Will Hutchins, the mild-mannered Western hero who charmed 1950s audiences as Tom Brewster in the hit TV series Sugarfoot and later acted alongside Elvis Presley, has died. He passed away on April 21 from respiratory failure at the age of 94.

Will Hutchins, the affable actor who brought a soft-spoken charm to the Old West as the star of the 1950s TV series Sugarfoot, died on April 21 of respiratory failure. He was 94.

A beloved figure from the golden age of television Westerns, Hutchins was a Warner Bros. contract player whose everyman demeanor made him a natural fit for the screen. His breakout role as Tom Brewster, a peace-loving law student turned reluctant cowboy in Sugarfoot (1957–1961), won over audiences with a gentler alternative to the era’s more rugged frontier heroes. In a fun twist of duality, he also portrayed Tom’s mustachioed and mischievous cousin, the Canary Kid, in several episodes—showing off his comic timing and versatility.

Hutchins’ career extended well beyond the dusty trails. In the late 1960s, he teamed up with Elvis Presley in two films—Spinout (1966) and Clambake (1967)—appearing alongside the King during one of Presley’s most prolific periods in Hollywood.