Spradlin was born on August 31, 1920 in Pauls Valley, Oklahoma. He studied at the University of Oklahoma. Spradlin was married to Nell Spradlin from 1944 until her death in 2000. Then he was married to Frances Hendrickson from 2002 until his death in 2011. He had two children with Nell. Spradlin died on July 24, 2011 from natural causes in San Luis Obispo, California, aged 90.