ROWAN, DAN (1922-1987)Comedian and actor Dan Rowan, born on July 22, 1922, in Beggs, Oklahoma, gained prominence in American popular culture during a stint as co-host of the television series Laugh-In (1968-72). Laugh-In featured fast-paced comedy skits interlaced with go-go dancers and a late 1960s "flower power" motif that often satirized hippie culture. Rowan played the "straight man" to the empty-headed character of Dick Martin and was the more sardonic of the two. He was also the executive producer of the show from 1972 to 1973. Rowan made notable television appearances on The Andy Williams Show (1962), The Love Boat (1977), and Fantasy Island (1978). As an actor, Rowan began very early in life, playing a minor role at age fourteen in Undersea Kingdom (1936). However, he never achieved the success in films that he enjoyed on Laugh-In. Dan Rowan died on September 22, 1987, at Englewood, Florida. SEE ALSO: FILM IMAGES OF OKLAHOMA, OKLAHOMA AND HOLLYWOOD. BIBLIOGRAPHY: Ruth Hallilwell and John Walker, Halliwell's Filmgoer's and Video Viewer's Companion (New York: Harper Collins, 1993). Hugh W. Foley, Jr. © Oklahoma Historical Society |