Benkelman in Dundy County, Nebraska — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)
Ward Bond's Boyhood Home
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, August 3, 2021
1. Ward Bond's Boyhood Home Marker
Actor Ward Edwin Bond was born in this house on April 9, 1903, the son of John W. and Mabel L. Bond. The family lived here until leaving Benkelman in 1919. Ward Bond played supporting roles in more than 250 motion pictures and starred as Major Seth Adams, the wagon master in the NBC television series, Wagon Train, which began in 1957. Bond died of a heart attack in Dallas, Texas on November 5, 1960 at age fifty-seven.
Erected by Hansen Charitable Foundation; and Nebraska State Historical Society. (Marker Number 445.)
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Entertainment. In addition, it is included in the Nebraska State Historical Society series list. A significant historical date for this entry is April 9, 1903.
Location. 40° 2.89′ N, 101° 32.245′ W. Marker is in Benkelman, Nebraska, in Dundy County. Marker is on West 5th Avenue just east of Dakota Street, on the left when traveling east. Marker is located beside the sidewalk, directly in front of the subject house. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 422 West 5th Avenue, Benkelman NE 69021, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 3 other markers are within 10 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. General Custer in Nebraska (approx. ¾ mile away); Nature's Gift: The Highway 34 Springs
this page online
Also see . . .
1. Ward Bond. Wikipedia entry:
Bond and John Wayne, who 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. (Submitted on September 3, 2021, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)
2. Ward Bond. B-Westerns website entry:
Ward Bond often played characters of Irish nationality such as his great portrayal of Father Lonergan in The Quiet Man. There were many memorable roles for Bond: he was a bus driver in the Clark Gable / Claudette Colbert It Happened One Night; he was "Bert" the policeman in the Jimmy Stewart It's a Wonderful Life; was one of the hard-boiled detectives harassing Humphrey Bogart in The Maltese Falcon; and he was boxing champion "John L. Sullivan" to Errol Flynn's "James J. Corbett" in the Warner Bros. production, Gentleman Jim. (Submitted on September 3, 2021, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)
via Wikipedia, 1957
2. Ward Bond
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, August 3, 2021
3. Ward Bond's Boyhood Home Marker
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, August 3, 2021
4. Ward Bond Memorial Park
Credits. This page was last revised on February 21, 2022. It was originally submitted on September 3, 2021, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 676 times since then and 109 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on September 3, 2021, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. 2. submitted on February 21, 2022, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York. 3, 4. submitted on September 3, 2021, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.
