Ward Bond was one of the greatest character actors. He and John Wayne first met when they played on the USC Trojan football team in 1925 and 26. A knee injury ended Waynes (Morrison at the time) career, killing his aspirations to play professional ball. John Ford cast the entire team for a football film as extras. Ford took an instant liking to both Bond and Wayne and began casting them as either extras, stuntmen, or bit players in his movies. In short time Wayne and Bond emerged from stuntmen/extra status to increasingly bigger roles. Waynes role as Ringo Kid in Stagecoach sealed his stardom, but his best friend Bonds emergence was more gradual. Overtime he secured his space as one of the greatest American character actors of the Golden Age. John Ford and Ward Bond made 25 films together. John Wayne and Bond made 23. Boond was usually cast as the rugged, quiet, no nonsense man with a heart of gold underneath. He branched out into more than just westerns. You can see him in such films as Gone With the Wind, Quiet Man, Maltese Falcon,, The Searchers, Its a Wonderful Life aand many others. He was in 11 films that won the Best Picture Oscar. This is believed to be the most ever by any actor/actress. Ward Bond later went on to star as Captain Seth Adams on the very popular Wagon Train from 1957-1960. Sadly, he died of a massive heart attack as he was negotiating a 4th season in 1960. Bond was only 57 years old. I like to think that Duke, Ford and Bond are still making great westerns somewhere.
Posted on: Sat, 27 Dec 2014 16:45:26 +0000
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