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Paul Sutton
Paul Sutton
Paul Sutton
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Paul Sutton (May 14, 1910 – January 31, 1970) was an American radio writer and actor who also acted in film.

Key Information

Biography

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He was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico.[citation needed]

He is perhaps best known as one of the actors who portrayed Sergeant William Preston on the radio serial Challenge of the Yukon.[1][2] He has been credited with creating Challenge of the Yukon and writing episodes of The Green Hornet.[3] He collaborated on The Life of Mary Sothern, a 13-week serial on WMCA and WLW in 1938. As of July 26, 1938, he was at WXYZ in Detroit.[4]

In film, he appeared in westerns and low budget B-movies during the 1930s and 1940s, sometimes in uncredited roles. He was in The Pinto Kid; a Variety review stated that "As the menace, Paul Sutton is one of the more convincing types."[5] About his performance in North of the Yukon, Variety wrote, "Paul Sutton lends realism to the fable with his characterization of the husky French trapper."[6] He was in the Hopalong Cassidy films In Old Mexico and Bar 20 Justice; a Variety review called him "miscast" in his role of villain in the latter.[7]

He married Margaret Schwamm, a secretary to the general manager at the radio station at which he worked, on April 27, 1945.[8]

He departed his acting career in 1947, and later entered politics. In 1954 and 1956 he ran for a seat in the United States House of Representatives from Michigan. He was residing in Ferndale, Michigan at the time of his death on January 31, 1970. He was survived by three children.[9]

Selected filmography

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References

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Paul Sutton

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Paul Sutton was an American actor known for his portrayal of Sergeant Preston in the popular radio adventure series Challenge of the Yukon, as well as his supporting roles in Western films and B-movies during the 1930s and 1940s. Born on May 14, 1910, in Albuquerque, New Mexico, he began his acting career in the mid-1930s and appeared in numerous low-budget Westerns, often cast as henchmen or supporting characters. His film credits include notable appearances in In Old Mexico (1938) as "The Fox," Riders of the Northland (1942) as Chris Larsen, Tombstone: The Town Too Tough to Die (1942) as Tom McLowery, and others such as Ride on Vaquero (1941) and Silver City Raiders (1943). In the mid-1940s, Sutton took over the lead role of the heroic Royal Canadian Mounted Police sergeant in Challenge of the Yukon (later retitled Sergeant Preston of the Yukon in 1951), voicing the character until 1954 and helping to popularize the long-running series among radio audiences. His film career ended in the mid-1940s, after which he continued radio work before residing in Michigan, where he died on January 31, 1970, in Ferndale.

Early life

Paul Sutton was born Paul Francis Sutton on May 14, 1910, in Albuquerque, Bernalillo County, New Mexico, to Charles G. Sutton and Bess W. Sutton. Little additional information is available about his early life, with no verified details on his education, childhood experiences, family dynamics, or formative influences documented in accessible sources.

Radio career

Radio acting and writing

Paul Sutton achieved his greatest fame in radio through his portrayal of Sergeant William Preston in the adventure series Challenge of the Yukon. He took over the role from Jay Michael in the mid-1940s, continuing as the lead voice until 1955 (with a brief replacement by Brace Beemer in 1954 before returning) and becoming the actor most closely identified with the heroic Royal Canadian Mounted Police sergeant and his sled dog Yukon King. The series originated on Detroit's WXYZ in 1938 before expanding nationally on ABC from 1947 to 1949, moving to Mutual Radio in 1950, with broadcasts on ABC from 1947 to 1949; it was later renamed Sergeant Preston of the Yukon in 1951 and ran until 1955. Sutton began his radio work at WXYZ as early as 1938, taking on utility roles in the station's adventure programming including on The Lone Ranger. Some sources have credited Sutton with writing episodes of The Green Hornet or contributing to the creation of Challenge of the Yukon, but primary program histories attribute the series' creation and principal writing to Fran Striker, with Sutton serving as a replacement actor rather than originator. Limited documentation exists for other early radio involvement, such as a 1938 collaboration on the short serial The Life of Mary Sothern aired on WMCA and WLW. (Note: Wikipedia citation used only for cross-reference; primary Variety reference from 1938 indicates his WXYZ affiliation but does not detail writing credits.)

Film career

Film acting roles

Paul Sutton's film acting career spanned from 1936 to 1945, during which he appeared in approximately 30 to 40 films, the majority in uncredited or small supporting roles. He was a prolific performer in low-budget B-Westerns and other modest productions, frequently typecast as villains, henchmen, or rough character parts that added menace to the narratives. Among his credited roles, Sutton portrayed 'The Fox' in In Old Mexico (1938), Tom McLowery in Tombstone: The Town Too Tough to Die (1942), and Chris Larsen in Riders of the Northland (1942). His film career overlapped with his radio work in the early to mid-1940s.

Political activities

Political campaigns

Paul Sutton ran as the Democratic candidate for the United States House of Representatives from Michigan's 18th congressional district in 1954. His campaign was unsuccessful, as Republican incumbent George A. Dondero retained the seat. Following this defeat, Sutton ran again for the same position in 1956, once more as the Democratic nominee in the general election. That bid also failed, with Republican William Broomfield winning the seat. These congressional campaigns marked Sutton's primary foray into politics after shifting away from his earlier show business career. No detailed records of specific campaign platforms or vote totals are widely documented in available sources.

Personal life

Family and marriages

Paul Sutton married Margaret Schwamm, a secretary to the general manager at the radio station where he worked, on April 27, 1945. At the time of his death in 1970, he was survived by three children. Some genealogical sources suggest earlier marriages in 1926, 1931, and 1938, along with additional children from those unions, but these details remain unverified in major industry publications and obituaries. Sutton resided in Ferndale, Michigan during his later years.

Death

Death

Paul Sutton died on January 31, 1970, in Ferndale, Michigan, at the age of 59 following a battle with muscular dystrophy. He was buried at Oakview Cemetery in Royal Oak, Michigan. He was survived by three children.
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