Gruff, burly American character actor. Born in 1903 in Benkelman, Nebraska . During its production, Bond traveled to Dallas, Texas, to attend a football game and died there in his hotel room of a massive heart attack.
A popular urban myth holds that on the day he died, Bond was scheduled to meet singer Johnny Horton in Dallas to sign a contract to appear on "Wagon Train" . Horton died in an auto accident, hit by a drunk driver, at 1:30 a.m. and Bond died in Dallas at noon the same day. However, Bond was only the star of the series and not a producer, so he had no say in casting.
Many sources incorrectly quote 1905, and/or Denver, Colorado, USA regarding his birth.
Entered films in 1928 while attending the University of Southern California.
Family rumor is that Bond was a roommate at USC with John Wayne , who convinced him to go into acting. They were apparently best friends; one of their favorite activities in their youth was to go to bars, get drunk, and start fights.
On a hunting trip, he was accidentally shot by John Wayne. Bond left Wayne the shotgun in his will.
In The Wings of Eagles , Bond played his friend, director John Ford , under the character name John Dodge (the name itself was a play on American automobile names. Ford was a real-life friend of the films subject character). The set dressing, wardrobe, and Oscars in the scene are all actually Fords.
He was awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6933 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California on February 8, 1960.
The muppet "Bert" on "Sesame Street" was rumored to be named after Bonds character (Bert the cop) in Its a Wonderful Life .
Bond appears in the most films (seven) of the American Film Institutes list of the 100 Greatest American Movies: It Happened One Night , Bringing Up Baby , Gone with the Wind , The Grapes of Wrath , The Maltese Falcon , Its a Wonderful Life and The Searchers .
Was an epileptic, a closely guarded secret not made public until many years after his death.
Inducted into the Hall of Great Western Performers of the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in 2001.
Although John Ford mocked many actors mercilessly (including John Wayne ), Bond probably was on the receiving end of the worst verbal punishment from the director (who counted Bond among his favorite actors). At Bonds funeral, Ford walked up to Andy Devine and said, "Now YOURE the biggest asshole I know.".
Although his career was cut short by his premature death in 1960 at age 57, he was one of the most prolific of Hollywoods actors over a period of 30 years. He regularly appeared in 10 to 20 films per year, with the record year for him being 1935, when he acted in 30 movies.
Worked with director John Ford on 26 films. Few, if any, actors, have appeared in so many films for a single director.
On his way to John Wayne s wedding, he was hit by a car but performed his duty as best man on crutches.
Bonds deep involvement in ultra-right-wing politics--and especially his enthusiastic efforts to blacklist suspected Communists and anyone with "progressive" political views in Hollywood--earned him the enmity of many in the film business. For several years, he could not get any work in films other than those of his right-wing friends like John Wayne , and he believed that "liberal" producers and directors blacklisted him. Then in 1957, at age 54, he made an enormous comeback as Major Seth Adams in "Wagon Train" , and was finally a star in his own right.
Bond has been officially remembered with a television star on Hollywood Boulevard, by being inducted into the Hall of Great Western Performers at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum, and by a Ward Bond Memorial Park in his birthplace of Benkelman, Nebraska. However, he is probably most fondly remembered for his enormous output of solid work, with great respect by the industry.
Died at the Town House Motor Hotel on 2914 Harry Hines Boulevard in Dallas, Texas.
Campaigned for Republican Richard Nixon in the 1960 presidential election.
John Wayne gave the eulogy at his funeral.
According to Orson Welles , one night at Chasens Restaurant in Hollywood, Bond cut off Welles tie.
Once while on location, John Ford had a photo taken of himself and John Wayne standing on either side of the rear end of a horse. He sent the photo to Bond with the caption, "Thinking of you".
He appeared in three Best Picture Academy Award winners: It Happened One Night , You Cant Take It with You and Gone with the Wind . Irving Bacon , Eddy Chandler and Wallis Clark also appeared in all three films.
He appeared in 11 films that were nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture, more than anyone other than Bess Flowers : Arrowsmith , Lady for a Day , It Happened One Night , You Cant Take It with You , Gone with the Wind , The Grapes of Wrath , The Maltese Falcon , Sergeant York , Its a Wonderful Life , The Quiet Man (1952) and Mister Roberts .
Bond officially did not have any children. However United States census records from 1940 show a son, Kenneth Bond, approximately 12 years old, living in his household.
He had been diagnosed with high blood pressure but refused to cut back his work schedule on "Wagon Train" .
He was a notorious anti-Semite.
