Beulah Bondi
Beulah Bondi | |
---|---|
Los Angeles, California, U.S. | |
Alma mater | Valparaiso University |
Occupation | Actress |
Years active | 1895–1976 |
Beulah Bondi /ˈbɒndi/ (born Beulah Bondy; May 3, 1888 – January 11, 1981)[2] was an American character actress; she often played eccentric mothers and later grandmothers and wives, although she was known for numerous other roles.[1][3] She began her acting career as a young child in theater, and after establishing herself as a Broadway stage actress in 1925, she reprised her role in Street Scene for the 1931 film version.
She played supporting roles in several films during the 1930s, and was twice nominated for an
Life and career
Bondi was born in
She changed her surname to Bondi and made her Broadway debut in
She was one of the first five women to be nominated for an
She was tested for the role of Ma Joad in the film of The Grapes of Wrath. Bondi, believing that she had the part, reportedly bought an old jalopy and moved to Bakersfield, California to live among the migrant workers in order to research the role. Bondi was reportedly extremely disappointed at losing the role to Darwell, who won the Academy award for Best Supporting Actress for her work.[8]
For her contributions to the film industry, Bondi received a motion-picture star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1960, located at 1718 Vine Street.[9]
Although Bondi played mothers and grandmothers on screen, she was a lifelong bachelorette with no children. She admitted, "I never regretted the choice of a career over marriage, it was a difficult decision and I've never been sorry."
Television
Bondi's television credits include Alfred Hitchcock Presents and Howard Richardson's Ark of Safety on the Goodyear Television Playhouse. She appeared with Jan Clayton in "The Prairie Story" on NBC's Wagon Train.[citation needed] She made a guest appearance on Perry Mason in 1963 when she played the role of Sophia Stone in "The Case of the Nebulous Nephew".
Bondi made her final appearances as Martha Corinne Walton on The Waltons in the episodes "The Conflict" (September 1974) and "The Pony Cart" (December 1976). She received an Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress for a Single Appearance in a Drama or Comedy Series for her performance in "The Pony Cart". When her name was called, it first appeared that she was not present, but she received a standing ovation as she walked slowly to the podium, from which she thanked the audience for honoring her while she was still living.
Death
Bondi died from
Complete filmography
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1931 | Street Scene | Emma Jones | |
Arrowsmith | Mrs. Tozer | Uncredited | |
1932 | Rain | Mrs. Davidson | |
1933 | The Stranger's Return | Beatrice Storr | |
Christopher Bean | Mrs. Hannah Haggett | ||
1934 | Two Alone | Mrs. Slag | |
Registered Nurse | Miss McKenna | ||
Finishing School | Her Teacher / Miss Van Alstyne | ||
The Painted Veil | Frau Koerber | Scenes cut | |
Ready for Love
|
Mrs. Burke | ||
1935 | The Good Fairy | Dr. Schultz | |
Bad Boy | Mrs. Larkin | ||
1936 | The Invisible Ray | Lady Arabella Stevens | |
The Trail of the Lonesome Pine | Melissa Tolliver | ||
The Moon's Our Home | Mrs. Boyce Medford | ||
The Case Against Mrs. Ames | Mrs. Livingston Ames | ||
Hearts Divided | Madame Letizia | ||
The Gorgeous Hussy | Rachel Jackson | ||
1937 | Maid of Salem | Abigail – His Wife | |
Make Way for Tomorrow | Lucy Cooper | ||
1938 | The Buccaneer | Aunt Charlotte | |
Of Human Hearts | Mary Wilkins | ||
Vivacious Lady | Martha Morgan | ||
The Sisters | Rose Elliott | ||
1939 | On Borrowed Time | Nellie – Granny | |
The Under-Pup | Miss Thornton | ||
