Towey served in the Army during the Vietnam War and was stationed for a time in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Prior to entering the Army he attended Saint John's University in Collegeville, Minnesota and subsequently moved to Chicago to attend the Goodman School of Drama at the Art Institute of Chicago (now at DePaul University).
Towey served in the Army during the Vietnam War and was stationed temporarily in San Juan, Puerto Rico. He previously attended Saint John's University in Minnesota before moving to Chicago to attend the Goodman School of Drama at the Art Institute of Chicago (now part of DePaul University).