Ward Bond

I think it's worth discussing this in a thread of it's own http://www.dukewayne.com/showthread.php?t=6415

Quote from may2

I think his best performance is in Gentleman Jim.

Yes May, We were talking about best "scenes" of Ward's in another thread http://www.dukewayne.com/showthread.php?t=1863#post129659 . It is his death scene in The Long Voyage Home 1940. We both agreed that was one of his best scenes. Then Gentlemen Jim was added and I posted the picture of his blowing his last smoke ring. I tried to put an excerpt from the Gentleman Jim scene, but,......still having a few problems with this new thing. I will try again. It is on Facebook. Starts out "skippy", but smooths out.
Well, might work this time. Just a very short part. KEITH It shows up and plays when I am writing it, but it is not there when I post it.....never had THAT happen before. Sure hope this new thing gets the bugs out soon. Wasting too much time trying to do normal things, LOL!

Well, couldn't get the audio to work, but if you click on the picture, it will play it. NOW, to figure out how to play both together! Works fine on Facebook, LOL!

Hi Irish, We were discussing favorite scenes before. Ward's death scene as Yank on The Long Voyage Home, (I posted a pic of his blowing his last smoke ring ever), and the "Speech" to Corbett in Gentleman Jim were mentioned. However, those are just scenes and I believe here you wish to discuss his best full roles.

So far, my favorite is Drums on the Mohawk.......he is a joy to watch in this film. I have many others, but would probably have to chose The Searchers next. I will let some others post theirs before I put up a few more of mine. If I can JUST get this audio/video clip thing to work.....should be fun! KEITH

By the way, that was a real arrow apparently stuck into something underneath Ward's shirt. If you watch the movie again, see how quickly he takes it out.....wouldn't want to burn that handsome face, LOL!.

=http://s1269.photobucket.com/user/Hawkswill/media/Drums%20Along%20the%20Mohawk/WardFlamingarrow.png.html]

I am not as much ofan over all movie buff as most of you and am most familiar with Bond's work with Duke but one of my all time favorite scenes in a Duke movie doesn't even have Duke in it. The conversation between Lieutenant Colonel Thursday and Sergeant Major O'Rourke about how Mickey "happened to get into West Point" in Fort Apache is classic with the old Irish trooper getting the best of the aristocratic Colonel while being completely respectfull in tone all the while.

Oh Batjac, that is one of my favorite SCENES also. I laughed so hard! Here it is:
Lt. Col. Thursday: This Lt. O'Rourke - are you by chance related?
RSM Michael O'Rourke: Not by chance, sir, by blood. He's my son.
Lt. Col. Thursday: I see. How did he happen to get into West Point?
RSM Michael O'Rourke: It happened by presidential appointment, sir
Lt. Col. Thursday: Are you a former officer, O'Rourke?
RSM Michael O'Rourke: During the war, I was a major in the 69th New York regiment... The Irish Brigade, sir.
Lt. Col. Thursday: Still, it's been my impression that presidential appointments were restricted to sons of holders of the Medal of Honor.
RSM Michael O'Rourke: That is my impression, too, sir. Will that be all, sir?

KEITH

My favorite Bond movie is Fort Apache.

As long as we're talking about Ward Bond...does anyone know if any of the footage still exists of Father Lonaghin's conversation with Michelien Flynn that was cut from very early in The Quiet Man. I know teh scene was cut because it was a discussion of the Padre's gambling debts but I wondered if anyone had ever seen it or at least the script for dialogue.

His Sgt Major O'Rourke in Fort Apache is first rate, but, I'll go with his role as the Reverend-Captain in the Searchers. Bond at his second banana besT. Especially his lines with Pat Wayne as the "shavetail" young Lt.

BOY! WATCH THAT KNIFE!

YOU JUST WATCH ME, BOY! I'M THE HARDCASE YOU'RE DEALING WITH OUT HERE, NOT THOSE CHILDISH SAVAGES!

Tall In The Saddle And The Quiet Man Only The Valiant as a drunken soldier.for a scene stealing the fighting sullivans as LT of the recruit's into the navy as the sullivans men join the navy

Quote from WaynamoJim

His Sgt Major O'Rourke in Fort Apache is first rate, but, I'll go with his role as the Reverend-Captain in the Searchers. Bond at his second banana besT. Especially his lines with Pat Wayne as the "shavetail" young Lt.

