Kenny in the 1960s

February 10, 2011

Perhaps I can shed some light on Kenny Bowers' activities during the early '60s. Kenny came to Chicago to work in advertising. He lived in a small apartment in a converted town house on Lake Shore Drive. The building is still there (undoubtably condos) although Kenny obviously is not.

I don't know how successful he was in his quest to establish a career. He made friends with a number of Chicago ad people and was a fixture at popular Near-North watering holes. He had a tendency to find a line or schtick and beat it to death. One of his favorites was "They tried to sell us egg foo young" to the tune of "They Tried to Tell Us We're Too Young". The one time when he couldn't rely on his tried and true routines was an encounter at the lakefront with Pat McCormick (prior to Pat's move to Los Angeles). Those of us who were there will probably never forget the hilarity as the two of them challenged each other with improvised comedy using nothing more than the lake as inspiration.

I was saddened to read of his death. In spite of his oversized ego, Kenny was a kind and gentle person.

Judi Freedman

Pat McCormick
(1927 – 2005)

Pat McCormick was an actor and comedy writer known for playing Big Enos Burdette in Smokey and the Bandit and its two sequels. He wrote for Red Skelton, Phyllis Diller and Johnny Carson as well as for shows including Get Smart. McCormick had a distinctive appearance being 6' 7" tall, weighing 250 pounds and having a walrus moustache.

One More Small Clue

December 14, 2010

Our favorite contributor and detective, Harry Lash, has been at it again. This time, he has discovered that Kenny was living in Weehawken, New Jersey, at the time of his death in 1991. Harry pulled this information from someone at The Actors' Fund. It is still hard to understand how Kenny could disappear from the public records after 1960. His life, up to that time, was so much in the news. We will continue to add information on those years, 1960 to 1991. It is important to know the full story. Those of us who care about this talented man want his full story to be known.

Obituary Finally Located by Harry Lash

September 9, 2010

Harry Lash succeeded in locating Kenny Bowers' obituary in the New York Times of July 26, 1991. While it offers no new information, it confirms that he died in New York City on July 18, 1991. Our sincere appreciation goes to Harry for his determination. I think this makes him a candidate for the PBS series History Detectives. In the meantime, we continue to search for information on Kenny after 1960. Having worked in show business for over thirty years, it seems likely Kenny Bowers continued in that field in one way or another. We take a lesson from Harry's efforts. We will keep searching.

Actress Pat Carroll Recalls Kenny Bowers

July 26, 2010

I cannot tell you with what surprise and pleasure I received your letter of July 15th concerning Kenny Bowers and the tribute you and your cohorts are working on for him.

I never saw Kenny again after we closed up shop on “Six on a Honeymoon” which was cast from New York. I cannot tell you whether we rehearsed there or at The Lake Club in Springfield, Illinois. It was a real road house run by Mafia boys, who took delight in throwing lit firecrackers on stage while David Le Grant and I were doing a number! I remember calling Herb Ross, our director, as soon as we got off stage, shaking with fright. Herb came to the club in a flash, pinned the chaps up against a wall and read the riot act. After that, they were sheer angels!

When we opened at The Blackhawk in Chicago, the waiters would ask customers, “How do you want your steak… win, place, or show?” The bar business increased a thousand fold, for there was a change booth on stage and the drinkers got an extra show! Sometimes, we had to change in an elevator in the hall, so if someone pushed for the car, we missed our cues. The stage was the dance floor, rather a make-do performing space, but everyone seemed to enjoy our presentation and we were content.

Kenny Bowers had a ragamuffin clown face, much like Joe E. Brown’s. He had an elfin personality, and a lot of healthy ego, almost impish. I can’t remember any specifics about him, but I never had any untoward contretemps with the chap, I have a most pleasant memory of our working together. I am sorry he disappeared off the radar, but that seems the very nature of our profession, doesn’t it? How grand that you gentlemen are working so hard to see that Kenny gets his just due. I am sorry my contribution could not be more of what you want and need, but if it be of any value at all, I shall be content.

Thank you, also, for your most kind words about my work over the years. I have enjoyed every second of every minute, and even at 83, occasionally do voice-overs and personal appearances. What fun! My very best wishes to you and your admirable cohorts.

Sincerely yours,
Pat Carroll

Pat Carroll

Pat Carroll appeared with Kenny Bowers in the musical review Six on a Honeymoon at the Black Hawk Club in Chicago in 1952.

Pat is a stage and screen actress and a brilliant comedienne. She has appeared in numerous television shows including recurring roles on The Carol Burnett Show, and as herself on many game shows including Family Feud Challenge, Match Game, and $20,000 Pyramid.

