Lead Star on Classic ABC TV Show Dies in New York Hospital: Will Hutchins Was 94

Will Hutchins, star of ABC’s 1950s and ’60s comedy-Western Sugarfoot, has died. He was 94.

The series ran for 69 episodes from 1957 to 1961 and is commonly believed to be the first comedy-Western series on television.

In Sugarfoot, Hutchins played young Tom Brewster, an Easterner traveling to the Wild West to become a lawyer in Oklahoma. His lack of skills on the farm earned him the nickname that gives the series its title.

The actor was born in Los Angeles and served in the Korean War before jumping into the acting world. He had plenty of guest star roles in series like Cheyenne, Bronco, and 77 Sunset Strip before his star turn in Sugarfoot.

Hutchins continued to guest star on popular TV series after Sugarfoot ended, with roles in classics like Gunsmoke, The Alfred Hitchcock Hour, and Perry Mason.

He also appeared in two of Elvis Presley’s movies, Spinout and Clambake, and shared a duet with the singer in the latter.

His final on-screen appearance was in the 2010 romantic comedy film The Romantics.

Hutchins is survived by his wife, Barbara, and his daughter, Jennifer, who he had during his first marriage to Chrissie Burnett, the half-sister of Carol Burnett.