Bob Booker (writer)

Template:Bob Booker Bob Booker (born August 1, 1931) is an American writer and producer of television shows and record albums, best known for the 1962 album The First Family produced with Earle Doud and starring Vaughn Meader, a parody of President Kennedy and his family which remained at #1 on the Billboard 200 for 12 weeks and won a Grammy for Best Album of the Year in 1963.

Booker was born in Jacksonville, Florida and graduated from high school at age 16, landing his first job as a local radio DJ. Soon, a new television station went on the air and at age 18, Booker was hired and quickly became a jack-of-all trades: TV host, news anchor, weatherman, camera operator, set builder, film editor, program producer and director. His dream was to work in New York City, but first he decided to join the army (actually, they came and got him — old joke). After two years in the army, he had a 6 month plan to get to New York which took him 5 years. He moonlighted as a talent agent and became station manager of WIVY in Jacksonville.

In 1958 Booker was hired by Miami’s WINZ radio for their afternoon drive slot. He ingratiated himself with all the top entertainers who frequented the popular winter vacation spot through one-on-one interviews. Celebrities like Jack Benny, Nat Cole, Martha Ray, Andy Williams, Ray Charles, Mort Sahl, Ava Gardner, Gloria DeHaven, Sinatra - many became lifelong friends. He also did on-air duties at two local TV stations, hosting weekend shows, but he still wanted to work in New York. So in 1960 he made the biggest decision in his life. Booker gave notice to all his employers, thanking him for the great opportunities and said goodbye to Miami, always a firm believer in “getting out on top”.

Booker relocated to NYC and learned it wasn’t easy to jump start a career in the Big Apple — an MCA agent got him exactly one TV pilot host gig in one year that went nowhere. He called himself a starving writer and hung out with other starving writers, including Pat McCormick (who later wrote for Johnny Carson). He made friends with Earle Doud and began some writing projects, including a series of gag record greeting cards, an article for Playboy magazine and their ultimate brainchild: a comedy album spoofing the President of the United States.

Booker and Doud cast Vaughn Meader who they saw on a TV talent show as JFK and Naomi Brossart as Jackie. Along with other talent, they cut a demo record. Booker worked part time for 1010 WINS Radio and had contacts in the music industry, so the duo made their first pitch to Capitol Records. After hearing the demo, the executive and friend of Booker, says: “I wouldn’t touch it with a ten foot pole!” Dejected, the two consider other labels and end up at ABC Records who likes it and refers them to ABC President, Leonard Goldenson. He passes, but suggests a small label, Cadence Records. Owner Archie Bleyer green lights the idea and Booked and Doud ink a record deal.

On October 22, 1963, The First Family is recorded at Fine Studios in New York City, ironically at the same moment that President Kennedy announces the naval blockade of Soviet Union ships traveling to Cuba, prompting the Cuban Missile Crisis. Once the crisis is over, Booker and Doud devise a simple plan to market their record: radio airplay. So when the first albums are delivered to Cadence, the two immediately go to the most popular DJ in NYC, Stan Z. Burns at WINS. Burns loves the record and The First Family is the only record he plays for his entire three hour shift. The WINS switchboard lights up with callers — listeners, news outlets and competing radio stations — all wanting the new record. Booker and Doud, who came armed with a handful of records, travel around the city, dropping off albums to numerous radio stations. Booker remembers it best: “Lightning had struck...we were in the right place at the right time.” It would become the fastest selling album in record history.

Arthur Schlesinger, Assistant to the President, nearly crashed his car when he first heard an album cut on the radio: Reporter: What do you think the chances are for a Jewish president? Meader: Well, I think they’re pretty good. Let me say, I don’t see why a person of the Jewish faith can’t be President of the United States. I know as a Catholic I could never vote for him, but other than that...

Booker and Doud produced a second First Family album in the spring of 1963. After Kennedy was assassinated in November, all unsold albums were pulled out of stores and destroyed. The producers did not want to appear profiting from the President’s death.

Booker continued to produce albums with George Foster, including the very successful 1965 album You Don’t Have To Be Jewish and When You’re In Love, the Whole World is Jewish. He produced 16 comedy albums from 1962 to 1977. For Booker, the albums were more or less a hobby.

Booker wrote for the Garry Moore Show during the late 1960’s and also contributed to the Ed Sullivan Show as well as other variety programs. When Hollywood came calling, he relocated to Los Angeles and worked in the motion picture industry for a few years. He returned to television and produced numerous TV shows from the 1970’s to the 1990’s including The NBC Follies, Fifty Years of Country Music and partnered with Burt Reynolds and produced two network pilot specials: Cotton Club '75 and The Wayne Newton Special. In 1977, Paramount hired him to create television specials to promote their feature film releases American Hot Wax, Foul Play and Grease. Booker created the NBC teen fantasy sitcom Out of This World starring Maureen Flannigan and Donna Pescow. He produced numerous “outtake” shows and established an extensive comedy videotape library for his shows Foul Ups, Bleeps & Blunders with Don Rickles and Steve Lawrence, Comedy Break and The Hit Squad. He would continue to market the TV library globally for decades.

Booker is retired and lives in Northern California with his wife of 50 years, Barbara Noonan Booker. They have two children and four grandchildren.