The Richard Boone Show

As a somewhat geeky kid of 8, I'd somehow usually manage to stay up a little late on the nights when The Richard Boone Show was on. It was in a way an echo of earlier TV classic shows like Plahouse 90, in that each week there would be a new show with a new cast, but the twist was this was all done by the show's repertory company. The company was filled with excellent actors; some of whom were already quite well known and respected, like Harry Morgan (who directed a few episodes), Jeanette Nolan, Guy Stockwell, Lloyd Bochner and the always excellent Michael Constantine. Also on hand was Robert Blake, a long time veteran but a few years away from starring roles in "In Cold Blood" and later TV's "Baretta". Part of the excitement was each week that the spotlight would shine on the chosen cast. Richard Boone added substance to the show in his tasks as narrator, sometime ensemble actor and if memory serves even worked as an episodic director on the show as well. The writing of the show was varied and of quality with some great writers in the company like Clifford Odets. It was a disappointment to me that the show did not last beyond one season. It was a gem that for some sad reason did not click with the ratings. It would be great to see the show on Nick or some cable station sometime.

Oh for the days when great writers, directors and actors populated TV with shows other than Police and Medical soaps, reality shows and sitcoms. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy many sitcoms, but I miss the variety of good dramas and even the variety shows like Ed Sullivan, Hollywood Palace, The Danny Kaye show, etc.

If you ever see this show listed or shown anywhere-- do try and catch it.

I can add little to the well-made comments of the ex-Georgian (now safely in Mass.) regarding THE RICHARD BOONE SHOW. It was indeed unique on television in the 1960s and beyond.

The producers probably thought the name would attract viewers, but obviously not enough. I would like to think this rotating cast of characters and situations was "ahead of its time," but perhaps there was no such time. Series, a.k.a. "prime time" television watchers apparently did not like the insecurity of no characters or settings to which they could become attached. Always there was something new, even unique, c.f. the afore-mentioned episode by Odets. THE RICHARD BOONE SHOW was not in keeping with Ray Bradbury's notion of "television family" -- which the host's expositions from the Green Room could not replace. To be best of my recollection, Richard Boone disappeared from television with this noble experiment.

This TV series was never aired in France. But the French audiences missed something fantastic. This is definitely not a crime show, but an excellent drama one. Here, the particularity is that you have always the same actors playing in most of the episodes. And, in every story, independent tales, they all played different characters. In one show, for instance, Richard Boone played the lead, and in another one, you hardly recognized him in a supporting character. Please read all my comments, for each episode, I have commented them all. For most of them, I really enjoyed. And I realize that Richard Boone was really a terrific actor, a true one. Maybe best than he was in big screen films, where the majors always take him for only heavies characters. The best I wish you is to get one day this outstanding TV show. One last thing, in this series, you have Guy Stockwell too; remember him as Chuck Heston's brother in WARLORD. He was not a great actor, yes, but I appreciated him here, in all those episodes.

Too good. That's why it only lasted a season. My God, look at the players. Not a weak spot in the bunch. And, the writing! Fantastic. But, no trick guns, no canned laughter and no asinine sit skits. It was just too good. I believe I saw dang near every episode and loved each one. The players would change roles, Bobby Benson would be a drugged out drummer looking for a fix one week and then a Mexican fisherman who finds a big pearl. Even when the cast would shift into another completely different genre, they would shift around and support one another. One week Warren Stevens did a bit part as a night watchman and the next, he was a hired killer, then a soldier of fortune...as so on. This was undoubtedly some of the best theater ever presented on TV. Sadly, that's why is didn't go past one season...but, what a season!

We watched "The Richard Boone Show" regularly during its all-too-brief run. Everyone else in the country appeared to be watching "The Fugitive", which--to our way of thinking--couldn't't't't compare in quality to Richard Boone. This was a repertory company, and all the regulars played many different types of characters. Many of them went on to star in better-known productions, while their excellence in this show went largely unnoticed. I'm glad to see that it did receive some nominations and one Golden Globe award, but it should have had a much longer run and received many more awards. I agree with a comment on the message board, that there should be copies available for purchase. I would greatly enjoy seeing these episodes once more on one of the cable or dish channels that feature "oldies but goodies".