Bob Booker
TV Producer/Writer Bob Booker (8/1/31-7/12/24) passed away at his home in Tiburon, California on July 12th, surrounded by family. Best known for the Grammy Award-winning album “The First Family,” Booker spent 75 years working in television, radio and film. In 1963, he co-wrote and produced “The First Family,” a groundbreaking lampoon of President John F. Kennedy and his family. The album became the largest and fastest selling record in the history of the record industry, winning the Grammy for Best Album that year. Booker went on to write and produce sixteen other comedy albums, including “When You’re in Love the Whole World is Jewish” (1965), “Al Tijuana & His Jewish Brass” (1966), and “Out of the Closet” (1977).
Booker wrote and produced over 400 television episodes including the “NBC Follies” with Sammy Davis Jr., “The Paul Lynde Halloween Special” (1976), “50 Years of Country Music,” Christmas Gold,” “Cotton Club,” “Out of This World,” and “Foul-Ups, Bleeps and Blunders.” He established an extensive comedy videotape library that he marketed globally for decades.
Born in Jacksonville, Florida, Booker made his start at the radio station WINZ AM in Miami in 1958. In his afternoon-drive slot, he interviewed top entertainers of the time, including Jack Benny, Connie Francis, Nat Cole, Eartha Kitt and Frank Sinatra. He moved to New York City in 1960 and hit it big with the “First Family” album in 1963. He also resided in New York, London, Los Angeles and Carmel, calling them all home.
During the final days of his life, Bob continued to work on a variety of projects, following his grandfather’s advice that one should “never retire.” He recently finished a soon to be published memoir entitled “Behind the Scenes in Hollywood.”
He is survived by his wife of 55 years, Barbara Noonan Booker, daughters Laura Booker (SJ Dodd) and Courtney Wilkins (Dennis), and four grandchildren, Emma, Jack, Lucy and Charlie. His humor and kindness will be missed by so many friends around the world. A celebration of his life will be announced shortly.
The family would like to thank By the Bay Health, Jun, Rose and Colleen for their extraordinary care.