Roger Bowen
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Roger Wendell Bowen (May 25, 1932 – February 16, 1996) was an American comedic actor and novelist, best known for his portrayal of Lt. Col. Henry Blake in the 1970 film '' M*A*S*H''. Bowen considered himself a writer who only moonlighted as an actor. He wrote eleven novels (including ''Just Like a Movie'') as well as sketches for Broadway and television. He was also one of the co-founders of Chicago's comedy and acting troupe
The Second City The Second City is an improvisational comedy enterprise. It is the oldest improvisational theater troupe to be continuously based in Chicago, with training programs and live theaters in Toronto and New York. Since its debut in 1959, it has b ...
.


Life and career

A native of
Providence, Rhode Island Providence () is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Rhode Island, most populous city of the U.S. state of Rhode Island. The county seat of Providence County, Rhode Island, Providence County, it is o ...
, Bowen majored in English at
Brown University Brown University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Providence, Rhode Island, United States. It is the List of colonial colleges, seventh-oldest institution of higher education in the US, founded in 1764 as the ' ...
, then attended graduate school at the
University of Chicago The University of Chicago (UChicago, Chicago, or UChi) is a Private university, private research university in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Its main campus is in the Hyde Park, Chicago, Hyde Park neighborhood on Chicago's South Side, Chic ...
. While writing theater reviews for '' The Chicago Maroon'', he was asked to pen material for an improvisational troupe that included Alan Arkin and
Mike Nichols Mike Nichols (born Igor Mikhail Peschkowsky; November 6, 1931 – November 19, 2014) was an American film and theatre director and comedian. He worked across a range of genres and had an aptitude for getting the best out of actors regardless of ...
. The troupe, Compass Players, evolved into
The Second City The Second City is an improvisational comedy enterprise. It is the oldest improvisational theater troupe to be continuously based in Chicago, with training programs and live theaters in Toronto and New York. Since its debut in 1959, it has b ...
. Bowen spent most of the 1960s playing "preppie" types on a number of TV & radio
commercials A television advertisement (also called a commercial, spot, break, advert, or ad) is a span of television programming produced and paid for by an organization. It conveys a message promoting, and aiming to market, a product, service or idea. ...
. His first film role was 1968's '' Petulia'', but his big movie break came in 1970 when he landed the role of Lieutenant Colonel Henry Blake in
Robert Altman Robert Bernard Altman ( ; February 20, 1925 – November 20, 2006) was an American film director, screenwriter, and film producer, producer. He is considered an enduring figure from the New Hollywood era, known for directing subversive and sat ...
's film '' M*A*S*H''. Bowen had in fact served in the U.S. Army in Korea, albeit after the
Korean War The Korean War (25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953) was an armed conflict on the Korean Peninsula fought between North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea; DPRK) and South Korea (Republic of Korea; ROK) and their allies. North Korea was s ...
had ended. (After serving in Japan as a Special Agent in the Counter Intelligence Corps (441st CIC Detachment – Beppu Field Office) from 1957–58, Bowen was sent to the 308th CIC Detachment in
Seoul, South Korea Seoul, officially Seoul Special Metropolitan City, is the capital city, capital and largest city of South Korea. The broader Seoul Metropolitan Area, encompassing Seoul, Gyeonggi Province and Incheon, emerged as the world's List of cities b ...
in 1958.) After ''M*A*S*H'', Bowen returned to television and gained a fan following as Hamilton Majors Jr., the pleasantly snooty Ivy League CEO of Continental Flange and supportive boss of Herschel Bernardi on the TV sitcom '' Arnie'' (1970–72). He then joined the cast of '' The Brian Keith Show'', and returned to TV commercials and smaller movie roles. In 1976, Bowen appeared in the TV parody film ''
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'', doing a convincing
Henry Kissinger Henry Alfred Kissinger (May 27, 1923 – November 29, 2023) was an American diplomat and political scientist who served as the 56th United States secretary of state from 1973 to 1977 and the 7th National Security Advisor (United States), natio ...
impersonation that he was often asked to perform at parties around Hollywood. (The film featured a galaxy of comic stars including
Chevy Chase Cornelius Crane "Chevy" Chase (; born October 8, 1943) is an American comedian, actor, and writer. He became the breakout cast member in the first season of ''Saturday Night Live'' (1975–1976), where his recurring ''Weekend Update'' segment b ...
, John Candy,
Howard Hesseman Howard Hesseman (February 27, 1940 – January 29, 2022) was an American actor known for his television roles as burned-out disc jockey Dr. Johnny Fever on '' WKRP in Cincinnati'' and the lead role of history teacher Charlie Moore on '' Head ...
and Joe Flaherty, but Bowen received top billing as the others were still relatively unknown at the time.) Bowen also played minor roles in such films as '' Heaven Can Wait'' (1978), '' The Main Event'' (1979) and '' Zapped!'' (1982). Bowen was a tournament chess player who participated in several events in the 1970s. In the early 1980s, Bowen enjoyed another round of weekly TV work with recurring roles on '' House Calls'' (starring former ''M*A*S*H'' sitcom alumnus
Wayne Rogers William Wayne McMillan Rogers III (April 7, 1933 – December 31, 2015) was an American actor, known for playing the role of Captain "Trapper" John McIntyre in the CBS television series '' M*A*S*H'' and as Dr. Charley Michaels on '' House Call ...
), ''At Ease'', and '' Maggie Briggs''. He made his final credited film appearance in the 1991 comedy '' What About Bob?'' starring
Bill Murray William James Murray (born September 21, 1950) is an American actor and comedian, known for his deadpan delivery in roles ranging from studio comedies to independent dramas. He has received List of awards and nominations received by Bill Murra ...
and
Richard Dreyfuss Richard Stephen Dreyfuss ( ; Dreyfus; born October 29, 1947) is an American actor. He emerged from the New Hollywood wave of American cinema, finding fame with a succession of leading man parts in the 1970s. He has received an Academy Award, a ...
.


