Pat Boone

Performer / Host


The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation Presents

02:26

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About
About this interview

In his two-and-a-half-hour interview, Pat Boone describes his upbringing in Nashville and how winning a local singing contest led him to successful appearances on both Ted Mack's Original Amateur Hour and on Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts. Boone details his success as a singer and how at 20 years old he became television's youngest host of a hit musical variety show, The Pat Boone Chevy Showroom. He discusses how he refused to represent products on the show that he did not personally use or recommend, and recalls the difficulties he encountered from sponsors and Southern television stations when he attempted to book African American guests on his show. Boone also talks about his television specials and speaks about his two subsequent television programs: The Pat Boone Show and Pat Boone in Hollywood. He shares tales of some of his favorite performances and guest stars, explains what it was like to sing on stage immediately following Elvis Presley, and divulges the impetus behind his surprisingly successful heavy metal album. Stephen J. Abramson conducted the interview on September 10, 2010 in Boone's home in Los Angeles, CA.

All views expressed by interviewees are theirs alone and not necessarily those of the Television Academy.

"I have always been unafraid to accept a challenge and confident that somehow I could handle it. So stepping in front of the camera -- I'd already had so much experience in Nashville singing for every group there was, just being very extemporaneous and never having a script. So I could walk in front of a TV camera and just be myself.  And it made me a natural kind of a host. I wasn't stilted. I didn't need cue cards. I could introduce people. I could introduce my own stuff. I could sing. I could even do a commercial." 

People Talking About ...
Highlights
Pat Boone on his wholesome image
01:18
Pat Boone on the time that Elvis Presley opened for him
03:22
Pat Boone on singing in public and becoming known as "Blue Moon Boone"
03:03
Pat Boone on rock and roll and R&B music
09:22
Pat Boone on how he got the nickname "Pat" from his given name Charles
01:05
Full Interview

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Chapter 1

On his childhood and early influences; on singing in church
On his childhood sweetheart/wife, Shirley Foley, daughter of country singer Red Foley, and on how he was influenced by country music
On his path to Ted Mack's Original Amateur Hour
On his work in local Fort Worth, Texas television and radio; on his earliest memories of television
On Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts and the success of his first records
On moving to New York from Texas and on his song selections for Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts; on early brushes with celebrity

Chapter 2

On his wholesome image and logistics of The Pat Boone Chevy Showroom
On guests and rehearsals of The Pat Boone Chevy Showroom
On overseas episodes of The Pat Boone Chevy Showroom
On controversial performances on The Pat Boone Chevy Showroom and his view of race relations
On ending The Pat Boone Chevy Showroom after the third season and doing The Pat Boone Show and Pat Boone in Hollywood

Chapter 3

On performing on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
On his involvement with Christian themed television and books
On his appearance on the 1997 American Music Awards and his heavy metal album
On advice to actors; on his legacy 
Shows

American Music Awards

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Pat Boone on his appearance with Alice Cooper on the 1997 American Music Awards
11:29

Andy Williams Show, The

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Pat Boone on joking with Phil Harris on The Andy Williams Show
00:42

Arthur Godfrey Show, The

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Pat Boone on Arthur Godfrey
08:44

Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts

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Pat Boone on going on Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts
03:21
Pat Boone on Arthur Godfrey
08:44

Ed Sullivan Show, The aka Toast of the Town

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Pat Boone on his love of The Ed Sullivan Show
00:27
Pat Boone on his most frightening moment on television - an appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show
03:08

Original Amateur Hour, The

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Pat Boone on his path to Ted Mack's Original Amateur Hour
09:06
Pat Boone on being disqualified from Original Amateur Hour after winning Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts
03:21

Pat Boone Chevy Showroom, The

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Pat Boone on his show The Pat Boone Chevy Showroom 
53:47

Pat Boone Show, The

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Pat Boone on The Pat Boone Show from LA
02:47

Pat Boone in Hollywood

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Pat Boone on Pat Boone in Hollywood
01:42

Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, The

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Pat Boone on performing on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
07:24
Topics

Fame and Celebrity

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Pat Boone on his first experiences being mobbed by fans
02:38

Pop Culture

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Pat Boone on rock and roll and R&B music
09:22

Representation on Television

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Pat Boone on controversial performances on The Pat Boone Chevy Showroom and his view of race relations
08:03
Pat Boone on problems he got from sponsors when booking African-American performers on The Pat Boone Chevy Showroom
04:06

Rock 'n' Roll on TV (1950s & '60s)

