Tommy Bond
Biography
Tommy Bond was an American actor who later directed, produced and wrote, beginning as a child performer at Hal Roach Studios. Born in Dallas, he was hired in 1931 for the Our Gang comedies and spent three years there before returning in 1936 as Butch, the bully. He made 27 Our Gang shorts and took outside roles, including Columbia's Five Little Peppers series. He was also the speaking voice of Owl Jolson in Tex Avery's 1936 Merrie Melodies cartoon I Love to Singa. After Navy service in World War II he returned to films in two Gas House Kids features, then became the first actor to play Jimmy Olsen, in the serials Superman (1948) and Atom Man vs. Superman (1950). He quit acting in 1951 and moved into television directing and production, including a spell with Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In, and retired in 1991.
79years old at death
- Born Dallas
- Died Los Angeles
- Star sign: VirgoThe sign runs August 23 to September 22
- Also credited as Thomas Ross Bond
Movie Career
- Films
- 7
- Career span
- 14 years1936 to 1950
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A first
In the late 1940s, Tommy Bond took on the role of cub reporter Jimmy Olsen, the first actor to do so, appearing in two Superman serials: Superman (1948) and Atom Man vs. Superman (1950).
Beyond film
In Tex Avery's 1936 Merrie Melodies cartoon I Love to Singa, Bond supplied the speaking voice of the character "Owl Jolson", which became his best known voice role.
A change of course
Bond graduated from college in 1951 and quit acting, but he stayed in show business, working in television directing and production with people such as Norman Lear and George Schlatter.
Behind the camera
In 1994, Bond's autobiography Darn Right It's Butch: Memories of Our Gang/The Little Rascals came out, written with Ron Genini, a Fresno teacher and film historian who served as co-author.
Tommy Bond movies on Netflix
Best known for
The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.
Most often with
Spencer Gordon Bennet directed two of these films. Pierre Watkin appears in three of them, more than any other actor. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.
Films together
Pierre Watkin's page
Jack Ingram's page
Kirk Alyn's page
Terry Frost's page
Noel Neill's page
Spencer Gordon BennetDirector, 2 films, 1948 to 1950
All films by Spencer Gordon Bennet
Online
Official profiles and reference pages.