Biography for
Pat Boone (I) More at IMDbPro »

Date of Birth

1 June 1934, Jacksonville, Florida, USA

Birth Name

Charles Eugene Patrick Boone

Height

5' 9" (1.75 m)

Mini Biography

Actor, singer, author and songwriter ("Exodus") Pat Boone was educated at David Lipscombe College, North Texas State College and Columbia University (from which he received a Bachelor of Science degree). His career in entertainment began when he emceed a teenage talent show on radio and television in Nashville, Tennessee. He won a Ted Mack Original Amateur Hour amateur show, and an Arthur Godfrey Talent Scouts show. His first professional recording was made in 1955, and he joined ASCAP in 1961, with Ernest Gold being his chief musical collaborator. Over the years he has had many hit songs ("Moody River", "Speedy Gonzales", "Bernadine") and appeared in a string of films in the 1950s and 1960s, some successful and some not. His other song compositions include "Lover's Lane" and "The Main Attraction". He has served as a board member of the Northeastern Institute for Christian Education.

IMDb Mini Biography By: frankfob2@yahoo.com

Spouse

Shirley Boone

(7 November 1953 - present) 4 children

Trade Mark

Wearing white buck shoes, his devotion to his Christian faith, country singer.

Trivia

His brother, Nick Boone, also had a popular music career under the name Nick Todd.

Father in law is Red Foley.

Has four daughters: Cherry Boone, Linda Boone, Debby Boone and Laura Boone.

Friends with Tammy Renne Harris, Miss Chicago 1990.

Direct descendent of Daniel Boone.

Cousin of Richard Boone and Randy Boone.

Raised in Denton, Texas, USA.

Attended the University of North Texas.

Boone was heavily criticized in the 1950s, and since, for singing homogenized, sanitized versions of rock-'n'-roll songs written and/or popularized by Afro-American artists. For example, when he recorded Fats Domino's "Ain't That a Shame" (his first big hit) in 1956, he initially insisted upon changing the title to "Isn't That a Shame", feeling that the incorrect grammar of the original title would be a bad influence on young people. He was overruled. On another occasion, at around that same time, he succeeded in removing all of the more suggestive lyrics from his cover of Little Richard's "Long Tall Sally." On that occasion, he changed the original's, "I saw Uncle John with Long Tall Sally,/He saw Aunt Mary comin' and he ducked back in the alley" to, "Long Tall Sally's got a lot on the ball,/And nobody cares if she's long and tall."

Grandfather of Jessica Corbin and Gabi Ferrer.

One of the owners of the American Basketball Association's Oakland Oaks from 1967-69. He sold his interest in the team and it moved to Washington, DC.

Former next door-neighbor of Ozzy Osbourne and Sharon Osbourne. His cover of "Crazy Train" was used as the theme for "The Osbournes" (2002).

His recording of "A Wonderful Time Up There" in 1958 became the first million-selling record with religious lyrics.

Member of the Gospel Hall of Fame.

His 1962 hit song "Speedy Gonzalez" featured the unmistakable vocal impression of Mel Blanc on the recording (Blanc improvised all of his lines).

Singer Roy Orbison was a classmate when both future singers attended North Texas State Coillege.

In each of his cinematographic contracts there was a term specifying that kissing his partner could not be forced on him by the director due to his religious convictions.

In the 1980s Boone owned a television station in Orange County, California, on which he featured a variety of conservative evangelical religious shows and launched the short-lived career of ultra-right-wing talk-show host Wally George. In 2006 Boone penned an article for the arch-conservative political magazine WorldNetDaily in which he argued that Democrats and others who are against the Iraq War cannot, under any circumstances, be considered patriotic. He was later interviewed by Neil Cavuto on Fox News, where he expressed outrage against critics of George W. Bush, especially the Dixie Chicks, saying that their criticisms of the President showed they did not "respect their elders". He wrote another article defending actor Mel Gibson, who is a member of an extremely conservative Catholic denomination, after the actor was recorded unleashing a vicious anti-Semitic tirade while he was being arrested for drunk driving by a police officer he believed to be Jewish (the officer, as it turned out, was a Christian). In early 2007 Boone wrote two articles claiming that the scientific theory of evolution is "absurd," "nonsensical" and a "bankrupt false religion".

He is a staunch supporter of the Republican Party, and campaigned for George W. Bush in the 2000 and 2004 presidential elections.

Actively supported Ronald Reagan's campaigns for Governor of California in 1966 and 1970, as well as his bid to win the Republican nomination in 1976.

In 2006 he and his wife Shirley Boone donated $3 million to Pepperdine University for the Graduate School of Education and Psychology Center for the Family.

Considered running for office in 1968 on a pro-war platform.

He badly wanted to play the lead role in The Sand Pebbles (1966), but director Robert Wise wanted Steve McQueen instead.

He was awarded two Stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Recording at 1731 Vine Street and for Television at 6268 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California.

Personal Quotes

[On why his wife didn't travel with him:] It seemed that my wife [Shirley Boone] was always pregnant until we found out what was causing it.

Where Are They Now

(2007) Appeared on the infomercial, hosted by Pat Riley, Dr. Art Jansik and John Early, for "MDR Vital Factors" bio-protector system. Also appearing are Ron Masak, Tom Dreesen, Lyle Waggoner, Deanna Lund, Carol Connors and 'Joey English'.

(1977) Release of his book, "Pat Boone Devotional Book" by Pat with Dan O'Neill.

(1980) Release of his book, "Pray to Win: God Wants You to Succeed".

(2009) Release of his book, "Questions About God".

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