Ward Bond

Wardell Edwin Bond (April 9, 1903 — November 5, 1960), known professionally as Ward Bond, was a prolific American film character actor whose rugged appearance and easygoing charm were featured in over 200 films and the television series Wagon Train. He is remembered for his roles as Bert, the cop, in It's a Wonderful Life (1946) and Captain Clayton in The Searchers (1956), among many others.

Biography

Early life

Bond was born in Benkelman, Nebraska, a small town located in the southwestern corner of the state near the Kansas and Colorado borders. The Bond family, John W., Mabel L., and sister Bernice, lived in Benkelman until 1919 when they moved to Denver. Ward graduated from East High School in Denver.

Bond attended the University of Southern California and played football on the same team as future USC coach Jess Hill. At 6'2" and 195 pounds, Bond was a starting lineman on USC's first national championship team in 1928.

Bond and John Wayne, who as Marion Michael Morrison (John Wayne's Biography) had played tackle for USC in 1926 before an injury ended his career, became lifelong friends and colleagues. Bond, Wayne and the entire Southern Cal team were hired to appear in Salute (1929), a football film starring George O'Brien and directed by John Ford. During the filming of this movie Bond and Wayne befriended Ford, and appeared in many of Ford's later films.