Originally named Ralph Bowman, he was born in Osceola, Nebraska, and moved to California at five. After Hollywood High School he studied cinematography at USC, aiming for a behind-camera role before shifting to performance. A radio announcing job led to his 1944 turn as Lamont Cranston in The Shadow, and he sharpened his acting at the Ben Bard Playhouse and on Broadway in shows such as The Odds on…
