What is John Archer's full name?
Ralph Bowman
John Archer nickname(s):
Ralph Bowman, John Archer
John Archer date of birth:
May 8, 1915
How old was John Archer when died?
84
Where was John Archer born?
Osceola, Nebraska, United States
When did John Archer die?
December 3, 1999
What is John Archer nationality?
American
Where did John Archer go to school?
Hollywood High
Where did John Archer go to university?
University of Southern California
What is John Archer's occupation?
Film, television, stage actor
Short Biography
Born Ralph Bowman, the future film and TV star moved to California with his family when he was five; he attended Hollywood High and the University of Southern California. He first set his sights on a job behind the camera, taking a cinematography course at USC, but then couldn't even land an entry-level position. He later drifted into acting, on stage at the Ben Bard Playhouse and in serials at Universal and Republic. He then entered a radio contest, "Jesse Lasky's Gateway to Hollywood", where aspiring actors competed for a studio contract. The top prize, an RKO contract made out in the name of "John Archer", was won by Bowman after 13 weeks of competition (edging out Hugh Beaumont for the prize and the "Archer" name). The actor quips, "I went from being a Bowman to an Archer!" He has four children, two by wife number one Marjorie Lord (one of whom is Anne Archer) and two by his second wife Ann Leddy (whom he married in 1956).