Margaret Bowman (February 14, 1928–August 13, 2018) was an American actress.

Margaret Bowman
Born(1928-02-14)February 14, 1928
DiedAugust 13, 2018(2018-08-13) (aged 90)
Humble, Texas, United States
OccupationActor
Years active1989–2018

Career

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Bowman's early career included musical theater in Nashville, Tennessee and Stages Repertory Theater in Houston, Texas. A method actor, she first took acting classes at her local YMCA while in her 50s, when she "decided to reinvent" herself after spending the first part of her adult life as a homemaker. She later was accepted into the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in Pasadena, California.[1][2]

Bowman was primarily a character actor for film and television. Her first on-screen role was "Mrs. Flora Hawkins" in The Fulfillment of Mary Gray (1989). Between 1989 and 2019, Bowman primarily appeared in bit roles, such as, "Old Nanny" in three episodes of A Woman of Independent Means (1995), and as "Fat Lady" in The Lone Ranger (2013). Bowman would spend her free time observing people and inventing backstories for the characters she imagined they were, saying, "If you want to be a good character actor, you have to observe the people around you." In 1995, Bowman was cast by Tommy Lee Jones in the TNT TV movie The Good Old Boys, as "an old woman, Mrs. Faversham, whose mind has gone." Jones, who had a reputation for being cantankerous, called her work "exquisite."[2]

One of her most notable roles was as the "T-Bone Waitress" in the critically acclaimed film Hell or High Water (2016). Bowman said she "had the character in mind before [she] even auditioned," basing it partly on her favorite waitress and partly on her own mother, who "waited tables to support herself, her mother and three daughters" and "then I came along and waited tables to support my family many years ago, so I know what it's like to stand all day and have your back hurt and your feet hurt." In an interview with the Houston Chronicle, the newspaper described her performance as "scene-stealing." The Los Angeles Times said, "She may be an unnamed waitress in Hell or High Water's diner scene but, boy, does she leave an impression."[3] Actor Michael McKean said, "it's one of the most hilarious scenes on film this year. There's an actress named Margaret Bowman, who had a bit part in Waiting for Guffman. But in this, she just nails the world's worst dragon waitress. You just fall in love with her. She has one little scene and she kind of steals the picture."[2]

Personal life

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Bowman raised six children with her husband, Jay, to whom she was married for 68 years.[2][4]

She sang bass in a barbershop quartet for "many years."[5]

Filmography

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Year Title Role Notes
1989 Dream Date Woman in Hotel Room TV movie
The Fulfillment of Mary Gray Mrs. Flora Hawkins TV movie
1990 The Hot Spot Woman at Gas Station Film
1991 Hard Promises Walt's Mom Film
Final Verdict Neighbor TV movie
1992 Leap of Faith Woman with Cherries Hat Film
Unsolved Mysteries Dorothy Lang Episode #5.12, playing the mother of Matthew McConaughey's character[6]
Simple Men Nurse Louise Film
1993 A Perfect World Trick 'r Treat Lady Film
Ned Blessing: The Story of My Life and Times Episode: "A Ghost Story"
1995 In the Name of Love: A Texas Tragedy Landlady TV movie
Walker, Texas Ranger Wife Episode: "Case Closed"
The Good Old Boys Mrs. Faversham TV movie
A Woman of Independent Means Old Nanny TV Miniseries - 3 episodes
1996 Waiting for Guffman Costumer Designer Film
1999 A Slipping-Down Life Mrs. Harrison Film
2007 No Country for Old Men Del Rio Motel Clerk Film
2009 Night Nurse Hospital Orderly Short
2010 Chase Greta Episode: "Repo"
2011 Bernie Townsperson Film
2012 Dallas Miss Henderson Episode: "The Last Hurrah"
2013 The Lone Ranger Fat Lady Film
2015 Lost in the Sun Ivy Film
2016 Longmire Ethel Episode: "Pure Peckinpah"
Hell or High Water T-Bone Waitress Film
2019 Trading Paint Martha (as Margaret A. Bowman) Film

References

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  1. ^ Chen, Wei-Huan (September 16, 2016). "For local actress Margaret Bowman, every character has a backstory". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved December 20, 2022.
  2. ^ a b c d "Hell or High Water — An Interview with Actress Margaret Bowman". FOX 5 San Diego. January 27, 2017. Retrieved December 20, 2022.
  3. ^ Rosen, Lisa (December 22, 2016). "Actors making the most of the role, no matter its size". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved December 20, 2022.
  4. ^ "The Casting Society of America". www.castingsociety.com. Retrieved December 20, 2022.
  5. ^ "The Casting Society of America". www.castingsociety.com. Retrieved December 20, 2022.
  6. ^ "The Casting Society of America". www.castingsociety.com. Retrieved December 20, 2022.
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