What do the following classic movies have in common?
The answer is: the venerable veteran actor Ward Bond.
Born in 1905 in Denver, Colorado (disputed by some), Wardell Bond had planned on becoming a football star. He attended the University of Southern California, and just happened to become friends with a fellow football standout named John Wayne. John convinced Ward to get some extra cash by becoming an extra on movies, which were becoming a huge industry in the 1920's. As was common in those days, luck and timing brought another standout actor to the attention of Hollywood's big and famous.
Ward picked up many screen extra roles because of his height (6'3", as compared to John Wayne's 6' 5") and his build. He played many crooks, cops, cowpokes and guards in his early years. When John Wayne made it big with his movie Stagecoach, he began to have a say in some of the hiring and firing of extras and actors. He immediately called upon Ward, and they appeared together in a huge volume of The Duke's movies.
Meanwhile, back at the ranch, Ward took on other roles, and in 1929 was 'discovered' by the legendary director John Ford, who gave him the chance to become a supporting actor in the movie Salute. They hit it off, and Ward added another John to his cadre of best friends. When Ward, John Wayne and John Ford finally got together, real Hollywood magic appeared on the silver screen. The trio made many memorable and standout movies, and they can arguably be considered one of Hollywood's best combinations. If John Ford and John Wayne made a movie, there was almost a guarantee that Ward would appear somewhere in the credits.
John Wayne was a notorious practical joker, and Ward was a favourite target. Ward did get the last laugh, however. On a hunting trip, John Wayne accidently shot Ward with a shotgun. Ward left that shotgun to John in his will. Ward also enjoyed a good laugh, and he appeared in John Ford's The Wings of Eagles as John Dodge, a play on words as an homage to the director. He appeared in his final picture Alias Jesse James in 1959 as his character on Wagon Train, his final acting gig. Not to be outdone, John Ford himself would include at least one scene per picture in which the camera would shoot Bond's rather sizable posterior as an "inside" joke which delighted everyone on the set but Bond.
Unlike his screen roles, Ward tended to be arrogant and vocal. During the McCarthy era, Ward was one of the most vocal anti-communist crusaders, and he eventually led the Motion Picture Alliance for the Preservation of American Ideals as president. Many accused people hated Ward, since the accusation was almost a conviction in his book. He refused to work with accused communists, even if they were exonerated. When he and John were in college, they used to enjoy going out to bars, getting drunk and getting into fisticuffs with other drunks. In real life, you either loved him or you hated him, there was no middle ground.
Ward suffered from epilepsy, known only by his close friends. The studios kept this hushed up until long after Ward's death, just as they did with funnyman Bud Abbott of Abbott and Costello. This condition did not impact him much in his career. When Ward's film career was on the upswing, he met and married Doris Childs, who divorced him in 1944. He was remarried in 1954 to a strong woman named Mary May, who was widowed with Ward's death.
When life in the movies started to become a strain, Ward turned to acting on television. He played Major Seth Adams in a little show called Wagon Train, which was wildly popular. Gene Roddenbury pitched a silly sci-fi series called Star Trek as "Wagon Train to the stars." Most people who knew the name Ward Bond knew him through this series. His tough mannerisms and gravelly voice were a natural match for a range-worn cowboy. Unlike most, Ward died at the pinnacle of his fame.
Throughout his life, Ward remained an avid football fan. He died of a massive heart attack in his hotel room while in Dallas for a game in 1960. He was supposed to meet singer Johnny Horton later that day to ink a deal to appear on Wagon Train - Johnny died in an accident with a drunk driver at 1:30 a.m. while Ward died at noon in his hotel shower.
Ward Bond was an exceptionally prolific actor. His impressive list of movies are listed below. Note that landmark, special or personal favourites are listed in bold text.