Personal life

Bowen met and married the Bronx-raised Ann Raim, in Chicago. After they moved to San Francisco, Ann formed the ''Pitschel Players'', an improvisational comedy group, and directed the group of political and social satirists, that played for ten years, performing with
Country Joe McDonald Joseph Allen "Country Joe" McDonald (born January 1, 1942) is an American singer, songwriter and musician who was the lead vocalist of the 1960s psychedelic rock group Country Joe and the Fish.Richard Brenneman"Country Joe McDonald Revives Anti ...
, at
Episcopal Church of St. John the Evangelist, San Francisco The Episcopal Church of St. John the Evangelist, San Francisco, is the third oldest Church (building), church in the Episcopal Church in the United States, Episcopal Episcopal Diocese of California, Diocese of California. Founded during the Gold ...
, on weekends at the Intersection for the Arts and other venues in San Francisco and the
Bay Area The San Francisco Bay Area, commonly known as the Bay Area, is a region of California surrounding and including San Francisco Bay, and anchored by the cities of Oakland, San Francisco, and San Jose. The Association of Bay Area Governments ...
. The Pitschel Players included Paul Willson, John Pray, Robin Menken, John Bailey, James Carroll Pickett III, Gene Babo (musical director) and Edie McClurg (beginning 1975). In 1974, producer
Joe Roth Joseph Emanuel Roth (born June 13, 1948) is an American film executive, producer and director. He co-founded Morgan Creek Entertainment in 1988 and was chairman of 20th Century Fox (1989–1993), Caravan Pictures (1993–1994), and Walt Dis ...
and the Pitschel Players relocated to Los Angeles. Soon after 11 November 1973, Roth and Bowen leased 8162 Melrose Avenue, as the ''Pitschel Players Cabaret'', which was the former ''Ash Grove'' nightclub site, and the later L.A. Improv.
Al Franken Alan Stuart Franken (born May 21, 1951) is an American politician, comedian, and actor who served from 2009 to 2018 as a United States senator from Minnesota. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, he worked as an ...
and Tom Davis performed at the ''Pitschel Players Cabaret''. David Lander and
Michael McKean Michael John McKean (; born October 17, 1947) is an American actor, comedian, screenwriter, composer, singer, and musician. Over his career he has received a Grammy Award as well as nominations for an Academy Award and a Primetime Emmy Award. ...
" moonlighted" by performing at the ''Pitschel Players Cabaret''. The ''Pitschel Players'' appeared in 1977's '' Cracking Up''. In 1980, Bowen and Ann moved back to New York. Bowen died of a heart attack at the age of 63 while on vacation in Marathon, Florida. His death came one day after that of
McLean Stevenson Edgar McLean Stevenson Jr. (November 14, 1927 – February 15, 1996) was an American actor and comedian. He is best known for his role as Lieutenant Colonel Henry Blake in the television series '' M*A*S*H'', which earned him a Golden Globe Awa ...
, who played Blake for the first three seasons of the ''M*A*S*H'' television series. (Stevenson also died from a heart attack; because of this strange coincidence, Bowen's family did not make the news of his death public until a week afterward in an attempt to minimize any confusion over the two actors and their obituaries.)


Filmography


Bibliography

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References


External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Bowen, Roger 1932 births 1996 deaths 20th-century American comedians 20th-century American male actors 20th-century American male writers 20th-century American novelists Male actors from Providence, Rhode Island American male comedians American male film actors American male novelists American male television actors Brown University alumni Military personnel from Rhode Island United States Army personnel of the Korean War United States Army soldiers University of Chicago alumni Writers from Providence, Rhode Island Comedians from Rhode Island