Ward Bond

Hi Gorch, Thanks...wow, an answer, LOL. I am a Ward Bond freak. He had many surgeries and a lot of physical therapy to allow him to continue his career. I looked many times at that scene and used to be an RN. Can only tell of an inconsistency above the knee. Good docs. Also, if you watch him in the Grand March in Fort Apache, you will see how he lifts the left knee very slightly higher. I don't believe they ever quite got his foot reflex exactly right. I have never been able to find anything specific....just had to get it on my own. Couldn't believe it when I saw the dog rip open THAT pant leg. Harry Carey opens it up but while fighting and not on purpose. Linda did it very much purposefully. Just look at her face when she realizes she is going to get to see what Ward's leg looks like....imagine she was disappointed, LOL. He wore a heavy brace on it for years....why his pants legs are so wide. KP KEITH

He was excellent in China Doll, (not a JW). He broke a bone in his hip and did a whole day's dialogue so that Vic Mature would not miss his plane. If you do scene by scene, when he sits or stands, you can see the pain in his face and how he had to brace himself just to get down to the chair.

Are we talking about Wagon Master? Because Linda Darnell was not in that. It was Jane Darwell who had a look at the torn pant leg.

I love Ward, he was a fine actor in his own right, but he looked so well alongside the Duke

On the first page of the Ward Bond Pals page, there is a newspaper like post that says Ward was born April 9, 1905. Later, he says he died at 47 years old. He was born April 9, 1903. He died in 1960 and was 57.

Thanks for corrections about Linda and Jane in my post. I always get them confused for some reason or other. Will try to find where I can post right after you. I get the posts and answers in my email, but when I try to go to where they are, I haven't figured out yet how to post back to folks, LOL. Thanks again. Yes, Ward looked great next to Duke. But, I think part of that is knowing how very close they were in real life. I suppose you know about the shotgun incident when Duke asked if he could have the shotgun and Ward said, "Over my dead body". And.....he kept his word...left it to Duke in his will. Bet that brought some tears! KP KEITH

Well,it was right above me after I posted. Hmmmm. KP KEITH

Quote from The Irish Duke

I love Ward, he was a fine actor in his own right, but he looked so well alongside the Duke

I agree wholeheartedly! They were buddies, and you could see that (that's why Ward as the bad guy in Tall in the Saddle is such a surprise). It's almost comforting to see Ward Bond alongside Duke.

I think it's almost impossible to love the Duke and not Ward Bond, they work so well together.
As previously mentioned you can see there's a genuine camaraderie between them which comes across. It actually reminds me a lot of the interaction between Errol Flynn and Alan Hale on screen.

One thing recently which made me laugh was watching The Long Voyage Home for the first time. Ward Bond's role in on par with the Duke's in terms of screen time and he turns in a great performance. When you first see the Duke you see this 'lanky' young man with floppy hair yet Ward Bond looks exactly the same as ever!!!
Similar to Sean Connery, he seems to have been born looking like a 'man'!

Pappy Ford was filming, I think, Two Rode Together. He stopped the film and took his plane with Ken Curtis and Dobe Carey to Dallas to pick up the coffin and Ward's wife, Maisie. Pappy didn't talk for days. Ken and Dobe both sang at the funeral. And it was a military funeral with flag drapped coffin and all, (Ward could not serve because of his epilepsy, but I believe he was an Air Raid Warden or something of the sort). Duke choked out a short eulogy. On the way to the enterment, the hearse carrying Ward passed the others up on the expressway. Duke made a comment something to the effect that it was just like Ward to have to be in the lead. Duke learned of Ward's death from Terry Wilson, who was a long time friend. He said, "Hold on......Ward just dropped dead". It is said that the two men cried together as many would in the days to come. If you didn't hate Ward you really loved him, and he returned the emotion. KPKEITH

Quote from Paula

Are we talking about Wagon Master? Because Linda Darnell was not in that. It was Jane Darwell who had a look at the torn pant leg.

Thanks Paula, I answered you somewhere, but didn't know how to answer right at your post. I ALWAYS get their names mixed up. Yes, it was Jane and not Linda.

