Silent film actor and cartoonist. Supposedly kidnapped by the circus at age 6, he became an accomplished tightrope walker before returning home two years later. He held all sorts of random jobs, including various circus jobs, theatrical work and bronco busting. Bowers eventually took charge of the entire Mutt and Jeff series of cartoons for Pathe-Freres and Bud Fisher Film Corp., personally writing, producing, directing, and often animating several hundred cartoons. In 1926, Bowers moved onto live-action filmmaking, and had invented a photographic process and camera by which he could accomplish stop-motion-based special effects. His character, often a foolish ne’er-do-well or eccentric inventor, was modeled after the standards, Chaplin and Keaton. He made twelve two-reel comedies from 1926 to 1927, most of them released through R-C Pictures. In 1928, he followed with six more released through Educational Pictures. Unfortunately, Bowers is almost completely forgotten today, though his films are thought of as some of the most astounding of his day. Four of the live action shorts were rediscovered not too long ago. “A Wild Roomer,”(1926) “Egged On,”(1926) “Now You Tell One”(1926) and “There It Is,”(1928) He wrote and illustrated children’s books in his later years. For eight years during the 1930s he lived in Wayne, N.J., and drew cartoons for the ‘Jersey Journal until his death.  (bio by: Terrance Crooms)