Daniel Hale Rowan
Encyclopedia
Daniel Hale "Dan" Rowan (July 22, 1922 - September 22, 1987) was an American comedian. He was featured in the television show Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In
, where he played straight man
to Dick Martin
.
train near the small town of Beggs, Oklahoma
, under the name of "Daniel Hale David", Rowan toured with his parents, Oscar and Nellie David, who performed a singing and dancing act with the carnival. He was orphaned at age 11, spent four years at the McClelland Home in Pueblo, Colorado
, then was taken in by a foster family at age 16 and enrolled in Central High School (Pueblo, Colorado)
.
After graduating from high school in 1940, he hitchhiked to Los Angeles, California
, and found a job in the mailroom at Paramount Pictures
, quickly ingratiating himself with studio head Buddy DeSylva. A year later he became Paramount's youngest staff writer.
, Rowan served as a fighter pilot
in the United States Army Air Forces
. He flew Curtiss P-40
Warhawk fighters and shot down two Japanese aircraft before he was downed and seriously wounded over New Guinea
. His military decorations include the Distinguished Flying Cross with Oak Leaf Cluster
, the Air Medal
, and the Purple Heart
.
After his discharge, Rowan returned to California where he teamed with Dick Martin
and started a comedy night-club act. The team had appeared on television before but it was not until the success of a summer special in 1967 that they found fame on Laugh-In.
first-runner-up Phyllis J. Mathis and had three children: Thomas Patrick, Mary Ann, and Christie Esther. He and Mathis were later divorced. In 1963, Rowan married Australian model Adriana Van Ballegooyen. They divorced eight years later. In 1974, he married model and TV spokeswoman Joanna Young, and remained married until his death. His daughter Mary was briefly married to Peter Lawford
. His son Tom Rowan is an entertainment lawyer.
, which led him to becoming insulin dependent. He died of lymphoma
in 1987 in Siesta Key, Florida
.
In 1986, a book of letters written between himself and author John D. MacDonald
was published entitled A Friendship: The Letters of Dan Rowan and John D. MacDonald, 1967-1974.
Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In
Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In is an American sketch comedy television program which ran for 140 episodes from January 22, 1968, to May 14, 1973. It was hosted by comedians Dan Rowan and Dick Martin and was broadcast over NBC...
, where he played straight man
Double act
A double act, also known as a comedy duo, is a comic pairing in which humor is derived from the uneven relationship between two partners, usually of the same gender, age, ethnic origin and profession, but drastically different personalities or behavior...
to Dick Martin
Dick Martin (comedian)
Thomas Richard "Dick" Martin was an American comedian and director, best known for his role as the cohost of the sketch comedy program Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In from 1968 to 1973.-Early life and career:...
.
Early life and career
Born on a carnivalTraveling carnival
A traveling carnival is an amusement show that may be made up of amusement rides, food vendors, merchandise vendors, games of chance and skill, thrill acts, animal acts or sideshow curiosities. A traveling carnival is not set up at a permanent location, like an amusement park, but is moved from...
train near the small town of Beggs, Oklahoma
Beggs, Oklahoma
Beggs is a city in Okmulgee County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 1,364 at the 2000 census. Beggs was named for C.H. Beggs, vice president of the St. Louis-San Francisco Railway.-Geography:...
, under the name of "Daniel Hale David", Rowan toured with his parents, Oscar and Nellie David, who performed a singing and dancing act with the carnival. He was orphaned at age 11, spent four years at the McClelland Home in Pueblo, Colorado
Pueblo, Colorado
Pueblo is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and the most populous city of Pueblo County, Colorado, United States. The population was 106,595 in 2010 census, making it the 246th most populous city in the United States....
, then was taken in by a foster family at age 16 and enrolled in Central High School (Pueblo, Colorado)
Central High School (Pueblo, Colorado)
Central High School is one of seven public high schools located in Pueblo, Colorado. The high school was the second for the city of Puebloand was founded in 1881. It is the only high school to have two Medal Of Honor recipients, William J. Crawford and Carl L...
.
After graduating from high school in 1940, he hitchhiked to Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
, and found a job in the mailroom at Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American film production and distribution company, located at 5555 Melrose Avenue in Hollywood. Founded in 1912 and currently owned by media conglomerate Viacom, it is America's oldest existing film studio; it is also the last major film studio still...
, quickly ingratiating himself with studio head Buddy DeSylva. A year later he became Paramount's youngest staff writer.
