Aldrich Bowker (January 1, 1875 – March 21, 1947) was an American stage- and film actor.[citation needed]
Biography
Bowker was born in Ashby, Massachusetts. He graduated from Fitchburg High School. His debut came in Boston in a stage adaptation of The Christian, by Hall Caine.
He was a long-time stage performer in Chicago and Cincinnati, and in summer stock at amusement park Whalom Park in Lunenburg, Massachusetts. Bowker was a pioneer in “open air” theatre at Whalom Park and at his summer home in Ashburnham, where other performers were frequent guests, including Ainsworth Arnold and Bette Davis.[citation needed]
Between 1912 and 1938 he was active on Broadway. Notable stage plays he performed in were The High Road (1912), A Night in Avignon (1919), You Can’t Take It With You (1936) and 200 Were Chosen (1936).
Between 1939 and 1942 he appeared in about 25 films,[citation needed] including Ball of Fire (1941).
Bowker died at Patton State Hospital in San Bernardino, California, from arteriosclerosis and senility.
Partial filmography
Nancy Drew… Trouble Shooter (1939) – Matt Brandon
Waterfront (1939) – Father Dunn
Torchy Blane… Playing with Dynamite (1939) – Judge Hershey
These Glamour Girls (1939) – Charlie – the Counterman (uncredited)
Everybody’s Hobby (1939) – Uncle Bert Leslie
Angels Wash Their Faces (1939) – Turnkey
No Place to Go (1939) – Heffernan
Pride of the Blue Grass (1939) – Judge
On Dress Parade (1939) – Father Ryan
Joe and Ethel Turp Call on the President (1939) – Mike O’Brien
Abe Lincoln in Illinois (1940) – Judge Bowling Green
It All Came True (1940) – Father McDuffy (uncredited)
Those Were the Days! (1940) – Judge Squire Jennings
Susan and God (1940) – Patrick
Jennie (1940) – Dr. Hildebrand
Romance of the Rio Grande (1940) – Padre Martinez
Meet John Doe (1941) – Pop Dwyer (uncredited)
Pot o’ Gold (1941) – Judge Mike Murray (uncredited)
The Wagons Roll at Night (1941) – Mr. Williams
Love Crazy (1941) – Jimmy – the Doorman (uncredited)
Ball of Fire (1941) – Justice of the Peace
I Was Framed (1942) – Dr. Phillip Black
Mississippi Gambler (1942) – Judd Higgins – Mississippi Newspaper Editor
The Major and the Minor (1942) – Reverend Doyle
I Married a Witch (1942) – Justice of the Peace (final film role)
External Links
Actor Aldrich Bowker – Wikipedia