Thanks again, wish I could get my profile pic to stay on, LOL. KPKEITH

Here's a question for everyone. Everyone pretty much knows which films Duke's character died in, but in which Duke films did Ward's character die in? Off the top of my head I come up with Rio Bravo, Operation Pacific, Fort Apache, and The Long Voyage Home. I guess we can assume that the Chief died in They Were Expendable. Am I missing one. Don't remember his role in Big Trail so that may be another one. And while he was the bad guy who lost out in the end of Tall in The Saddle, I don't remember a mortal wound.

Quote from BatjacAuburn

Here's a question for everyone. Everyone pretty much knows which films Duke's character died in, but in which Duke films did Ward's character die in? Off the top of my head I come up with Rio Bravo, Operation Pacific, Fort Apache, and The Long Voyage Home. I guess we can assume that the Chief died in They Were Expendable. Am I missing one. Don't remember his role in Big Trail so that may be another one. And while he was the bad guy who lost out in the end of Tall in The Saddle, I don't remember a mortal wound.

Hi Batjac, Are you just counting the ones he was in with Duke? He was in 16 with Duke, I believe. He and Pappy Ford did 26 together, and I believe about 210 movies altogether, give or take a few, :). Never mind, I just reread and answered my own question, LOL!

Ward was in 16 movies with Duke and here there are:
Bond made 16 movies with John Wayne; Rio Bravo (1959). The Wings of Eagles (1957), The Searchers (1956), Rookie of the Year (TV drama 1955). Hondo (1953), The Quiet Man (1952), Operation Pacific (1951), Fort Apache (1948), 3 Godfathers (1948), They Were Expendable (1945), Dakota (1945), Tall in the Saddle (1944), The Shepherd of the Hills (1941), The Long Voyage Home (1940), Conflict (1936), and The Big Trail (1930).

I have not seen them all....didn't even know about 2 of them. But maybe someone who has can answer them. Rookie was a TV drama that Ford directed....don't THINK he died in that one.,
Conflict was a boxing movie....don't think he died in that one. Don't know about two others. I think you are correct in 5.....but I always like to think that Ward "crutched" his way leading his men to fight guerilla warfare until
"THEY RETURNED"! Heh, it COULD have happened. Lots of those guys survived. And if anyone did, CPO Boats, (Ward) did, or so I prefer to think, :). Keith

Quote from Hawkswill

Hi Batjac, Are you just counting the ones he was in with Duke? He was in 16 with Duke, I believe. He and Pappy Ford did 26 together, and I believe about 210 movies altogether, give or take a few, :). Never mind, I just reread and answered my own question, LOL!

Ward was in 16 movies with Duke and here there are:
Bond made 16 movies with John Wayne; Rio Bravo (1959). The Wings of Eagles (1957), The Searchers (1956), Rookie of the Year (TV drama 1955). Hondo (1953), The Quiet Man (1952), Operation Pacific (1951), Fort Apache (1948), 3 Godfathers (1948), They Were Expendable (1945), Dakota (1945), Tall in the Saddle (1944), The Shepherd of the Hills (1941), The Long Voyage Home (1940), Conflict (1936), and The Big Trail (1930).

I have not seen them all....didn't even know about 2 of them. But maybe someone who has can answer them. Rookie was a TV drama that Ford directed....don't THINK he died in that one.,
Conflict was a boxing movie....don't think he died in that one. Don't know about two others. I think you are correct in 5.....but I always like to think that Ward "crutched" his way leading his men to fight guerilla warfare until
"THEY RETURNED"! Heh, it COULD have happened. Lots of those guys survived. And if anyone did, CPO Boats, (Ward) did, or so I prefer to think, :). Keith

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There was a thread on the front page last week about the movies that Duke died in and then I watched Rio Bravo over the weekend and it got me to thinking about how many times Ward had died in Duke movies.

I guess we just have to think about CPO Boats like Duke's Captain in Sea Chase. Hope they made it. :^)

Like the way you think BATJAC! Hope things are going well with you and yours! Keith

Weren't they in the TV episode together about baseball? "Flashing Spikes," I believe.

