I think Richard Boone was one of those film actors who wasn't done justice by still photos. To get the full Boone experience, one had to not only hear his commanding deep voice, but to "see him in motion." He was big on great physical gestures with his hands, which he moved through the air like a conductor with a baton. He knew how and when to point a finger to make a point...you had to laugh when he did it.
Boone may have been less homely when heard and seen moving, but yes, he was never going to be a pretty boy star. Still, his character on Have Gun Will Travel overcame the looks thing by being "the guy who can save the day, the guy who can beat all the other guys." In short, the role made him sexy, even if his face didnt. I believe Richard Boone's voluminous fan mail for Have Gun Will Travel was about 80% female, because they were damsels in distress.
And for a homely guy, he sure had a bright, gleaming, happy SMILE.
---
The looks thing became more problematic as Boone aged, gained weight(he could do shirtless scenes on HGWT, but not many years after that), and grew so "craggy" that he was difficult to look at. One critic said of Boone in the 70's, "it looks like he left his face out in the rain."
Boone overcame the loss of looks by "powering up" his voice, his funny line readings, and, as a bad guy, his MENACE.
He sure was hired to play the bad guy a lot after HGWT went off the air: Hombre, The Night of the Following Day, The Kremlin Letter, Big Jake, The Shootist, The Big Sleep.
But he played a number of rugged good guys in the movies(and TV movies), too: Rio Conchos(a very flawed good guy), The War Lord, Madron, Against a Crooked Sky, and the great TV movie "Goodnight My Love."
I liked that about Boone...you found yourself liking his villains and being menaced by his heroes, because he could play various tones at once: funny, macho, authoritative, and often smiling or laughing.
reply
share
Lacecap (19)
7 years ago
A large part of Boone's appeal as Paladin, for me, was the kind of man he portrayed, one with a strong moral code, believing in the law, and justice delivered according to that law. He treated people fairly, compassionately, and, even though he was cultured and intelligent, didn't look down on those who did not possess those traits. Who he was transcended what he looked like, and yet his physical appearance was in keeping with the two lives he lived. And yes, his smile was wonderful!
reply
share
ecarle (14979)
7 years ago
A large part of Boone's appeal as Paladin, for me, was the kind of man he portrayed, one with a strong moral code, believing in the law, and justice delivered according to that law. He treated people fairly, compassionately, and, even though he was cultured and intelligent, didn't look down on those who did not possess those traits.
---
That is a very good and detailed assessment of how Paladins persona was. Multi-levelled, and based on both a professional code AND a personal code. Its a lot more detailed than my just saying "he was the good guy who could beat all the bad guys."
---
Who he was transcended what he looked like, and yet his physical appearance was in keeping with the two lives he lived.
---
The series was great in opening most episodes with Paladin in well-tailored splendor at his SF hotel...and then moving him out onto the great outdoors in his black outfit. Truly there was a "duality" to Paladin. I also liked how sometimes he realized that his employer had misled him as to the ethics of a job. Paladin would then quit...and often take up the cause of the other side.
---
And yes, his smile was wonderful!
---
A reminder to us that ALL of us have features that may be better than others. If you don't have a "perfect face"(and most of us DON'T), you can still be attractive just by using the positives you do have. Your smile. Your voice. Your eyes.
Actors like Richard Boone figured this out early and move on "pushing their physical strengths."
Conversely, lots of "pretty face" actors get stuck in soap operas for the rest of their lives. They can't break through with the character of a Richard Boone. Robert Redford and Warren Beatty had pretty faces and had to act LIKE Richard Boone(quirky, tough, renegade as the Sundance Kid and Clyde Barrow) to break past their prettiness and to become stars.
reply
share
ecarle (14979)
7 years ago
BTW, here's a quote (paraphrased) by Richard Boone from around the time that Have Gun Will Travel was a hit. Its about Paladin:
"The great thing is, that if the horse goes out of style, we can convert Paladin into a private eye. Or a scuba diver. Or a sea captain. The basic heroic character can be moved into any time or place."
reply
share
Lacecap (19)
7 years ago
Interesting...I read somewhere that Boone did just that with Hec Ramsey!
reply
share
ecarle (14979)
7 years ago
Interesting...I read somewhere that Boone did just that with Hec Ramsey!
---
Yes...he's a "frontier private eye" of sorts, using scientific research as part of his law enforcement. Hec Ramsey got to rotate for two years on the NBC Sunday Mystery movie with the top-ranked Columbo and the lesser McCloud and MacMillan and Wife.
I have a quote from Boone on Hec Ramsey, too: "Hec Ramsey is Paladin, except older and fatter." Ha. Self-deprecating.
I always seem to forget about Hec Ramsey and the fact that Richard Boone not only did movies like Big Jake and TV movies like Goodnight My Love in the early seventies, but signed up for this TV series(albeit limited episodes per year.) He was BUSY. So busy that he could turn down the villain role in The Sting after it was offered multiple times.
I've read some interesting things about Boone and Hec Ramsey. Though he still officially lived in Hawaii, Boone rented a Hollywood home to make the series. His next door neighbor was Redd Foxx, who saw Boone moving in and said "there goes the neighborhood!" Ha.
