Jim Bowen facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jim Bowen
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Bowen in 2008
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| Born |
Peter Williams
20 August 1937 Heswall, Cheshire, England
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| Died | 14 March 2018 (aged 80) Melling-with-Wrayton, Lancashire, England
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| Other names | James Brown Whittaker |
| Occupation | Stand-up comedian, presenter, radio presenter, TV personality, actor |
| Years active | 1971–2014 |
| Television | Bullseye (1981–1995) The Comedians (1971–1993) |
| Spouse(s) |
Phyllis Owen
(m. 1959) |
| Children | 2 |
| Military career | |
| Allegiance |  United Kingdom |
| Service/ |
Royal Army Ordnance Corps |
| Years of service | 1955–1957 |
Jim Bowen was a famous English comedian and TV star. He was born Peter Williams on August 20, 1937, and later became known as Jim Bowen. He sadly passed away on March 14, 2018.
He was best known for hosting the popular ITV game show Bullseye. He presented the show from when it started in 1981 until its original run ended in 1995.
Before becoming a full-time comedian, Jim Bowen worked as a teacher. He first appeared on TV in a show called The Comedians in 1971. After Bullseye, he also worked on radio and performed his comedy shows live.
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Jim Bowen's Early Life
Jim Bowen was born in Heswall, Wirral, Cheshire. He was adopted as a baby by Joe and Annie Whittaker. They were a working-class couple from Clayton-le-Moors, Lancashire.
He grew up in Clayton-le-Moors, near Accrington. His adoptive father, Joe, was a bricklayer. His mother, Annie, worked as a weaver. Jim went to Accrington Grammar School.
After school, he worked as a dustman for a short time. He later changed his name to James Whittaker.
Serving in the Army and Becoming a Teacher
From 1955 to 1957, Jim Bowen served in the Royal Army Ordnance Corps. He was an ammunition inspector. After his time in the army, he became a Physical Education teacher.
He specialized in gymnastics. Jim studied at Chester Diocesan Training College. He eventually became a deputy headmaster at Caton Primary School near Lancaster.
Jim Bowen on Television
While he was teaching, Jim Bowen joined a local drama group. This made him interested in show business. In the 1960s, he started working as a part-time comedian. He performed in clubs in northern England.
He balanced his comedy with his teaching job. Jim decided to become a full-time comedian after seeing Ken Dodd perform. He chose his stage name, Bowen, from his wife's maiden name, Owen. He added the first letter of his mother's maiden name, Brown.
His big break came in 1971 with Granada TV’s The Comedians. This show helped him become a full-time entertainer.
Other TV Appearances
After The Comedians, Jim Bowen appeared in other TV shows. He was in Last of the Summer Wine as a library attendant. He also appeared on Granada's The Wheeltappers and Shunters Social Club.
He starred in two series of a children's sketch show called You Must Be Joking. This was in 1975 and 1976. Jim also acted in TV dramas and comedies.
In 1981, he played "Dad" in a TV play by Victoria Wood. He also appeared in Muck and Brass in 1982. Later, he guest-starred in Jonathan Creek and Phoenix Nights. He played Frank "Hoss" Cartwright in Phoenix Nights. In 2005, he was in Peter Kay's music video for "Is This the Way to Amarillo?".
Hosting Bullseye
In 1981, Jim Bowen became the host of a new ITV game show called Bullseye. The show combined general knowledge questions with darts. It quickly became very popular on Sunday evenings.
Bullseye often had 15 to 20 million viewers. It sometimes even had more viewers than popular TV dramas. The show ran for fourteen years. Jim Bowen was the presenter for the entire run.
His darts commentator was Tony Green. Jim Bowen became famous for his catchphrases on the show. He would tell contestants that if they gambled and lost, they would only get their "BFH: Bus Fare Home". He also had a saying about darts: "Keep out of the black and in the red; nothing in this game for two in a bed." When contestants lost a gamble, he always asked them to "look at what you could have won."
Radio and Stage Work
In 1999, Jim Bowen started presenting on BBC Radio Lancashire. He worked there for three years. On August 27, 2012, he reunited with Sally Naden for a special show on the station.
In 2009, Bowen returned to radio. He presented a mid-morning show on 106.6 Indigo FM in Cumbria.
In 2005, Jim Bowen performed a solo show at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. It was about Bullseye and was called "You Can't Beat a Bit of Bully". He returned to Edinburgh in 2006 for more performances.
Jim Bowen's Personal Life
In 1959, Jim Bowen married his colleague, Phyllis Owen. She supported him throughout his career. She would drive him to his shows. Phyllis was with him when he passed away.
The couple lived in Melling-with-Wrayton near Lancaster. They had two children, a son named Peter and a daughter named Susan. Jim Bowen was a big fan of Blackburn Rovers Football Club.
Jim Bowen once owned Arkholme for Kirkby Lonsdale railway station. He turned the main station building into his private home.
Health and Passing Away
In early 2011, Jim Bowen had two mild strokes. He was recovering in the Royal Lancaster Infirmary. Before these strokes, he performed on cruise ships and gave speeches.
By 2012, he was getting better and could move around more. He even started performing his stage show again. However, he had a third stroke in November 2014. This stroke made it hard for him to walk and talk. Jim Bowen passed away at home on March 14, 2018, at the age of 80.
Images for kids
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Bowen in 2008
