Lee Bowman

Lee Bowman (December 28, 1914 – December 25, 1979) was an American film and television actor whose career spanned the golden age of Hollywood and the early days of broadcast media. Born in Cincinnati, Ohio, he initially pursued a legal education at the University of Cincinnati before abandoning it to study at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, a decision that led him to Hollywood in the mid‑1930s. After a brief stint as a radio singer and stage performer, he made his screen debut in I Met Him in Paris (1937) and subsequently worked for Paramount, RKO and MGM, appearing in notable wartime dramas such as Bataan (1943) and romantic comedies like Cover Girl (1944) alongside Rita Hayworth. The shortage of leading men during World War II gave Bowman a boost, and his performance in The Impatient Years (1944) earned him the reputation of a “hot commodity” in Hollywood, though he never fully broke away from supporting female stars. In addition to his film work, Bowman was a prolific radio actor, famously originating the role of Lucille Ball’s husband in the audition program for My Favorite Husband (1948), a precursor to the legendary I Love Lucy series. Transitioning to television in the 1950s, he succeeded Richard Hart as the second television Ellery Queen and hosted the short‑lived game show What’s Going On? (1954), while also guest‑starring in popular series such as The Fugitive. Beyond entertainment, Bowman became a pioneer in political media training, advising Republican representatives in the late 1960s and serving as master of ceremonies for the 1968 and 1972 Republican conventions. From 1974 until his death, he chaired the Kingstree Group, an international consulting firm that refined the “conversational” approach to public speaking still used by business and political leaders today. He died of a heart attack in Brentwood, Los Angeles, on Christmas Day 1979, three days shy of his 65th birthday, leaving behind his wife Helene Rosson Bowman, a son who continued his consulting legacy, and a stepdaughter from his wife’s earlier marriage.