Occupation Writer Name William Bowers | Role Reporter | |
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Born 1916 Las Cruces, New Mexico, United States Died March 27, 1987, Woodland Hills, California, United States Spouse Marjorie Bowers (m. ?–1987) Nominations Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay Movies The Gunfighter, Support Your Local Sheriff!, The Sheepman, The Godfather Part II, The Law and Jake Wade Similar People Burt Kennedy, Andre de Toth, George Marshall, James Edward Grant, Robert Parrish | ||
William Bowers (January 17, 1916 in Las Cruces – March 27, 1987 in Woodland Hills, California) was a reporter in Long Beach, California and Life magazine reporter before becoming a screenwriter. He specialized in writing comedy westerns, and also turned out several thrillers.
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Career
Bowers' first play was Where Do We Go From Here?' that ran for 15 performances in 1968His first credited screenplay was My Favorite Spy in 1942.
During World War II Bowers served in the United States Army Air Forces where he met Arch Hall Sr.. Bowers later wrote a screenplay based on his experiences, The Last Time I Saw Archie, where Jack Webb played Bowers. A play he wrote entitled West of Tomorrow was filmed as Jungle Patrol.
In 1950 he was Oscar nominated for the gritty Gregory Peck Western, The Gunfighter. After this his career noticeably picked up, leading to such assignments as the remake of My Man Godfrey in 1957 and The Sheepman in 1958 (a second Oscar nomination).
Bowers produced the last film that he wrote, the Western parody Support Your Local Sheriff! (1969). He also had a bit part as an actor in The Godfather Part II (1974).