World War II
During World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Rowan served as a fighter pilot
Fighter pilot
A fighter pilot is a military aviator trained in air-to-air combat while piloting a fighter aircraft . Fighter pilots undergo specialized training in aerial warfare and dogfighting...
in the United States Army Air Forces
United States Army Air Forces
The United States Army Air Forces was the military aviation arm of the United States of America during and immediately after World War II, and the direct predecessor of the United States Air Force....
. He flew Curtiss P-40
Curtiss P-40
The Curtiss P-40 Warhawk was an American single-engine, single-seat, all-metal fighter and ground attack aircraft that first flew in 1938. The P-40 design was a modification of the previous Curtiss P-36 Hawk which reduced development time and enabled a rapid entry into production and operational...
Warhawk fighters and shot down two Japanese aircraft before he was downed and seriously wounded over New Guinea
New Guinea
New Guinea is the world's second largest island, after Greenland, covering a land area of 786,000 km2. Located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, it lies geographically to the east of the Malay Archipelago, with which it is sometimes included as part of a greater Indo-Australian Archipelago...
. His military decorations include the Distinguished Flying Cross with Oak Leaf Cluster
Oak leaf cluster
An oak leaf cluster is a common device which is placed on U.S. Army and Air Force awards and decorations to denote those who have received more than one bestowal of a particular decoration. The number of oak leaf clusters typically indicates the number of subsequent awards of the decoration...
, the Air Medal
Air Medal
The Air Medal is a military decoration of the United States. The award was created in 1942, and is awarded for meritorious achievement while participating in aerial flight.-Criteria:...
, and the Purple Heart
Purple Heart
The Purple Heart is a United States military decoration awarded in the name of the President to those who have been wounded or killed while serving on or after April 5, 1917 with the U.S. military. The National Purple Heart Hall of Honor is located in New Windsor, New York...
.
Comedy team
Dick Martin (comedian)
Thomas Richard "Dick" Martin was an American comedian and director, best known for his role as the cohost of the sketch comedy program Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In from 1968 to 1973.-Early life and career:...
and started a comedy night-club act. The team had appeared on television before but it was not until the success of a summer special in 1967 that they found fame on Laugh-In.
Personal life
In 1946, Rowan married the 1945 Miss AmericaMiss America
The Miss America pageant is a long-standing competition which awards scholarships to young women from the 50 states plus the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands...
first-runner-up Phyllis J. Mathis and had three children: Thomas Patrick, Mary Ann, and Christie Esther. He and Mathis were later divorced. In 1963, Rowan married Australian model Adriana Van Ballegooyen. They divorced eight years later. In 1974, he married model and TV spokeswoman Joanna Young, and remained married until his death. His daughter Mary was briefly married to Peter Lawford
Peter Lawford
Peter Sydney Ernest Aylen , better known as Peter Lawford, was an English-American actor.He was a member of the "Rat Pack", and brother-in-law to US President John F. Kennedy, perhaps more noted in later years for his off-screen activities as a celebrity than for his acting...
. His son Tom Rowan is an entertainment lawyer.
Later years and death
Rowan retired and spent the remainder of his years between his residence in Florida and his barge in the canals of France. In his 40s he was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetesDiabetes mellitus type 1
Diabetes mellitus type 1 is a form of diabetes mellitus that results from autoimmune destruction of insulin-producing beta cells of the pancreas. The subsequent lack of insulin leads to increased blood and urine glucose...
, which led him to becoming insulin dependent. He died of lymphoma
Lymphoma
Lymphoma is a cancer in the lymphatic cells of the immune system. Typically, lymphomas present as a solid tumor of lymphoid cells. Treatment might involve chemotherapy and in some cases radiotherapy and/or bone marrow transplantation, and can be curable depending on the histology, type, and stage...
in 1987 in Siesta Key, Florida
Siesta Key, Florida
Siesta Key is a barrier island off the central western coast of Florida in the United States of America. It is situated between Sarasota Bay and the Gulf of Mexico. A portion of it lies within the city boundary of Sarasota, but the majority of the key is a census-designated place in Sarasota County...
.
In 1986, a book of letters written between himself and author John D. MacDonald
John D. MacDonald
John Dann MacDonald was an American crime and suspense novelist and short story writer.MacDonald was a prolific author of crime and suspense novels, many of them set in his adopted home of Florida...
was published entitled A Friendship: The Letters of Dan Rowan and John D. MacDonald, 1967-1974.