Randy Boone, the actor and singer who portrayed the guitar-playing ranch hand Randy Benton on the classic NBC western “The Virginian,” died on Thursday, August 28. He was 83 years old.
His wife, Lana, confirmed Boone’s death to The Hollywood Reporter but declined to provide additional details about the circumstances.
Born Clyde Wilson Randall Boone Jr. on January 17, 1942, in Fayetteville, North Carolina, Boone graduated from Fayetteville Senior High School in 1960. He briefly attended North Carolina State College in Raleigh, where he played guitar at house parties and rarely attended classes.
Describing his restless youth, Boone once explained his plan: “I’m going to take my guitar and I’m going to hitchhike around the country and have some fun until the Army drafts me.” After traveling the United States for 18 months, he arrived in Los Angeles in 1962.
Boone’s first television role came when someone he was playing music with told him a producer was seeking a young man to play a folk-singing college student. He auditioned and was hired for “It’s a Man’s World,” where he portrayed Vern Hodges, sharing a houseboat on the Ohio River with two friends played by Glenn Corbett and Ted Bessell. The series ran for 19 episodes during the 1962-63 season before being canceled despite critical acclaim.
When “It’s a Man’s World” was cancelled, Boone signed a contract with Universal Studios. Recognizing that horseback riding skills would be valuable in the era of television westerns, he purchased a horse named Clyde and became an expert rider. This expertise, combined with his existing contract, led producer Frank Price to cast him in “The Virginian.”
Boone negotiated an unusual arrangement with Universal, allowing the studio to use his horse free of charge in exchange for boarding the animal. The producers accepted this request, and Clyde became part of the show. Boone noted that his horse wasn’t Hollywood-trained and acted like a real horse, generating fan mail about how Clyde didn’t stand still during filming.
He joined “The Virginian” cast in February 1964 during the second season, appearing alongside James Drury and Doug McClure. Boone remained with the series for two years, appearing in 46 episodes before leaving in April 1966. His character was introduced in the episode “First to Thine Own Self,” where Randy Benton, a drifter, finds a home at Shiloh Ranch and befriends Betsy Garth, played by Roberta Shore.
During his tenure on the show, Boone performed original songs, many of which he wrote himself. He explained that he wanted to feel like he was putting something special into his work. Though he signed away the rights to the songs, he was surprised and delighted to receive royalties years later. Boone and Shore were featured on a 1965 Decca album titled “The Singing Stars of The Virginian,” and he followed with a solo effort called “Ramblin’ Randy.”
Boone later revealed that producer Frank Price dismissed him from the series. He indicated that Price considered him window dressing and unnecessary to the show, though Boone believed he was as essential as any cast member.
Following his departure from “The Virginian,” Boone starred in another western series, “Cimarron Strip,” from 1967 to 1968. He portrayed deputy U.S. marshal Francis Wilde alongside Stuart Whitman, Percy Herbert, and Jill Townsend. The CBS series lasted only one season.
Throughout his career, Boone made guest appearances on numerous television series, including “The Alfred Hitchcock Hour,” “Wagon Train,” “Bonanza,” “The Fugitive,” “Combat!,” “Hondo,” “Emergency!,” “Kolchak: The Night Stalker,” “Kung Fu,” “Gunsmoke,” and “Highway to Heaven.” He also appeared in a memorable 1963 “Twilight Zone” episode titled “The 7th Is Made Up of Phantoms,” playing a National Guardsman transported back in time to participate in the Battle of the Little Bighorn alongside Warren Oates and Ron Foster.
Boone’s film credits included “Country Boy” in 1966, “Terminal Island” in 1973, “Dr. Minx” in 1975, and “The Wild Pair” in 1987. He stepped away from acting in the late 1980s and transitioned to working in construction until his retirement.
Fans remember Boone for his musical contributions to “The Virginian” and his authentic portrayal of a ranch hand who rode his own horse. His death comes several years after the passing of his “Virginian” co-stars Doug McClure in 1995 and James Drury in 2020.
