unlike many comedians of the time who used improv, ad-libbing, or stand-up, Sutton was a comedian through memorization, relying on cue cards or practicing his timing in front of a mirror.

While it wasn't his first genre choice, he made it work, and his fans loved it.

"I believe I am making the transition," Sutton said. "I'm nearing the point where I'm actually creating my own style of comedy. I hope the day will come that I don't have to depend on writers at all."