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Alias Jesse James (1959) (uncredited) - Maj. Seth Adams
- Rio Bravo (1959) - Pat Wheeler
- China Doll (1958) - Father Cairns
- "Wagon Train" (1957-61) TV Series - Maj. Seth Adams
- Halliday Brand, The (1957) - Big Dan Halliday
- Wings of Eagles, The (1957) - John Dodge
- Pillars of the Sky (1956) - Dr. Joseph Holden
- Dakota Incident (1956) - Sen. Blakely
- Searchers, The (1956) - Rev. Capt. Samuel Johnston Clayton
- Man Alone, A (1955) - Sheriff Gil Corrigan
- Mister Roberts (1955) - Chief Petty Ofcr. Dowdy
- Long Gray Line, The (1955) - Capt. Herman J. Kohler
- Bob Mathias Story, The (1954) - Coach Jackson
- Johnny Guitar (1954) - John McIvers
- Hondo (1953) - Buffalo Baker, Army Indian Scout
- Blowing Wild (1953) - Dutch Peterson
- Moonlighter, The (1953) - Cole
- Gypsy Colt (1953) - Frank MacWade
- Thunderbirds (1952) - Lt. John McCreery
- Hellgate (1952) - Lt. Tod Voorhees
- Quiet Man, The (1952) - Father Peter Lonergan, Narrator
- On Dangerous Ground (1952) - Walter Brent
- Only the Valiant (1951) - Cpl. Timothy Gilchrist
- Great Missouri Raid, The (1951) - Maj. Trowbridge
- Operation Pacific (1951) - Cmdr. John T. 'Pop' Perry
- Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye (1950) - Insp. Charles Weber
- Wagon Master (1950) - Elder Wiggs
- Riding High (1950) - Lee
- Singing Guns (1950) - Sherif Jim Caradoc
- 3 Godfathers (1948) - Perley 'Buck' Sweet
- Joan of Arc (1948) - La Hire
- Tap Roots (1948) - Hoab Dabney
- Time of Your Life, The (1948) - McCarthy (a blatherskite)
- Fort Apache (1948) - Sgt. Maj. Michael O'Rourke
- Fugitive, The (1947) - El Gringo
- Unconquered (1947) - John Fraser
- It's a Wonderful Life (1946) - Officer Bert
- My Darling Clementine (1946) - Morgan Earp
- Canyon Passage (1946) - Honey Bragg
- Dakota (1945) - Jim Bender
- They Were Expendable (1945) - Boats
- Tall in the Saddle (1944) - 'Judge' Garvey
- Home in Indiana (1944) - Jed Bruce
- Sullivans, The (1944) - Lieutenant
- Guy Named Joe, A (1943) - Col. Al Yackey
- They Came to Blow Up America (1943) - Mr. Craig
- Slightly Dangerous (1943) - Jimmy
- Hello, Frisco, Hello (1943) - Sharkey
- Gentleman Jim (1942) - John L. Sullivan
- Hitler--Dead or Alive (1942) - Steve Maschick
- Sin Town (1942) - Rock Delaney
- Ten Gentlemen from West Point (1942) - Sgt. Scully
- Falcon Takes Over, The (1942) - Moose Malloy
- In This Our Life (1942) - Cameo appearance
- Wild Bill Hickok Rides (1942) - Sheriff Edmunds
- Swamp Water (1941) - Tim Dorson
- Maltese Falcon, The (1941) - Det. Tom Polhaus
- Doctors Don't Tell (1941) - Barney Millen
- Manpower (1941) - Eddie Adams
- Shepherd of the Hills, The (1941) - Wash Gibbs
- Sergeant York (1941) - Ike Botkin
- Man Betrayed, A (1941) - Floyd, Amato's Goon
- Tobacco Road (1941) - Lov Bensey
- Santa Fe Trail (1940) - Townley (abolitionist)
- Long Voyage Home, The (1940) - Yank
- Kit Carson (1940) - Ape
- Sailor's Lady (1940) - Shore Patrolman
- Mortal Storm, The (1940) - Franz (Patrol)
- Buck Benny Rides Again (1940) - Outlaw #1
- Virginia City (1940) (uncredited) - Confederate sergeant checking passengers
- Grapes of Wrath, The (1940) - Friendly policeman
- Little Old New York (1940) - Regan, Shipyard Owner
- Mexican Spitfire (1940) (uncredited)
- Cisco Kid and the Lady, The (1939) - Walton
- Gone with the Wind (1939) - Tom (Yankee captain)
- Drums Along the Mohawk (1939) - Adam Hartman
- Heaven with a Barbed Wire Fence (1939) - Hunk
- Dust Be My Destiny (1939) (uncredited) - Thug
- Frontier Marshal (1939) - Town Marshal
- Waterfront (1939) - Mart Hendler
- Girl from Mexico, The (1939) - Mexican Pete, the Wrestler
- Young Mr. Lincoln (1939) - John Palmer Cass
- Kid From Kokomo, The (1939) - Ladislaw Klewicki
- Return of the Cisco Kid (1939) - Accused rustler
- Union Pacific (1939) (uncredited) - Tracklayer
- Confessions of a Nazi Spy (1939) (uncredited) - American Legionnaire
- Mr. Moto in Danger Island (1939) - Sailor Sam (wrestler)
