Randy Boone, the actor and musician who portrayed the guitar-strumming ranch hand Randy Benton on the NBC Western series “The Virginian,” died on Thursday, August 28, at age 83. His wife, Lana, confirmed his 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 became known to television audiences for his musical performances and his unique arrangement with the studio regarding his personal horse. He graduated from Fayetteville Senior High School in 1960 and briefly attended North Carolina State College in Raleigh, where he played guitar at house parties and rarely attended classes.
Boone described his restless youth with characteristic candor, explaining his plan to take his guitar and hitchhike around the country to have fun before potentially being drafted by the Army. He indicated that he couldn’t wait to get out of school and enjoy himself. After traveling across the United States for 18 months, he arrived in Los Angeles in 1962, where his musical talents would open doors to his television career.
His first television role came when someone he was playing music with informed him that a producer was seeking a young man to portray a folk-singing college student. He auditioned successfully for “It’s a Man’s World,” appearing in 19 episodes as Vern Hodges during the 1962-1963 season. The show, which featured three young men living on a houseboat on the Ohio River, lasted only four months despite critical acclaim.
Following the cancellation of “It’s a Man’s World,” Boone made strategic preparations for the Western television era by purchasing a horse named Clyde and becoming an expert rider. This decision proved pivotal when Universal Studios absorbed him into the cast of “The Virginian” alongside stars James Drury and Doug McClure.
Boone negotiated an unusual arrangement with the studio, agreeing to allow Universal to use his horse free of charge if they provided boarding for the animal. The producers accepted this request, and Clyde became part of the show. Boone noted that his horse wasn’t a Hollywood-trained animal and acted like a real horse, generating fan mail about how the animal didn’t stand still during scenes.
He joined “The Virginian” cast in February 1964 during the second season, appearing in his debut episode titled “First to Thine Own Self.” His character, a drifter who finds a home at Shiloh Ranch and befriends Betsy Garth, played by Roberta Shore, remained with the series for two seasons. Boone appeared in 46 episodes before his departure in April 1966.
During his tenure on the show, Boone wrote and performed many original songs, explaining that he “wanted to feel like I’m putting something special into the work.” Although he signed away the rights to these songs, he was later surprised and pleased to receive royalties years afterward. He and co-star Roberta Shore were featured on a 1965 Decca album titled “The Singing Stars of The Virginian,” and Boone subsequently released a solo album called “Ramblin’ Randy.”
Boone’s departure from “The Virginian” was not his choice. He later revealed that producer Frank Price considered him window dressing and unnecessary to the show. Boone disagreed with this assessment, believing he was as essential as any other cast member and that the show suffered when significant changes were made that removed actors who had helped audiences fall in love with the series.
After leaving “The Virginian,” Boone continued working in television Westerns, starring as deputy U.S. marshal and aspiring reporter Francis Wilde in 19 episodes of the CBS series “Cimarron Strip” from 1967 to 1968, alongside Stuart Whitman. He also made memorable guest appearances on various series, including a notable 1963 episode of “The Twilight Zone” titled “The 7th Is Made Up of Phantoms,” where he portrayed a National Guardsman mysteriously transported back in time to participate in the Battle of the Little Bighorn.
His television career included appearances on “The Alfred Hitchcock Hour,” “Wagon Train,” “Bonanza,” “The Fugitive,” “Combat!,” “Hondo,” “Emergency!,” “Kolchak: The Night Stalker,” “Kung Fu,” “Gunsmoke,” and “Highway to Heaven.” Boone’s film credits included “Country Boy” (1966), about a rising young country musician, “Terminal Island” (1973), “Dr. Minx” (1975), and “The Wild Pair” (1987).
Boone stepped away from acting in the late 1980s and transitioned to working in construction until his retirement. Fans continue to remember him for his authentic musical performances on “The Virginian” and his genuine connection with his horse Clyde, which brought a natural quality to his Western television work that resonated with audiences during the show’s nine-year run from 1962 to 1971.
