She gained additional acting experience with the Pittsburgh Little Theatre, where Ben Iden Payne was the director.

[5] Universal executives declined to pick up Rowles's option after her first year, attributing the decision to her right eye, which she said was slightly smaller than the left as a result of a childhood injury.

She worked as a freelance actress, including making a film with Gene Autry, but then decided that she could put her dramatic training to better use on stage, so she headed east to Broadway.

[9] Television work included soap opera characters in roles on The Nurses, Somerset, and The Edge of Night.

[11] She also appeared as Vera Charles in the original Broadway production of Auntie Mame (1956–1958)[12] with Rosalind Russell in the title role.