Her recent film appearances include the 2007 productions Nancy Drew, and The Freedom Writers. She was the voice of "Morgana" in the Disney production The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea.

Beautiful Color Photograph from Harry Lash

July 18, 2010

Kenny Bowers Fan Club member, Harry Lash, sent us the photograph of Kenny at the right. Harry is a genealogist and also retouches and repairs old photographs. His colorization of the studio photograph of Kenny is beautifully and skillfully done. Thanks, Harry.

Confirmation regarding Kenny on "Light Time"

July 12, 2010

We received several documents from Joel Thoreson, Chief Archivist at the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Archives, regarding the National Lutheran Council production Light Time. Kenny Bowers did appear in occasional Light Time episodes, at least in its first season. Kenny Bowers seems to have been replaced as the sidekick by Tom Williams for the second and third seasons. All of the hiring of actors was handled by the production company, Fred A. Niles Productions, Inc., rather than by the National Lutheran Council.

MGM Biographical Information on Kenny Bowers

July 2, 2010

Dexter de Sah sent us a four-page biographical form that was completed by Kenny for MGM on November 23, 1942. It contains information that we did not previously know about Kenny and is in him own words. This is exciting news! This also demonstrates that this web site is not a static biography of Kenny Bowers, but an evolving story of a very gifted performer and sensitive human being. It has now become a truly collaborative project by people across the country who remember him and care about his story. Thank you, Dexter.

Doppleganger

July 1, 2010

Thanks to Jim Downey who sent several links to articles about Kenny Bowers in Billboard. Some were dated in the 1970s and looked promising. Jim wrote, "According to the October 12, 1974 edition of Billboard, Kenny performed with 'Cuzzin Sipe,' who was 'coming on strong as a leading country comedian.'

We were very excited and began to follow this lead. However, this reference turned out to be about a different Kenny Bowers who performed as a country comedian in Springfield, Illinois as late as 2004. Jim did direct us to a photograph of "our" Kenny Bowers that we had not seen before.

Fan Shares Studio Portrait of Kenny Bowers

Hollywood - June 22, 2010

Thanks to Dexter de Sah for sharing this beautiful studio portrait of Kenny. It is exciting to hear from other fans of Kenny and even more exciting when they share information or images with us. Each time that happens, we expand our knowledge of Kenny's career and grow to appreciate his unique talent.

A typed message on the back of the photograph reads:
"Juvenile Comedian....Buffoonery is Kenny Bower's forte, but he sings, dances, and plays the clarinet and drums too. While in high school in Jersey City, N.J., touseled-haired Kenny orgainzed a swing band and alternated horn tooting with soda jerking. He made his stage debut in "Best Foot Forward" and his screen bow in Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's Technicolor version of that New York stage success. Just 20, Kenny is now playing in his second movie, another Techincolor spectacle, "Broadway Rhythm," which features George Murphy and Ginny Simms." The photograph is stamped "ORIGINAL" and is dated August 24, 1943.

To view Dexter de Sah on IMDB Click Here

Fan Locates Kenny's Grave

Pennsylvania - June 16, 2010

Thanks to Harry Lash, a geneologist in Pennsylvania, for sharing the location of Kenny Bower's grave. This was exciting news. Kenny is buried at Kensico Cemetery in Valhalla, New York. The grave is located in The Actors Fund plot. The grave marker indicates he is buried next to another stage actor, Wilfred Reynier (1852-1928). Thanks to Harry's skills as a geneologist, we now have another piece of the puzzle. The grave marker indicates Kenny was born in 1924. But, other sources put his birth as 1923. We have not yet determined which date is correct, but 1923 seems more likely.

Donate to The Actors Fund in Kenny's Memory

When we discovered that Kenny Bowers was buried in The Actors Fund plot at Kensico Cemetery, we decided to make a link from the Kenny Bowers Fan Club site so it is easy to contribute to the organization that does so much for people in the entertainment business. We think Kenny would have approved. For links and a printable form CLICK HERE.

Graduated from Memorial High School
in West New York, New Jersey - 1941

Jersey City, New Jersey - June 22, 2010

Thanks to John Beekman, a reference librarian in Jersey City, we have more information on Kenny's youth in New Jersey.

John wrote: According to a newspaper article (The Jersey Journal) from Oct. 17, 1941 about the former embroidery factory worker (Hofmann Embroidery Works) now starring on Broadway, Bowers "graduated from Memorial High School in West New York last January." It seems, then, that the Bowers left Jersey City for West New York sometime after 1930. The article states that he "now" lives in Union City, and the 1943 phone book lists a K. Bowers at 402 21st St.

John Beekman
New Jersey Room
Jersey City Free Public Library