Jim Hutton, the son of Colonel Thomas R. Hutton and Helen Ryan, was born to a tumultuous childhood. His parents divorced when he was an infant, and he only saw his father twice before his death. Hutton moved to Albany, New York, in 1938, where he struggled in school, claiming to have attended five high schools and a boarding school. Despite his troubles, he excelled as a writer and won a journalism scholarship to Syracuse University.
However, Hutton's academic pursuits were cut short when he discovered his passion for acting. He lost his scholarship and was eventually expelled from Syracuse University as a sophomore. He continued to pursue his acting dreams, training in summer stock and eventually joining the army, where he was assigned to special services to act in training films.
Hutton's time in the army was marked by success, as he founded the American Community Theater in Berlin, where he produced, directed, and acted in five productions. He received high praise from his superiors and even won the European Theater Award for Best GI Theater.
After his military discharge, Hutton moved to Hollywood and began his film career. He landed his breakthrough role as TV Thompson in "Where the Boys Are" (1960) and went on to appear in several films, including "The Honeymoon Machine" (1961),"Bachelor in Paradise" (1961),and "The Horizontal Lieutenant" (1962).
Despite his early success, Hutton's career hit a slump in the mid-1960s. He became frustrated with the lack of challenging roles and refused jobs for 15 months until MGM agreed to give him better roles or dissolve their contract. He eventually landed the lead role in "Major Dundee" (1965),which was met with mixed reviews.
Hutton's career continued to ebb and flow, with notable roles in "The Hallelujah Trail" (1965),"Walk Don't Run" (1966),and "The Green Berets" (1968). However, his career was marked by controversy and criticism, particularly for his role in "The Green Berets," which was seen as a pro-war film.
In the 1970s, Hutton's career began to decline, and he was relegated to TV work. He struggled with depression and eventually died of liver cancer in 1979 at the age of 45.
Despite his ups and downs, Hutton's legacy as a talented and versatile actor has endured. He is remembered for his breakthrough role in "Where the Boys Are" and his memorable performances in "Major Dundee" and "The Green Berets."
