Charlie Boone

2001 Charter Inductee

Although a star in his own right, Charlie Boone is perhaps best remembered as half of one of the most successful partnerships in Minnesota radio. Born August 21, 1927, in Rutland, Vermont, and raised in New London, Connecticut, he served in the U.S. Army Air Corps from 1945 to 1948, then spent several years with the San Francisco Repertory Theatre before his first job in radio at KWAD Wadena in 1954. After a year at KVOR Colorado Springs, Colorado, he moved to KFGO Fargo, North Dakota, in 1956, hosted "Boone in the Afternoon," and was scheduled to emcee the ill-fated Buddy Holly concert in February 1959.

In July 1959 he joined WCCO Minneapolis/Saint Paul, hosting a late afternoon show as the station’s first disc jockey, playing records instead of introducing a live orchestra. “The first thing I did on July 15, 1959, was introduce Cedric Adams on the ‘Noon News.'"

Boone’s natural curiosity made him a great interviewer and soon he began chatting and trading jokes on the air with Roger Erickson, who hosted the show just before his. It took a couple years and a lot of prodding by sponsor Miracle White laundry bleach, but in 1961, they formed one of the most popular radio partnerships in America, a union that lasted 37 years. The show put Charlie’s skills in acting, voices, and dialects to good use. Together they created a program that defined Minnesota as they poked fun at politicians, lampooned current events, and parodied old radio shows. One of their most popular bits was “Minnesota Hospital,” billed as “the best place to get sick in.” Although the show ended in 1998, Boone continued to do a Saturday morning program on WCCO until his last show, December 18, 2010. After radio he remained active as a volunteer, recording talking books for the blind and supporting numerous other organizations and events in the community.

Charlie Boone passed away November 22, 2015, at the age of 88.