Randy Boone

Actor Randy Boone died August 28, 2025, at the age of 82.

Boone is most widely remembered as the guitar playing ranch hand Randy Benton on the long running NBC Western "The Virginian." He appeared in three seasons of the show, singing and playing guitar, including writing many of his own songs. His performances blended music and Western drama during television's golden era. Boone also rode his own horse, Clyde, on "The Virginian."

Randy Boone was born Clyde Randy Boone on January 17, 1942, in Fayetteville, North Carolina. He enrolled as a mathematics major at North Carolina State College, but his college career was short-lived as he discovered a love for the entertainment world. While he was still enrolled, he sang folk music at a local bar, then he dropped out and traveled the country as a performer.

Boone's first on screen role leveraged his musical talents as he portrayed guitar playing college student Vern Hodges on NBC's short-lived "It's a Man's World." After its cancellation, he soon found his way to his longest-running role on "The Virginian." Following "The Virginian," Boone starred on TV in "Cimarron Strip" and made guest appearances on series such as "The Twilight Zone," "Wagon Train," "Bonanza," "The Alfred Hitchcock Hour," "Combat!," "The Fugitive," "Kung Fu," and "Highway to Heaven." His film work included "Terminal Island," "Dr. Minx," and his final film, "The Wild Pair." After retiring from acting in the late 1980s, he worked in construction.

By Legacy News Staff

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