Ward Bond often played characters of Irish nationality such as his great portrayal of Father Lonergan in THE QUIET MAN. Some list his birthplace as Denver, Colorado, but Bond was really born in Benkelman, Nebraska. He played football at the University of Southern California (and John Wayne was also on the team, but his name then was Marion Michael Morrison). Bond, Wayne and the entire Southern Cal team were hired to appear in SALUTE (1929), a football yarn starring George O'Brien, which was being directed by John Ford (who later directed STAGECOACH, DRUMS ALONG THE MOHAWK, GRAPES OF WRATH, THEY WERE EXPENDABLE, THE QUIET MAN, THE SEARCHERS, WAGON MASTER, lots more). It was during this football movie that Bond and Wayne became friendly with filmmaker Ford ... and both actors would appear in many of Ford's later films. Bond became known as a member of the 'John Ford Stock Company', which included Harry Carey, Jr., Ben Johnson and Victor McLaglen. Bond was also one of Wayne's closest friends (and drinking companions).
Bond's best remembered roles are the later John Ford films ... along with his three year run as the star of TV's WAGON TRAIN. WAGON TRAIN was among the top rated TV shows when Bond passed away of a heart attack in November, 1960.
However, between SALUTE and the John Ford movies, Ward Bond sharpened his acting talents as a supporting player in a variety of B features at various production companies and studios. During the 1930s, he was a member of the stable of heavies in Columbia B westerns, where he antagonized western heroes Tim McCoy, Buck Jones and Ken Maynard.
 Above, WAGON TRAIN TV show stars Robert Horton and Ward Bond (as wagon train boss Seth Adams)
 Above, from L-to-R are McCoy, Geneva Mitchell and Ward Bond from FIGHTING SHADOWS (Columbia, 1935), one of the films in McCoy's last season at Columbia. |
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