- Dodge City (1939) - Bud Taylor
- Trouble in Sundown (1939) - Dusty
- Oklahoma Kid, The (1939) - Wes Handley
- Pardon Our Nerve (1939) - Kid Ramsey
- Made for Each Other (1939) (uncredited) - Jim (pilot)
- They Made Me a Criminal (1939) - Lenihan
- Son of Frankenstein (1939) (uncredited) - Gendarme at gate
- Going Places (1938) (uncredited) - Clarence, a Policeman
- Submarine Patrol (1938) - Seaman Olaf Swanson
- Law West of Tombstone (1938) - Mulligan P. Martinez
- Fugitives for a Night (1938) (uncredited) - Gambler in Fake Fight
- You Can't Take It with You (1938) (uncredited) - Mike, the Detective, OSCAR-BEST PICTURE-1938
- Prison Break (1938) - Big Red Kincaid
- Amazing Dr. Clitterhouse, The (1938) - Tug
- Professor Beware (1938) (uncredited) - Motorcycle cop
- Reformatory (1938) - Mac Grady
- Numbered Woman (1938)
- Gun Law (1938) - Pecos
- Flight Into Nowhere (1938)
- Adventures of Marco Polo, The (1938) (uncredited) - Mongol Guard
- Over the Wall (1938) - Eddie Edwards
- Mr. Moto's Gamble (1938) - Big Moran
- Hawaii Calls (1938) - Muller
- Bringing Up Baby (1938) (uncredited) - Cop
- Born to Be Wild (1938) - Bill Purvis
- Kid Comes Back, The (1938) (uncredited) - Spike, Sparring Partner
- Of Human Hearts (1938) (uncredited) - Lout Laughing in Church
- Penitentiary (1938/I) (uncredited) - Prison Barber
- Mountain Music (1937) (uncredited) - G-Man
- Fight for Your Lady (1937) (uncredited) - Walton, wrestler
- Westland Case, The (1937) (uncredited) - Connors, death row inmate
- Music for Madame (1937) - Henchman
- Game That Kills, The (1937)
- Souls at Sea (1937) (uncredited)
- Escape by Night (1937) - Spudsy
- Dead End (1937) - Doorman
- Topper (1937) (uncredited) - Taxi Cab driver
- Marry the Girl (1937) (uncredited) - First Motorcycle Policeman
- Singing Marine, The (1937) (uncredited) - First Sergeant
- Fight to the Finish, A (1937) - Eddie Hawkins
- Wildcatter, The (1937) - Johnson
- Go Getter, The (1937) (scenes deleted) - Logger
- They Gave Him a Gun (1937) (uncredited) - MP
- Night Key (1937) - Fingers
- Soldier and the Lady, The (1937) (uncredited) - First Tartar Chief
- 23 1/2 Hours Leave (1937) - Top Sgt. Burke
- Park Avenue Logger (1937) - Paul Sanger
- When's Your Birthday? (1937) - Detective
- You Only Live Once (1937) (uncredited) - Guard
- Devil's Playground, The (1937) - Sidecar Wilson
- Woman-Wise (1937) (uncredited) - Kramer
- Case Against Mrs. Ames, The (1936) (uncredited) - Newspaper Buyer
- Conflict (1936) - Gus Carrigan
- Accusing Finger, The (1936) (uncredited) - Prison Guard
- Legion of Terror (1936) - Don Foster
- Without Orders (1936) - Tim Casey
- Big Game, The (1936) (uncredited) - Gambler
- Man Who Lived Twice, The (1936) - John 'Gloves' Baker
- They Met in a Taxi (1936) (uncredited) - Policeman
- Gorgeous Hussy, The (1936) (uncredited) - Officer
- Second Wife (1936) (uncredited) - Politician
- Crash Donovan (1936) - The Drill Master
- High Tension (1936) (uncredited)
- White Fang (1936) (uncredited) - Thief
- Bride Walks Out, The (1936) (uncredited) - Taxi Driver
- Fury (1936) (scenes deleted) - Objector
- Cattle Thief, The (1936) - Ranse Willard
- Fatal Lady (1936) (uncredited) - Cab Driver
- Avenging Waters (1936) - Marve Slater
- Pride of the Marines (1936) - Gunner Brady
- First Baby, The (1936) (uncredited)
- Colleen (1936) (uncredited) - Sweeney the Cop
- Boulder Dam (1936) (uncredited) - Pa's Guest
- Leathernecks Have Landed, The (1936) - Tex
- Muss 'em Up (1936) - 'John Doe,' a Gangster
- Two in the Dark (1936) (uncredited) - Cop in park
- Hitch Hike Lady (1935) - Motorcycle Officer
- We're Only Human (1935) (uncredited) - Bank Robber
- Too Tough to Kill (1935) - Danny (dynamite foreman)
- Broadway Hostess (1935) (uncredited) - Lucky's Henchman
- Guard That Girl (1935) - Budge Edwards
- Western Courage (1935) - Lacrosse
- Waterfront Lady (1935) - Jess
- Last Days of Pompeii, The (1935) (uncredited) - Murmix (a gladiator)
- His Night Out (1935) - Lanky
- Three Kids and a Queen (1935)