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington | Ma Smith | ||
1940 | Remember the Night | Mrs. Sargent | |
Our Town | Mrs. Webb | ||
The Captain Is a Lady | Angie Peabody | ||
1941 | Penny Serenade | Miss Oliver | |
The Shepherd of the Hills | Aunt Mollie Matthews | ||
One Foot in Heaven | Mrs. Lydia Sandow | ||
1943 | Tonight We Raid Calais | Mme. Bonnard | |
Watch on the Rhine | Anise | ||
1944 | She's a Soldier Too | Agatha Kittredge | |
I Love a Soldier | Etta Lane | ||
Our Hearts Were Young and Gay | Miss Horn | ||
The Very Thought of You | Mrs. Harriet Wheeler | ||
And Now Tomorrow | Aunt Em | ||
1945 | Back to Bataan | Bertha Barnes | |
The Southerner | Granny Tucker | ||
1946 | Breakfast in Hollywood | Mrs. Annie Reed | |
Sister Kenny | Mary Kenny | ||
It's a Wonderful Life | Ma Bailey | ||
1947 | High Conquest | Clara Kingsley | |
1948 | The Sainted Sisters | Hester Rivercomb | |
The Snake Pit | Mrs. Greer | ||
So Dear to My Heart | Granny Kincaid | ||
1949 | The Life of Riley | Miss Martha Bogle | |
Reign of Terror | Grandma Blanchard | ||
Mr. Soft Touch | Mrs. Clara Hangale | ||
1950 | The Baron of Arizona | Loma | |
The Furies | Mrs. Anaheim | ||
1952 | Lone Star | Minniver Bryan | |
1953 | Latin Lovers | Analyst | |
1954 | Track of the Cat | Ma Bridges | |
1955 | Alfred Hitchcock Presents | Mrs. Sutton | Season 1 Episode 8: "Our Cook's a Treasure" |
1956 | Back from Eternity | Martha Spangler | |
1957 | The Unholy Wife | Emma Hochen | |
On Borrowed Time | 'Granny' Northrup | TV movie | |
1959 | The Big Fisherman | Hannah | |
A Summer Place | Mrs. Emily Hamilton Hamble | ||
1961 | Tammy Tell Me True | Mrs. Annie Call | |
1962 | The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm | The Gypsy | ('The Dancing Princess') |
1963 | Tammy and the Doctor | Mrs. Annie Call | |
1972 | She Waits | Mrs. Medina | TV movie |
1974–1976 | The Waltons | Martha Corinne Walton | Episodes: "The Conflict", "The Pony Cart" |
Radio appearances
Year | Program | Episode/source |
---|---|---|
1952 | Stars in the Air | "On Borrowed Time"[10] |
See also
References
- ^ ISBN 9780786427468. Retrieved September 13, 2015.
- ^ According to the State of California. California Death Index, 1940–1997. Center for Health Statistics, California Department of Health Services, Sacramento, California. At Ancestry.com
- ^ Obituary Variety, January 21, 1981.
- ^ Thompson, D.E. (1981). Indiana Authors and Their Books, 1967-1980. Wabash College. Retrieved September 13, 2015.
- ^ "Explore Historical Newspaper Archives Online | NewspaperARCHIVE.com". newspaperarchive.com. Retrieved September 13, 2015.[permanent dead link]
- ^ Shimer College (March 1976). "Beulah Bondi Stars at Shimer Film Tribute". Shimer College Bulletin. p. 8.
- ^ "Beulah Bondi", filmography, Turner Classic Movies (TCM), Turner Broadcasting System, a subsidiary of Time Warner, Inc., New York, N.Y. Retrieved May 22, 2018.
- ^ Turner Classic Movies Fan Site https://www.facebook.com/groups/674148286360121/?hoisted_section_header_type=recently_seen&multi_permalinks=1803350590106546
- ^ "Hollywood Walk of Fame – Beulah Bondi". walkoffame.com. Hollywood Chamber of Commerce. Retrieved November 29, 2017.
Further reading
- Young, Jordan R. (1986) [First published 1975]. "Beulah Bondi". Reel Characters : Great Movie Character Actors (softcover) (Sixth ed.). Beverly Hills, CA: Moonstone Press. pp. 57–70. ISBN 978-0-940410-79-4.
- Alistair, Rupert (2018). "Beulah Bondi". The Name Below the Title : 65 Classic Movie Character Actors from Hollywood's Golden Age (softcover) (First ed.). Great Britain: Independently published. pp. 47–49. ISBN 978-1-7200-3837-5.
External links
- Beulah Bondi at IMDb
- Beulah Bondi at AllMovie
- Beulah Bondi at the Internet Broadway Database
- Great Character Actors