Hec Ramsey was produced by Jack "Dragnet" Webb who was inspired by Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid to make the series. But wait: Webb said he "had no interest in those villains" Butch and Sundance(they were punk criminals to him) -- he wanted to make a show about the lawman who pursued them. That kinda sorta led to Hec Ramsey.
Word is that ratings were good but that Webb shut down production when Boone authorized an episode that had "the occult" in it.
I was a big Richard Boone fan but I never watched Hec Ramsey much. I wasn't home when it was on, or was at home and forgot WHEN it was on -- I really should catch up with it some time.
reply
share
Lacecap (19)
7 years ago
I could only find one episode on YouTube and nothing else anywhere else. If you are more successful than I have been, I would love to know. I enjoyed the one I saw and want more!
reply
share
ecarle (14979)
7 years ago
I could only find one episode on YouTube and nothing else anywhere else. If you are more successful than I have been, I would love to know. I enjoyed the one I saw and want more!
---
"They're out there somewhere."
I looked at one on YouTube, too. Boone is very, commandingly Boone-like, but I must admit after having seen him in big budget movies like Hombre, The Kremlin Letter, and Big Jake, he seemed a bit "hemmed in" by the usual TV series production values.
Meant more as fact that gossip, a man who directed Boone on both HGWT and Hec Ramsey -- Andrew McLaglen -- said that when he caught up with Boone on Hec Ramsey he found him a more tired and listless man than on the earlier show. Said McLaglen, "I think he was more into the bottle by then."
THAT said, all sorts of directors and actors said that even if Boone was visibly drinking on set during his final movies and TV shows "it never got in the way of his knowing his lines and giving a performance."
Sort of like all those British stage actors, I guess...
reply
share
Lacecap (19)
7 years ago
Hemmed in...I hadn't thought of that until you mentioned it. Good point...
reply
share
PlatinumScreen (221)
7 years ago
Word is that ratings were good but that Webb shut down production when Boone authorized an episode that had "the occult" in it.
Wow. I've never heard this. Outside of HGWT, Boone just couldn't catch a break on TV, could he? I wonder if this destroyed Boone and Webb's long friendship.
reply
share
ecarle (14979)
7 years ago
Word is that ratings were good but that Webb shut down production when Boone authorized an episode that had "the occult" in it.
Wow. I've never heard this.
---
I read this in the comprehensive David Rothel biography, so I'm banking on it. ( A lot of my trivia material on Boone is from that book, I found it a wonderfully intimate portrait of a "one level down" sort of star -- he was still an interesting man.)
---
Outside of HGWT, Boone just couldn't catch a break on TV, could he?
---
I guess not. The Richard Boone Show seemed pre-set to be cancelled by the suits; and Webb's strong influence undercut Boone's flamboyance on Hec Ramsey. And, evidently, led to the show's end.
Perhaps Boone was smart to pass on Hawaii 5-0.
---
I wonder if this destroyed Boone and Webb's long friendship.
---
It sure sounds like a good reason -- for BOONE to end it. But if Webb had some pre-set "Code" that forbade occult stories and Boone pushed him...well...
I might add that various Hollywood types were always trying to cast Jack Webb in their productions. They wanted him for Dean Wormer for Animal House, for instance. Webb always said no -- by then, he was "hermetically sealed" with his own production company turning out very successful, very distinctive product. (Dragnet, Adam-12, Emergency...)
But one wishes that Webb would have branched out and done some other folks movies.
PS. Boone's co-star on Hec Ramsey was the rather Young Jimmy Stewart-like Rick Lenz, who didn't last very long, but did last long enough to appear with Boone AND Jimmy Stewart in Wayne's final film, The Shootist. But Lenz has no scenes with Boone or Stewart.
reply
share
PlatinumScreen (221)
7 years ago
I read this in the comprehensive David Rothel biography, so I'm banking on it. ( A lot of my trivia material on Boone is from that book, I found it a wonderfully intimate portrait of a "one level down" sort of star -- he was still an interesting man.)
I agree the Rothel book is wonderful, and the style of presenting the information through interviews adds a special layer. It's as if we are eavesdropping on a conversation between the two.
The pictures add a scrapbook-like quality as well which I love.
reply
share
PlatinumScreen (221)
7 years ago
I agree with with ecarle that one had to hear the voice and see Boone move to get the full experience. I read once that he moved like a cat. No doubt that was influenced by his dance training with Martha Graham right after his World War II service. I also agree that he had a smile that warmed his face right up softening every craggy line. I've seen some actors smile, but it's a fake smile that only involved peeling their lips back from their teeth (Rosie O'Donnell does this). Not so with Boone. When he smiled, it was with every square inch of his face and eyes. His smile transformed his man face into one with a boyish quality.
I also agree with Lacecap that Paladin had all those intangible traits that made him attractive. Women love a man who can take care of business, provide them a sense of safety, and treat others well.
Also, as was discussed on another thread with a brilliant point by another poster, the black and white TV experience showcased his features better than color. That's another part of his appeal I believe.
reply
share