Eunetta Boone Brought Plenty of Laughs to TV before Her Death at 63

Eunetta Boone slipped to her death at 63 and left behind a legacy of laughter on television. She was a pioneer among African American television writers and producers whose knack for storytelling translated to successful television shows.

In March 2019, news outlets reported the death of Eunetta Boone. Though her name may not ring a bell to many, she was a woman worth celebrating for her contributions as a writer for television.

SHE WAS A PIONEER

At the time of Boone’s death, she was an executive producer for Disney’s “Raven’s Home” which stars Raven Symone. A special tribute by the actress spoke of the 63-year-old as a “pioneer and an inspiration to everyone she met.” The former child star added, “She was a masterful storyteller, an empathetic leader and a beacon of light to so many.”

Boone worked for NBC’s “Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” and Fox’s “Roc,” "Living Single,” and “Lush Life."

For those who’ve worked with Boone, who began her career as a sports writer, they will also remember her for her vivacious personality, throaty laugh, and quick wit. Moreover, she was a mentor to aspiring African American writers.

After “One on One” ended, she took a break from television and shifted to teaching screenwriting at UCLA Extension.

In fact, Boone was one of the pioneer writers for African American sitcoms. She worked for NBC’s “Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” and Fox’s “Roc,” Living Single,” and “Lush Life.”

Her other credits include “The Parent ‘Hood,” and the two hit shows she co-executive produced simultaneously, “The Hughleys,” and “My Wife and Kids.” She was also responsible for the creation of the father-daughter comedy “One on One” which ran for five years from 2001 to 2006.

SHE WAS A MENTOR

Though she flourished in her career as a writer and television producer, Boone spread her wings further by sharing her talent with others. After “One on One” ended, she took a break from television and shifted to teaching screenwriting at UCLA Extension.

However, television drew her back last year when she returned to “Raven’s Home” as a full-time executive producer. She had previously worked for the show as a consultant. It proved to be her final show.

“As a young woman, she loved to take a train to New York and make a weekend of it. As a child, in a store, she would run to the book department and read a book.”

Boone died of a heart attack. She was discovered unresponsive in her Los Angeles home in Marina Del Rey on the morning of March 20. The Washington DC native is survived by her mother, Eunice Taylor, sister Regina Ward, and two nieces.

“She not only knew how to enter a room, she could fill it with laughter.”

SHE PURSUED HER PASSIONS

Ward says Boone was always interested in “play and entertainment.” She fondly remembers her sister as a woman who sought her passions.

“As a young woman, she loved to take a train to New York and make a weekend of it. As a child, in a store, she would run to the book department and read a book,” Ward told The Baltimore Sun.

SHE WAS A GREAT STORYTELLER

Meanwhile, Boone’s former editor at The Evening Sun, Michael Davis admired her for her knack in storytelling.

"Eunetta likely emerged from the womb spinning stories for the delivery doc and the nurses,” he said. “She not only knew how to enter a room, she could fill it with laughter.”

Davis adds that Boone was so intelligent, inquisitive, and driven that “people in the Baltimore sports orbit didn't know quite how to respond to her.”

“They had never encountered anyone quite like her. … She had an interviewing style that was hers alone.”

SHE WILL BE MISSED

Boone worked for The Evening Sun for six years. It was her first job. Probably realizing she had a knack for comedy, she decided to shift careers after that and enrolled in a Warner Bros. Comedy Writing Workshop. This led to her prosperous writing career that spanned almost three decades.

Boone will definitely be missed in the industry. However, her shows will continue to remind us of the woman she was and the inspiration she still is.