Trigger warning: This article contains a reference to the death of a person.
Grammy Award-winning writer and producer Bob Booker died on July 12 at the age of 92. According to Deadline, his daughter Laura Booker reported that Booker died of a heart attack at his home in Tiburon, California. Booker was a popular name who worked in television, radio, movies and the recording industry for 75 years.
Bob Booker, Grammy-winning TV producer and writer, dies at 92
Booker was popular for his Grammy Award-winning album, The First Family. Booker co-wrote and co-produced The First Family (1963), a parody of President John F. Kennedy and his family, starring Vaughn Meader alongside his partner Earle Doud.
Who was Bob Booker?
Early life and career
Booker was born in Jacksonville, Florida on August 1, 1931. He was hired at the age of eighteen to work as a TV host, news anchor, meteorologist, camera operator, program producer, and director for a newly opened television station. Booker moved to New York City in 1960 and made a living by writing an article for Playboy magazine and creating a series of humorous record greeting cards.
First Family – The Success of Bob Booker
However, he achieved his breakthrough in 1963 with The First Family album. The album became the fastest-selling and best-selling album of all time, selling one million copies every week for the first six weeks. Eventually selling 7.5 million copies, the album became the fastest-selling and best-selling record in record industry history. Later in the year, The First Family won a Grammy for Best Album.
Booker’s Career Path
Booker wrote and produced over 400 television episodes, including 50 Years of Country Music, Christmas Gold, NBC Follies with Sammy Davis, Jr., the cult classic The Paul Lynde Halloween Special (1976), Cotton Club, and Comedy Break – where Ellen DeGeneres and other rising 80s comedians got their television starts.
Booker wrote and produced sixteen more comedy albums, such as Al Tijuana and His Jewish Brass (1966), Out of the Closet (1977), and When You’re in Love the Whole World is Jewish (1966).
Bob Booker and George Foster
George Foster and Booker later teamed up and wrote the screenplay for a cult film called The Finks (1970). Booker and George Foster also collaborated on further albums, such as 1965’s hugely popular You Don’t Have to Be Jewish and When You’re in Love, the Whole World Is Jewish. They released 16 comedy albums between 1962 and 1967.
Booker is now survived by his wife, two daughters and four grandchildren.
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