Randy Boone, the actor best known for portraying the singing ranch hand Randy Benton on NBC’s long-running western series “The Virginian,” died Thursday, August 28, 2025, at age 83. Boone’s death was confirmed by his wife, Lana, who declined to provide additional details.
Born Clyde Wilson Randall Boone Jr. on January 17, 1942, in Fayetteville, North Carolina, Boone became a recognizable face in television westerns during the 1960s. He joined the cast of “The Virginian” midway through its second season in February 1964, appearing in 46 episodes alongside stars James Drury and Doug McClure before departing in April 1966.
Boone’s character was introduced in the episode “First to Thine Own Self,” portraying a guitar-toting drifter who protects a young girl from her father’s murderers. After being initially accused of the crime, Randy Benton is vindicated with help from Betsy Garth and The Virginian, ultimately deciding to settle in Medicine Bow and work at the Shiloh Ranch.
The actor’s path to Hollywood began unconventionally. After briefly attending North Carolina State College in Raleigh, where he played guitar at house parties and rarely attended classes, Boone dropped out with specific intentions. He indicated that he planned to take his guitar and hitchhike around the country to have fun until the Army drafted him, expressing that he couldn’t wait to leave school and enjoy himself.
After traveling for 18 months, Boone arrived in Los Angeles in 1962. When someone he was playing music with mentioned that a TV producer was seeking a young man to portray a folk-singing college student, Boone auditioned and landed his first television role on the comedy-drama “It’s a Man’s World.” He was cast as Vern Hodges, sharing a houseboat on the Ohio River with two friends, including future “That Girl” star Ted Bessell.
The show, despite critical acclaim, was canceled after just four months due to tough competition. Boone and Bessell embarked on a cross-country campaign attempting to save the series, but their efforts proved unsuccessful. However, this role led to a contract with Universal Studios, setting the stage for his future career.
Understanding that horsemanship would be valuable in the era of television westerns, Boone purchased a horse named Clyde and became an expert rider. This skill, combined with his existing Universal contract, led producer Frank Price to cast him in “The Virginian.” Boone negotiated an arrangement allowing Universal to use his horse for free in exchange for boarding the animal at the studio.
Boone noted that Clyde wasn’t a Hollywood-trained animal, explaining that “he acted very much like a real horse, and I got a lot of fan mail about how he didn’t stand still.” The actor wrote many of the songs he performed on the show, stating he wanted to feel like he was putting something special into his work. Though he signed away the rights to these songs, he was later surprised and pleased to receive royalties years afterward.
His departure from “The Virginian” was not voluntary. Boone revealed that producer Frank Price thought he was window dressing and wasn’t needed on the show, though the actor felt he was needed as much as anybody. He expressed belief that shows suffer when significant changes are made and actors who helped audiences fall in love with the program are lost.
Following his stint on “The Virginian,” Boone starred in another western series, “Cimarron Strip,” which aired on CBS from 1967 to 1968 alongside Stuart Whitman. He portrayed deputy U.S. marshal and aspiring reporter Francis Wilde on the show, which lasted only one season.
Boone made memorable guest appearances on various television series throughout his career, including “The Alfred Hitchcock Hour,” “Wagon Train,” “Bonanza,” “The Fugitive,” “Combat!,” “Emergency!,” “Kolchak: The Night Stalker,” “Kung Fu,” “Gunsmoke,” and “Highway to Heaven.” His appearance in the 1963 “Twilight Zone” episode “The 7th Is Made Up of Phantoms” was particularly notable, featuring him as one of three National Guardsmen mysteriously transported back in time to participate in the Battle of the Little Bighorn.
His film career included roles in “Country Boy” (1966), “Terminal Island” (1973), “Dr. Minx” (1975), and “The Wild Pair” (1987). Boone’s musical talents were showcased on a 1965 Decca album titled “The Singing Stars of The Virginian,” featuring him alongside co-star Roberta Shore, followed by his solo album “Ramblin Randy.”
Boone retired from acting in the late 1980s and transitioned to working in construction until his retirement. His death comes shortly after that of “The Virginian” producer Frank Price, who died three days before Boone. The show’s stars James Drury and Doug McClure preceded Boone in death, passing away in 2020 and 1995, respectively.
