BEULAH BONDI
BIRTH: May 3, 1888
DEATH: January 11, 1981
AGED: 92 Years
DIED FROM: Pulmonary Complications caused by breaking her ribs falling over her cat
MARRIED: Never Married
AFFAIRS: None
CHILDREN: None
FAMOUS FRIENDS WITH: Margaret Hamilton ( the witch in “The Wizard of Oz”) and RobertStrong Woodward (American Painter).
OSCAR NOMINATIONS: The Gorgeous Hussey-1936: Of Human Hearts-1938
OSCAR WINS: None
TALENT: an Intellectual, Love of Elocution, love of acting
KNOWN FOR: loving acting, loving cats, world travel, Fashion
This lady has been in countless films often playing the mom who just needs some TLC. She is often long suffering but resilient, soft but with a hidden strength, she had a soft voice that could turn cold and sharp…she was a superb actress that made her mark as a character actress. She may have been typecast as the “mom” but she made the most of it and we remember her face if not her name. We all know her as the mom to Jimmy Stewart I. “it’s a Wonderful Life,” which was their 4th pairing together on film( she played his mom 8n an episode of his TV show, “The Jimmy Stewart Show.”) and they shared a special bond getting along famously which showed on their on screen chemistry. She became famous when she was in her early 40s and worked u til her untimely death at age 92. This very intelligent lady, with a Masters in Oratory, loved philosophy, and high fashion. She had a huge collection of vintage fashion with many gowns designed by Natasha Rambova ( once married to Rudolph Valentino). She was an avid traveller venturing to Australia, around the world trips and a few trips to Africa and on safari, even well into her 80s. She loved her work and was only disappointed twice, once when not given the role of Ma Joad, in, “The Grapes of Wrath” and, “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer.” For the role of Ma Joad, she went to visit the migrant workers and bought a jalopy to drive around in, believing she secured the role. For Tom Sawyer, she actually got the role when May Robson fell ill but lost it when Robson recovered faster than expected. Nonetheless, she continued working receiving a standing ovation when she won the Emmy for her role as Martha Walton in the TV series, “The Waltons”. She makes my eyes tear up every time I watch, “Make Way For Tomorrow,” as the old wife and mom Separated from her husband by her unfeeling kids. It’s a timeless film and one that should have been nominated for Oscars in many categories. In fact, I think the director, Leo McCarey and Beulah should have been nominated. Sadly, this lady, dedicated to her work who never married or even had affairs, loved cats. Her favourite cat, Mr. Cat, was the reason she died. She tripped over her cat breaking 3 ribs and dying from pulmonary complications as a result of her broken ribs. I hope her cat still got a good home. She is one of the Grande Dames of supporting actresses that is remembered to this day.
FILMS
1. Make Way For Tomorrow-1937
2. It’s a Wonderful Life-1946
3. Penny Serenade-1941
4. The Snake Pit-1948
5. Mr. Smith Goes To Washington-1939
6. Watch On The Rhine-1943
7. Our Town-1940
8. Vivacious Lady-1938
9. The Southerner-1945
10. Trail of the Lonesome Pine-1936
She was the old grandmother in The Waltons? Then I know who she is. I don't know if I remember her from the movies, but I definitely know her from that show.
ReplyDeleteYes! She was the Grandmom! She was also the mom in It’s a Wonderful Life.
DeleteI think Mr. Cat is an outstanding name for a cat!
ReplyDeleteIt is and I wonder if the cat was in her will
DeleteOh I LOVE her!! Great choice!!
ReplyDeleteI remember reading an interview with her, decades ago obviously, where she said that even as a young woman on stage she was usually cast in character roles as at best someone middle-aged.
She almost always played the kindly mother, sister, nurse, aunt but she was equally adept at subsuming her natural warmth and filling a role with malice. I especially recall her unhinged work as the crackpot mountain woman in the John Wayne/Betty Field drama "Shepard of the Hills. She was truly scary!!
I've seen all her extant films except for a very obscure 40's film titled "High Conquest" about the Matterhorn. It seems to be locked up in rights issues.
Being a prestige character actress she played in many, many classics so I'll list my 5 favorite of her performances in all those classics instead.
1. Make Way for Tomorrow (1937)-One of her few leads and it should have been one of her Oscar nominations.
2. Vivacious Lady (1938)-She great fun as the dominated professor's wife who breaks out and starts to enjoy life.
3. It's a Wonderful Life (1946)-This offers a great peek at both types of mothers she could play.
4. She's a Soldier Too (1944)-The movie is standard stuff but it is another that provided Beulah with a rare lead.
5. Shepherd of the Hills (1941)-Maybe because it's such a different role or just the viciousness she puts into the role but her work in this has always stuck with me.
Hi Joel! I hope you are doing well nd I hope I see you comment on my movie list on Thursday. I am so happy you like my pick and she is a superlative actress who one always remembers, not her name, but her presence. I’d love to see your 2nd, 3rd and 4th choices especially the last one. That film, Make Way For Tomorrow, is flawless and works even today. It is one of the most heart wrenching films and I cried at the end. I was so angry t the kids that I was yelling t the TV…I must have been BIT NUTS THAT EVE…LOL. Oops hit caps by mistake. She was robbed of an Oscar for this role.
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