Ward Bond

Even though he never got an Oscar, I don't think he was underrated, even at his times. If you look at those films between the 30s and 50s, sometimes I think there wasn't an important picture where Ward didn't show up - even in the non-Wayne-films, for different directors and producers, like for Selznick, Capra, John Huston, Hawks. Check out Johnny Guitar, for instance. Then, at the peek of his career, he got his "own" TV series, the starring role in "Wagon Train". So they kept him pretty busy. Copies of his Last Will were for sale once, and even though I know that's morbid, I got me one - and interesting enough, there was the paragraph in which he bequethed (sorry, as Martin Pawley, I don't know how to spell that) his favorite gun to Wayne - the one with which that famous shooting accident happened and Wayne actually wounded Bond.

Hi Araner.
Ward Bond was reputed to have never turned down a picture and was one of Hollywood's hardest working actores, appearing in 260 pictures.
Although he only appeared in 21 films with John Wayne he worked far more for John ford and was in every one of that director's most memorable films.

That fact is even more strange when you read of the exploits Bond used to get up to and even though they were drinking buddies I should imagine that Ford's patience and liking for the actors was often stretched to the limit.

Some instances that immediately spring to mind are the time while making Fort Apache when Ford was giving John Agar, then in his first picture a hard time, Bond flew into the location and for 'beat up' the set and ruined a take in the process. Wayne took Agar to one side and said it'll be alright Ford has a new whipping boy now.

On another occasion during the Searchers when Ford was filming the dramatic scene with Harry Carey, Geoffrey Hunter and John Wayne which ended with Waynes "D'ya want me to draw ya a picture".
In the middle of the scene Ward Bond wanted a shave and taking a plug out of a socket plugged his electric razor in it.

at the end of the take the cameraman realised that Bond had unplugged the camera and most of the scene had been lost. They never told Ford.

An finally for me the funniest story:
When Bond bet Wayne that he could not knock him off a sheet of newspaper. On accepting the wager Bond put the paper in the door way of a hotel room and closed the door on Wayne. Duke responded by putting his fist through the door and won the bet.

On the debit side if possible Bond's anti communist stance in the late forties and early fifties were even more radical than Waynes and as this damaged the duke later on, so it probably did for Bond.

I also think Bond was a good actor, I know him and big John were good friends but I'm interested in what things each of them said about each other.

Is there a biography on Ward Bond? I know he wasn't a major actor, but "What A Wonderful Life", he had (by the way, did you know he was with 'Jimmy Stewart' in that movie.

Cheers, Hondo B)

Some other fairly well known movies he was in would be -

The Maltese Falcon (1941) - Det. Tom Polhaus

The Santa Fe Trail (1940) - Townley (abolitionist)

Gone with the Wind (1939) - Tom (Yankee captain)

Bringing Up Baby (1938) - (uncredited) Motorcycle Cop at jail

Topper (1937) - (uncredited) Taxi Cab Driver

Now we'll have to watch some of those to look for Ward Bond .

Chester and the Mrs.

Hi Hondo

As far as I am aware I have never seen a bio or auto-bio on Ward Bond. But that doesn't mean there isn't one, and if anyone knows different could they please let me know as I'd love to read it.

Best Regards

Arthur

Araner,

Thanks for the list. I took advantage of your list and bolded the movies that Duke was in. He made 19 movies with Duke. They were very close friends, and it really upset Duke to find out that Ward died.

He had a heart attack, and it wasn't expected. Duke was on location shooting a film when it his friend died.

Cheers, Hondo B)

Nothing much to add, just that I always love to see Ward Bond in a film. Like a lot of girls, one of the first classic movies I ever watched was Gone With the Wind and I'll always remember my dad commenting on how much he liked Ward Bond (as the Yankee captain). I think that in many ways being a character actor might be harder than being a leading man because you have less to work with in order to make an impact - you have to be economical and powerful all at once.

One of my favorite WB roles is the "Bus Driver" in It Happened One Night. He and Clark Gable get into a verbal spat. Gable beats him handily, but Bond is awfully funny as the tongue tied dolt who seems to be utterly incapable of witty repartee.