If someone already pointed this out out, please ignore!!

Well, Ethan, seems as if there are 21 titles below in the Archives not 19, one being Amato's goon which was actually A Man Betrayed 1941. Wikepedia, as you say, missed that one, Colter Craven, Born Reckless, Words and Music, College Coach, The Lone Star Ranger 1930, and Salute. Our archives missed Conflict 1936 unless it was under a different name in the archives also. I most certainly should be"whacked up the side the head with a wet noodle" for Colter Craven and Salute! But then, you should never post when you are in a hurry. So, let's see....that means there should be 23 altogether if you put Rookie of the Year 1955 back into the list....or so it seems. It was a TV episode, but then so was Colter Craven, and not certain if the others I am not familiar with were. I DO think I would like to watch Conflict though.

Russ, your Flashing Spikes 1962 with Patrick Wayne in a similar role but Jimmy Stewart in Ward's role as Ward had died two years earlier and a fairly long surprise appearance by Duke cannot be included here, but you are right Tennessean, it was very similar to Rookie of the Year...both directed by Pappy Ford, only the first was, I believe a half hour show and the second a full hour. And it had a star-studded cast. Would like to see those also.

I look at all the links on the web as do you, Ethan. And I have seen quite a few times you have quoted them from corrections I have made for them. Nice to see my own paragraphs being quoted by you. I don't sign my name to them and I see you must not always sign yours since you quoted one recently as being your post.

Hard to get everything just right when more than 50 ++++++ years have passed, but it makes the board fun in trying to.

You find any more mistakes Ethan? Want to make sure I get things correct for the book. Thanks for the correction and hope you will correct the Archives. Keith

Quote from ethanedwards

If you note at the beginning of this thread,
Ward appeared in 19 movies with Duke.
Instead of looking at the Wikipedia links,
you will also see we have our own links to Ward's movies with
Duke including the ' Rookie'

"Wagon Train"- The Colter Craven Story (1960) TV Series .... Maj. Seth Adams (1957-1961)
Rio Bravo (1959) .... Pat Wheeler
The Wings of Eagles (1957) .... John Dodge
The Searchers (1956) .... Rev. Capt. Samuel Johnston Clayton
Hondo (1953) .... Buffalo Baker, Army Indian Scout
The Quiet Man (1952) .... Father Peter Lonergan
Operation Pacific (1951) .... Cmdr. John T. 'Pop' Perry
3 Godfathers (1948) .... Perley 'Buck' Sweet
Fort Apache(1948) .... Sgt. Maj. Michael O'Rourke
Dakota (1945) .... Jim Bender
They Were Expendable (1945) .... 'Boats' Mulcahey
Tall in the Saddle (1944) .... 'Judge' Robert Garvey
The Shepherd of the Hills (1941) .... Wash Gibbs(1941) .... Floyd, Amato's Goon
The Long Voyage Home (1940) .... Yank
College Coach (1933) (uncredited) .... Assistant coach
The Big Trail (1930) (uncredited) .... Sid Bascom
Born Reckless (1930) .... Soldier
The Lone Star Ranger(1930) (uncredited) .... Townsman at the dance
Salute (1929) .... Midshipman Harold
Words and Music (1929) (uncredited) .... Bit part

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The Tennesseean Re: Pals Of The Saddle- Ward Bond
Weren't they in the TV episode together about baseball? "Flashing Spikes," I believe.

If someone already pointed this out out, please ignore!!

Quote from ethanedwards

Yes it has and it was
TV-"Screen Directors Playhouse"- Rookie of the Year... Buck Goodhue, alias Buck Garrison
One of the problems was,that it was not listed
by IMDb when we compiled Ward's profile

Actually, they are two different TV episodes Russ, as I explained in Ethan's correction of my list and mine of the archives. Yours WAS called Flashing Spikes, but Ward had been dead two years before it was made, so Jimmy Stewart took his part...both episodes were similar. I imagine that is why IMDb had not listed it. Keith