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Pat Boone on rock and roll and R&B music
09:22

Television Industry

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Pat Boone on his first experiences being mobbed by fans
02:38

Underrepresented Voices

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Pat Boone on controversial performances on The Pat Boone Chevy Showroom and his view of race relations
08:03
Pat Boone on problems he got from sponsors when booking African-American performers on The Pat Boone Chevy Showroom
04:06
Professions

Hosts

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Pat Boone on qualities that make him a good host
01:43
Pat Boone on advice for hosting
Genres

Late Night

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Pat Boone on performing on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
07:24

Music Shows & Variety Shows/Specials

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Pat Boone on his path to Ted Mack's Original Amateur Hour
09:06
Pat Boone on going on Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts
03:21
Pat Boone on his show The Pat Boone Chevy Showroom and TV in the 1950s
55:05
People

Andy Williams

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Pat Boone on helping Dick Van Dyke and Andy Williams get their first television hosting gigs
00:26

Ann-Margret

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Pat Boone on Ann-Margret not making it to the second round of Original Amateur Hour
01:28

Arthur Godfrey

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Pat Boone on his impressions of Arthur Godfrey
08:44
Pat Boone on Arthur Godfrey's influence on him as a host
01:54
Pat Boone on his opinion of Arthur Godfrey
01:50

Bing Crosby

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Pat Boone on his musical influences: Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra, Perry Como, Vic Damone and Nat King Cole
00:47
Pat Boone on his admiration for idol Bing Crosby
01:06
Pat Boone on his favorite guests on The Pat Boone Chevy Showroom
01:32

David Letterman

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Pat Boone on the most embarrassing moment of his career - on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson with David Letterman guest hosting
02:51

Dick Clark

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Pat Boone on his appearance with Alice Cooper on the 1997 American Music Awards and his heavy metal album
07:37

Dick Van Dyke

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Pat Boone on helping Dick Van Dyke and Andy Williams get their first television hosting gigs
00:59

Doc Severinsen

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Pat Boone on milking a cow in front of Johnny Carson
01:43

Doris Day

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Pat Boone on his first professional record, a song also recorded by Frank Sinatra and Doris Day, among others
01:38

Ella Fitzgerald

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Pat Boone on his favorite guests on The Pat Boone Chevy Showroom
02:16

Elvis Presley

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Pat Boone on the time that Elvis Presley opened for him
03:22

Frank Sinatra

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Pat Boone on his musical influences: Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra, Perry Como, Vic Damone and Nat King Cole
00:47
Pat Boone on his first professional record, a song also recorded by Frank Sinatra and Doris Day, among others
01:38

Fred de Cordova

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Pat Boone on the most embarrassing moment of his career - on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
02:51

Harry Belafonte

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Pat Boone on the difficulties of booking African-American artists on The Pat Boone Chevy Showroom
03:12

Johnny Carson

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Pat Boone on performing on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
02:50
Pat Boone on milking a cow in front of Johnny Carson
01:43

Johnny Mathis

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Pat Boone on his controversial performance with Johnny Mathis on The Pat Boone Chevy Showroom
02:37

Larry Gelbart

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Pat Boone on his writers on The Pat Boone Chevy Showroom - Larry Gelbart and Woody Allen
01:37

Marilyn Monroe

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Pat Boone on turning down a movie with Marilyn Monroe because he felt it was immoral 
01:05

Nat King Cole

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Pat Boone on his musical influences: Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra, Perry Como, Vic Damone and Nat King Cole
00:47

Ozzy Osbourne

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Pat Boone on his friendship with Ozzy Osbourne
01:26

Perry Como

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Pat Boone on his musical influences: Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra, Perry Como, Vic Damone and Nat King Cole
00:47
Pat Boone on being wary of taking over Perry Como's timeslot and having Chesterfield cigarettes or Schlitz beer as the sponsor
02:11

Phil Harris

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Pat Boone on joking with Phil Harris on The Andy Williams Show
00:42

Richard Pryor

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Pat Boone on giving Richard Pryor his first television break on The Pat Boone Show 
00:24

Sammy Davis, Jr.

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Pat Boone on his favorite guests on The Pat Boone Chevy Showroom
02:16

Vic Damone

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Pat Boone on his musical influences: Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra, Perry Como, Vic Damone and Nat King Cole
00:47

Woody Allen

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Pat Boone on his writers on The Pat Boone Chevy Showroom - Woody Allen and Larry Gelbart
01:37

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