Ward Bond at least to me, was and is, still one of the most underated actors. His finally making it to the promised land ( his own starring role in WAGON TRAIN), with all it's added responsibility's, would be the device which would bring his untimely end!!!!
On WAGON TRAIN he was not only the star- but he was also very active in production which put a great strain on him, and more likely than anything else brought on his heart attack in Dallas!!!!
I never saw a performance by Ward, that was not believable, he always looked so natural in whatever role he was playing.
To see a very good portayal of villiany, you only need to see " THE FALCON TAKES OVER". Bond delivers a frightening portayal of villiany as the murderous "MOOSE MALLOY", a characterization not portrayed very often by Ward, watch it and see if you don't agree!!!
Finally I just wanted to add that when my wife(oops that would be EX-wife) and I had our restaurant in Colorado, we had names for all of the sandwiches on our menu- one of our sandwiches was called " THE WAGONMASTER", I named it in honor of WARD, just a small homage to someone I greatly admired!!!!!

Hi

Some of the titbits on Ward Bond are amazing.

As everyone knows one of the last things he did was make the 'Colter Craven' Episode for Wagon Train.

As a gag he had John Ford direct the episode and had John Wayne play a cameo role as General Sherman, reprising his role in 'How The West Was Won'

John Wayne appeared in dark light you never saw his face but his frame was obvious. He was billed as Michael Morris. He is reported to have said "I was in and out of the scene so quickly that people would be left wondering if it was me or not."

Despite the fact that it was an hour long story Ford deliberately shot more than he needed and it was suggested that the story be made into a two part episode, but rather than increase the story it was subsequently edited down to one hour.

By the time the episode had come round to be screened Bond was dead and a get together between Ford, Wayne and Bond to view the film over a few drinks was abandoned. Ford apparently was distraught, coming as it did close on Grant Withers suicide both Ford and Wayne began to realise that they were beginning to lose close and old friends..

Arthur,

Help me a little bit on the time line.

Ward Bond died on a massive heart attack in 1960. How the West was Won was shot in the early 60's. How could Bond have Ford direct Duke and reprise his role as Sherman for the Civil War scene?

Cheers, Hondo B)

Hi Hondo,

I hold my hands up to that one. My choice of words instead of reprising perhaps should have been a fortaste or something, for once my English beats me.

But Ford always wanted to do a massive Civil War Movie, The Horse Soldiers was his second stab after the Wagon Train episode and ended unsatisfactory and HTWWW gave him his final chance.

Does that let me off the hook?

Regards
Arthur

Arthur, What do you mean by The Horse Soldiers ended unsatifactory? Not commercially successful or not a good movie? I personally liked the movie and it was one of the first DVD's I bought.

Hi SXViper

We have an expression that if tour digging yourself into a hole its best to stop digging. But at the expense of digging myself deeper. here goes.

What I meant by The Horse Soldiers unsatisfactory ending was The unfortunate death of the stunt man Fred Kennedy after which Ford Lost all interest in the picture and instead of the upbeat triumphal arrival of Marlowe's brigade in New Orleans, Ford cut the picture at the bridge.

On a personnal note I enjoyed the picture but was unfortunate to have read Sinclairs book beforehand. I think that if Ford had stuck exactly to the novel It would have been a very difficult film to make mainly because very early on on the book Marlowe splits his command and every other chapter follows each halves exploits.

There was no love interest in that Hannah features briefly in the book and is insane. And the doctor plays a very insignificant role If I remember correctly when instead of disobeying orders and delivering the baby he obeys Marlowes command, and assumingly leaves the women to fend for herself.

Also in the book there is a fantastic train crash where they drive the train over a high bridge.

I think now is the time for me to stop digging.

Regards
Arthur

Arthur,

Don't worry about that, I've dug myself in a hole on this board, and many other places. And no one has buried me yet. :lol: I just wanted clarifiaction on some of what you said. I didn't think HTWWW would have been in production for 4 or 5 years with that many actors involved. And the word, "repirsed" confused me. But ask some on the board, I get confused all the time, and very easily too.

Cheers, Hondo B)

Arthur, you were not digging yourself in a hole. In fact, you explained yourself very well and now I understand what you meant. I didn't know that a stunt man had died filming The Horse Soldiers, and I would say that the ending does leave alittle to be desired. Keep the info coming, you obviously have alot to give so keep it coming. Thanks again.