(Born September 15, 1925 in Reading, Pennsylvania). He has appeared in many television series and films but is by far best known as the battalion commander Lt Col Gray on the 1960s sitcom Gomer Pyle, USMC. Gray, in contrast to Sgt. Carter, seems to respect Gomer more, especially on a personal level. Gray is portrayed as no-nonsense and running a tight ship. He rarely smiles and most scenes with Gray are in his office as he sits behind his desk chewing out Sgt. Carter.

It was the first major television role for Compton, who had served in the 103rd Infantry Division of the U.S. Army during World War II. (His character served at the Battle of Iwo Jima.) After the war, Compton went to college in his home state of Pennsylvania before heading to the Ivy League for a Master's degree from the Yale School of Drama. It was there he met and befriended Paul Newman.

His military and acting experience also served him well as a frequent guest star on Hogan's Heroes — he appeared as various characters in six episodes — not to mention as a military figure on The Invaders, 12 O'Clock High and My Three Sons.

In the 1961 film The Outsider Compton portrayed John Bradley, one of the soldiers famous for raising the American flag on Mt. Suribachi during the World War II Battle of Iwo Jima. He was also in the casts of The Brighter Day and as the crusading attorney Mike Karr on the daytime soap opera The Edge of Night, a role he played from 1972 to 1984.

He had a recurring role in 1959-1960 in the NBC series The Troubleshooters with Keenan Wynn, Bob Mathias, and Chet Allen. His other television credits include The Twilight Zone, 77 Sunset Strip, My Three Sons, Mayberry RFD, Mannix, Hogan's Heroes, That Girl, Another World, Loving, One Life to Live, As the World Turns and Ed. He also portrayed President Flynn in the 1991 Christopher Walken film McBain.

Married to the former Jeanne Sementini on September 28, 1975, Compton has not acted since 2002.

Compton died on Sunday, April 4, 2020. He was 94 years old.

Return to Main Cast Page

DISCLAIMER
This site is not affiliated with CBS Video, Paramount, or Jim Nabors.

© Copyright  2018. All rights reserved. If you have any questions you may email me at: bigforthe9@hotmail.com