Thomas Ross Bond (September 16, 1926 – September 24, 2005) was an American actor, director, producer and writer. He was best known for his work as a child actor for two nonconsecutive periods in Our Gang (Little Rascals) comedies (first as "Tommy" and later as "Butch"). Also, he is noted for being the first actor to appear onscreen as DC Comics character Jimmy Olsen, in the film serials Superman (1948) and Atom Man vs. Superman (1950).

Biography

Early years and Our Gang

Born in Dallas, Texas, Bond got his start in 1931 at the age of 5 when a talent scout for Hal Roach studios approached him as he was walking down a Dallas street with his mother. Bond retired from television in 1991. In his latter years he lived in the Fresno and Madera Ranchos area, and served as a spokesman for a number of Our Gang-related materials. Bond published his autobiography, Darn Right It's Butch: Memories of Our Gang/The Little Rascals, with the help of Fresno teacher, film historian and co-author Ron Genini, in 1994. Tommy's son, Thomas R. Bond II "Butch, Jr.", who is a film and television producer, worked with his father in their family production company, Biograph Company. The senior Bond also hosted The Rascals, a documentary on the life and times of the Little Rascals.

Throughout his lifetime, Bond appeared in 73 films, was a charter member of the Screen Actors Guild, joining in 1937, and worked with many Hollywood stars in the years of 1933 to 1951, including James Stewart, Eleanor Powell, Ray Bolger, Frank Morgan, and Eddie Cantor among many others.

Death

Bond died on September 24, 2005, at age 79 due to complications from heart disease in Northridge, California. He was survived by his wife, son, and grandson. He is buried at U.S. Veterans Riverside National Cemetery in Riverside, California.

Filmography

{| class="wikitable"

|-

! Year

! Title

! Role

! Notes

|-

|1934|| Kid Millions || Little Boy in Ice Cream Number || Uncredited

|-

|1935|| The Marriage Bargain || Jimmy Sparks ||

|-

|1935|| The Calling of Dan Matthews || Tommy || Uncredited

|-

|1936|| Next Time We Love || Pesky Kid || Uncredited

|-

|1936|| The Return of Jimmy Valentine || Listener || Uncredited

|-

|1936|| Silly Billies || Student || Uncredited

|-

|1936|| Counterfeit || Dicky || Uncredited

|-

|1936|| Libeled Lady || Waif || Uncredited

|-

|1937|| Champagne Waltz || Otto, Singing Student || Uncredited

|-

|1937|| Married Before Breakfast || Baglipp's Kid || Uncredited

|-

|1937|| Hideaway || Oscar Peterson ||

|-

|1937|| Rosalie || Mickey || Uncredited

|-

|1938|| City Streets || Tommy Francis Devlin ||

|-

|1938|| Block-Heads || Neighbor's Son || Uncredited

|-

|1939|| Five Little Peppers and How They Grew || rowspan="4"|Joey Pepper ||

|-

|1940|| Five Little Peppers at Home ||

|-

|1940|| Out West with the Peppers ||

|-

|1940|| Five Little Peppers in Trouble ||

|-

|1940|| A Little Bit of Heaven || Jerry ||

|-

|1941|| Adventure in Washington || Peewee Haynes ||

|-

|1941|| New York Town || Willie || Uncredited

|-

|1943|| This Land Is Mine || Pug-nosed School Bully || Uncredited

|-

|1944|| Man from Frisco || Russ Kennedy ||

|-

|1945|| Twice Blessed || Horace ||

|-

|1945|| The Beautiful Cheat || Jimmy ||

|-

|1947|| Gas House Kids Go West || rowspan="2"|Chimp ||

|-

|1947|| Gas House Kids in Hollywood ||

|-

|1948|| Big Town Scandal || Waldo 'Dum Dum' Riggs ||

|-

|1948|| Superman || Jimmy Olsen || Serial

|-

|1949|| The Lucky Stiff || Newsboy || Uncredited

|-

|1949|| Any Number Can Play || Mike || Uncredited

|-

|1949|| Intruder in the Dust || Minor Role || Uncredited

|-

|1949|| Tokyo Joe || Fingerprint Sergeant || Uncredited

|-

|1949|| Battleground || Runner || Uncredited

|-

|1950|| Atom Man vs. Superman || Jimmy Olsen || Serial

|-

|1950|| Hot Rod || Jack Blodgett ||

|-

|1951|| Call Me Mister || Little Soldier || Uncredited

|-

|1951|| Bedtime for Bonzo || Student Reading Newspaper || Uncredited

|-

|1971|| The Love Machine || Stagehand || Uncredited

|-

|1972|| I've Got a Secret|| Himself

|-

|2004|| Bob's Night Out || Crazy Neighbor || (final film role)

|}

References

Books

  • Bond, Tommy, w. Genini, Ron (1994). Darn Right It's Butch: Memories of Our Gang/The Little Rascals. Delaware: Morgan Press. .

Further reading

  • Dye, David. Child and Youth Actors: Filmography of Their Entire Careers, 1914-1985. Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Co., 1988, pp. 23–24.
  • Holmstrom, John. The Moving Picture Boy: An International Encyclopaedia from 1895 to 1995, Norwich, Michael Russell, 1996, pp. 153.
  • Biography on filmsofthegoldenage.com
  • American Mutoscope and Biograph Co.