Richard Boone
- Known for
- Acting
- Born
- June 18, 1917
- Died
- January 10, 1981
- Birthplace
- Los Angeles, California, USA
Richard Allen Boone (June 18, 1917 – January 10, 1981) was an American actor who starred in over 50 films and was notable for his roles in Westerns and for starring in the TV series Have Gun – Will Travel. Boone was born in Los Angeles, California, the middle child of Cecile (née Beckerman) and Kirk E. Boone, a corporate lawyer and 4th great-grandson of Squire Boone 1744–1815, a brother to frontiersman Daniel Boone. His mother was Jewish, the daughter of immigrants from Russia. Richard Boone graduated from Hoover High School in Glendale, California. He attended Stanford University in Palo Alto, California, where he was a member of Theta Xi fraternity. He dropped out of Stanford prior to graduation and then worked as an oil-rigger, bartender, painter, and writer. In 1941 Boone joined the United States Navy and served on three ships in the Pacific during World War II, seeing combat as an aviation ordnance, aircrewman and tail gunner on Grumman TBF Avenger torpedo bombers and ended his service with the rank of petty officer first class. In his youth, Boone had attended the San Diego Army and Navy Academy in Carlsbad, California, where he was introduced to theatre under the tutelage of Virginia Atkinson. After the war, Boone used the G.I. Bill to study acting at the Actors Studio in New York. In 1950, Boone made his screen debut as a Marine officer in Milestone's Halls of Montezuma (1951). Fox used him in military parts in Call Me Mister (1951) and The Desert Fox: The Story of Rommel (1951). He had bigger roles in Red Skies of Montana (1952), Return of the Texan (1952), Kangaroo (1952) (directed by Milestone), and Way of a Gaucho (1952). Boone was married three times: to Jane Hopper (1937–1940), Mimi Kelly (1949–1950), and Claire McAloon (from 1951 until his death). Richard Boone died at his home in St. Augustine, Florida, due to complications from throat cancer. His ashes were scattered in the Pacific Ocean off Hawaii.
Filmography
The Shootist: The Legend Lives On 2001
as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
- John Wayne's 'The Alamo'
John Wayne's 'The Alamo' 1992
as Sam Houston
The Bushido Blade 1981
as Matthew Perry
Winter Kills 1979
as Keifitz
The Big Sleep 1978
as Lash Cansino
The Hobbit 1977
as Smaug (voice)
The Last Dinosaur 1977
as Masten Thrust Jr.
The Shootist 1976
as Mike Sweeney
God's Gun 1976
as The Sheriff
Against a Crooked Sky 1975
as Russian
The Great Niagara 1974
as Aaron Grant
Goodnight, My Love 1972
as Francis Hogan
The Century Turns 1972
as Hec Ramsey
Deadly Harvest 1972
as Anton Solca
In Broad Daylight 1971
as Tony Chappel
Big Jake 1971
as John Fain
Madron 1970
as Madron
The Kremlin Letter 1970
as Ward
The Arrangement 1969
as Sam Arness
The Night of the Following Day 1969
as Leer
Kona Coast 1968
as Capt. Sam Moran, Executive Producer
Hombre 1967
as Cicero Grimes
The War Lord 1965
as Bors
Rio Conchos 1964
as Lassiter
A Thunder of Drums 1961
as Capt. Stephen Maddocks
The Alamo 1960
as Gen. Sam Houston
Ocean's Eleven 1960
as Voice of Minister (voice) (uncredited)
The Right Man 1960
as Abraham Lincoln
I Bury the Living 1958
as Robert Kraft
The Garment Jungle 1957
as Artie Ravidge
Lizzie 1957
as Dr. Neal Wright
The Tall T 1957
as Frank Usher
Away All Boats 1956
as Lieut. Fraser
Star in the Dust 1956
as Sam Hall
Battle Stations 1956
as The Captain
The Big Knife 1955
as Narrator (Voice)
Robbers' Roost 1955
as Hank Hays
Man Without a Star 1955
as Steve Miles
Ten Wanted Men 1955
as Wick Campbell
Dragnet 1954
as Capt .James E. Hamilton
The Raid 1954
as Capt. Lionel Foster
The Siege at Red River 1954
as Brett Manning
Beneath the 12-Mile Reef 1953
as Thomas Rhys
Vicki 1953
as Lt. Ed Cornell
The Robe 1953
as Pontius Pilate
City of Bad Men 1953
as John Ringo
Man on a Tightrope 1953
as Krofta
Way of a Gaucho 1952
as Major Salinas
Kangaroo 1952
as John W. Gamble
Return of the Texan 1952
as Rod Murray
Red Skies of Montana 1952
as Richard 'Dick' Dryer
The Desert Fox: The Story of Rommel 1951
as Capt. Hermann Aldinger
Call Me Mister 1951
as Mess Sergeant
Halls of Montezuma 1951
as Lt. Col. Gilfillan
Credits from TMDB.