BOY! WATCH THAT KNIFE!

YOU JUST WATCH ME, BOY! I'M THE HARDCASE YOU'RE DEALING WITH OUT HERE, NOT THOSE CHILDISH SAVAGES!

Heh heh, i'd forgot about that one.

An overlooked role might be Ward playing a simple minded heavy in A Man Betrayed, it was outside his usual comfort range as a tough guy and I thought he was very good in it.

Get ready to break open your piggy banks, boys and girls. Twilight Time Video has announced that a blu ray of "Drums Along the Mohawk" will be released on 9/10/13. It will also contain the special - Becoming John Ford.
No news on the price yet, but TT is pretty expensive, so I'm guessing around $30.00. The good news is that their discs are extremely well done.

We deal in lead, friend.

Sgt. Major O"Rourke, Rev. Capt. Samuel Clayton, and Cmdr. Pop Perry from Operation Pacific. Those are my top three!

Quote from wtrayah

Sgt. Major O"Rourke, Rev. Capt. Samuel Clayton, and Cmdr. Pop Perry from Operation Pacific. Those are my top three!

Hi Bill, Good ones all and in my tops for him. Have you seen Drums on the Mohawk? If not, check it out. HAGO, KEITH

Quote from Hawkswill

Hi Bill, Good ones all and in my tops for him. Have you seen Drums on the Mohawk? If not, check it out. HAGO, KEITH

No! Haven't seen that one Hawkswill! But i'm sure if you recommend it, it must be a good one!

IMHO, this movie had Bond's best role.

Ward Bond was such a wonderful actor. He left us before I was born so I can only say that I got to enjoy his past work. And work he did. I see that he did 274 films and most of them were supporting roles. My problem is I keep finding him in movies I didn't know he was in and enjoy what he has done. Here is my ranking of characters I think were his best roles.

20. First Outlaw ~ Buck Benny Rides Again
19. Policeman ~ The Grapes of Wrath
18. Yank ~ The Long Voyage Home *
17. Adam Hartman ~ Drums Along the Mohawk
16. Cmdr. John T. 'Pop' Perry ~ Operation Pacific *
15. Major Seth Adams ~ Wagon Train (TV series)
14. 'Boats' Mulcahey C.B.M. ~ They Were Expendable *
13. Morgan Earp ~ My Darling Clementine
12. Perley "Buck" Sweet ~ 3 Godfathers *
11. Detective Tom Polhaus ~ The Maltese Falcon
10. Tom the Yankee Captain ~ Gone With The Wind
9. Sgt. Maj. Michael O'Rourke ~ Fort Apache *
8. Chief Petty Officer Dowdy ~ Mister Roberts
7. Rev. Capt. Samuel Johnston Clayton ~ The Searchers *
6. Buffalo Baker ~ Hondo *
5. Pat Wheeler ~ Rio Bravo *
4. Ike Botkan ~ Sergeant York
3. John Dodge ~ Wings of Eagles *
2. Father Peter Lonergan ~ The Quiet Man *
1. Bert the Cop ~ It's A Wonderful Life

Sorry, it was not a Duke movie but he was the best in It's a Wonderful Life. If he had lived I bet he would have been in To Kill A Mockingbird which is my favorite movie, made back in 1962. He died in November 5, 1960. I keep making changes and keep finding some wonderful movies he has made. So I started out with a top 5, moved to 10 and again at 15 before I finally made it a Top 20. Just can't seem to stop. And want to see more of these movies that I haven't seen him in. What a wonderful life he had, just cut too short.

(*) ~ movie with John Wayne.

Cheers Hondo

Glad to see you agreed with my choice Hondo, he really is great in IAWL and it's not really his usual role as his character isn't particularly tough or anything just a good natured kind of guy, I also agree that hes always popping up in films I don't expect him to be in, he really got around hollywood during his career and alot of the big directors like Ford and Capra seemed to value his talents. He might not be a household name anymore but here we are near 60 years after his death discussing the man and his work.