- Little Big Shot (1935) - Kell's Henchman
- She Gets Her Man (1935) - Chick
- Calm Yourself (1935)
- Murder in the Fleet (1935) (uncredited) - 'Heavy' Johnson
- Justice of the Range (1935) - Bob Brennan
- Headline Woman, The (1935) - Johnson
- Mary Jane's Pa (1935) (uncredited) - Roughneck
- Informer, The (1935) (uncredited) - Man
- Go Into Your Dance (1935) (uncredited) - Herman Lahey, Nellie's Husband
- Fighting Shadows (1935) - Brad Harrison
- 'G' Men (1935) (uncredited) - Gunman at Train Station
- Strangers All (1935) (uncredited) - A.D. on Film Set
- Black Fury (1935) - Mac
- Times Square Lady (1935) (uncredited) - Dugan, Hockey Player
- One New York Night (1935)
- Crimson Trail, The (1935) - Luke Long
- Devil Dogs of the Air (1935) - Senior Instructor
- Under Pressure (1935) - Prize Fighter
- Grand Old Girl (1935) (uncredited) - Mr. Clark, Football Coach
- Most Precious Thing, The (1934)
- Broadway Bill (1934) (uncredited) - Morgan's henchman
- Men of the Night (1934) - Det. John Connors
- Kid Millions (1934) (uncredited) - Bit Part
- Against the Law (1934) - Tony Rizzo
- 6 Day Bike Rider (1934) (uncredited) - First Officer
- Death on the Diamond (1934) (uncredited) - Police Guard
- Girl in Danger (1934)
- Human Side, The (1934) - Cop
- Chained (1934) (uncredited) - Ship Steward
- Defense Rests, The (1934) - Good
- Here Comes the Groom (1934) - Second Cop
- Man's Game, A (1934) - Dave
- Circus Clown (1934) (uncredited) - Unimpressed Man in Audience
- Most Precious Thing in Life, The (1934) - Head Coach Smith
- Affairs of Cellini, The (1934) (uncredited) - Guard
- I'll Tell the World (1934)
- Crime of Helen Stanley (1934) - Jack Baker
- Whirlpool (1934) - Farley
- Voice in the Night (1934) - Bob
- Fighting Ranger, The (1934) - Dave, Cougar Henchman
- Poor Rich, The (1934) - Motor Cop
- It Happened One Night (1934) (uncredited) - Bus driver #1
- Speed Wings (1934)
- School for Romance (1934) - Husband
- Frontier Marshal (1934) - Ben Murchison
- Fighting Code, The (1933) - Lou Krull
- Son of a Sailor (1933) (uncredited)
- Straightaway (1933)
- College Coach (1933) (uncredited) - Assistant Coach
- Police Car 17 (1933) - Bumps O'Neill
- Wild Boys of the Road (1933) (uncredited) - Red, the Raping Brakeman
- Lady for a Day (1933) (uncredited) - Mounted Policeman
- Wrecker, The (1933) - Cramer
- Heroes for Sale (1933) (uncredited) - Red
- When Strangers Marry (1933) - Billy McGuire
- Unknown Valley (1933) - Elder Snead
- State Trooper (1933)
- Obey the Law (1933) - Kid Paris
- Lucky Devils (1933) (uncredited)
- Sundown Rider, The (1932) - Gabe Powers
- Flesh (1932) (uncredited) - Muscles Manning
- Airmail (1932) (uncredited) - Joe Barnes
- Virtue (1932) - Frank
- Rackety Rax (1932) - Brick Gilligan
- White Eagle (1932) - Bart
- Hold 'Em Jail (1932) (uncredited)
- Hello Trouble (1932) - Heavy Kennedy
- Trial of Vivienne Ware, The (1932) (uncredited) - Johnson
- Careless Lady (1932) (uncredited)
- High Speed (1932) - Ham
- Greeks Had a Word for Them, The (1932) (uncredited) - Taxi Driver
- Maker of Men (1931) (uncredited) - Pat
- Arrowsmith (1931) (uncredited)
- Over the Hill (1931) (uncredited) - Bit
- Sob Sister (1931) (uncredited)
- Spider, The (1931) (uncredited)
- Three Girls Lost (1931) (uncredited)
- Quick Millions (1931) - Cop in montage
- Connecticut Yankee, A (1931) (uncredited) - Queen's Knight
- Big Trail, The (1930) (uncredited) - Sid Bascom
- Doorway to Hell, The (1930) (uncredited) - Policeman
- Up the River (1930) (uncredited) - Baseball playing convict
- Born Reckless (1930) - Soldier
- Lone Star Ranger, The (1930) (uncredited)
- So This Is College (1929) (uncredited) - USC Player
- Salute (1929) - Midshipman Harold
- Words and Music (1929) (uncredited) - Bit part
References:
The Internet Movie Database, http://www.imdb.com
Leonard Malton's Movie Encyclopedia, Putnam Books
Yahoo Movies, http://movies.yahoo.com/shop?d=hc&id=1800011238&cf=biog&intl=us
kthejoker for the Oscar references of 1938