Bower was born on January 3, 1938. He grew up in Denver, Colorado, where he tried to pursue a career as a professional athlete. He participated in track and field and played basketball, baseball and golf. When he failed to achieve success in this field, he decided to devote himself to acting, which he had previously treated as a casual hobby. So he started studying at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. He was in the same group with Robert Redford.
He first worked on a film set in “Shadows” by John Cassavetes in 1957. He also learned acting under the director's supervision. However, he soon returned to Denver, where he got married and started a family. To support his loved ones, he took up various jobs. He eventually moved to Boston and worked there for 15 years as a private investigator.
In 1972, he was cast in the play “The Basic Training of Pavlo Hummel”, in which he appeared alongside Al Pacino. Then he decided to devote himself to acting. He received guest roles on the television series “The Rockford Files” and “Kojak”and then joined the cast of “The Waltons.”
Over the years, Bower has appeared on the small and big screen. He played, among others, in “Beverly Hills Cop 2”, “Die Hard 2”“Nixon”, “Pollock”, “Land of Eternal Happiness” and “El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie” and the series “Murder She Wrote”, “Miami Vice” and “Fighting Goliath”.
Bower died in his sleep. He left behind two children, four grandchildren and siblings. His second wife, Ursula, with whom he spent 51 years, passed away in August 2023. According to their relatives, the couple did not spend a single day apart from their wedding day until her death.