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The Scots-born leading man of post-war British films fondly remembered for his portrayal of Charles Dickens ' titular hero in Ealing Studios' film adaptation of The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby (1947) was born in Glasgow on January 26, 1920, the son of a commercial traveller and a beautician. Educated at the Haberdashers' Askes School in Hampstead, he originally sought out a career as a reporter/journalist. When that didn't pan out he turned to acting, training with the Finchley Amateur Dramatic Society and making his professional theatre debut with "As Husbands Go" in 1937. A member of the Colchester Repertory Company (where he met his first wife), he played a number of both comedic and dramatic roles until his burgeoning career was interrupted by WWII (1939-1946). Commissioned with the Grenadier Guards' 3rd Brigade, he was award ed the Military Cross after seeing action and suffering serious wounds in North Africa. Captured at one point, he served as a POW in Italy where he produced and appeared in a number of Army shows. Following the war he returned to his acting career and was picked up by Ealing Studios. Life certainly imitated art when he made his film debut as a British POW in the stirring war drama The Captive Heart (1946) starring Michael Redgrave , Redgrave's wife Rachel Kempson and a virtual "Who's Who" supporting cast of British names. The picture took place in a German WWII concentration camp. Stardom was officially clinched when Ealing entrusted Bond, in only his second film role, to play the Nickleby lead opposite the renown Cedric Hardwicke as his cruel Uncle Ralph. He had a choice role as well portraying the doomed South Pole explorer Captain Oates in Scott of the Antarctic (1948) opposite John Mills . Throughout the late 1940s the staid, classically good-looking Bond played lead and second lead roles alongside a number of established or up-and-coming leading lovelies of the British cinema including Jean Kent and Googie Withers in The Loves of Joanna Godden (1947), Jean Simmons in Uncle Silas (1947), Phyllis Calvert in Broken Journey (1948), Ursula Jeans in The Weaker Sex (1948), Susan Shaw in Marry Me (1949), and Rona Anderson in Poet's Pub (1949). He continued primarily in the "B" film ranks in the 1950s with a steady dose of light comedy ( Tony Draws a Horse (1950), Love's a Luxury (1952), Trouble in Store (1953)) and crime drama ( The Quiet Woman (1951), The Hour of 13 (1952), Rogue's Yarn (1957), Gideon's Day (1958)). He also was utilized on TV in the next decade as a co-presenter of _"Picture Parade" (1961)_ for more than two years before joining "Tonight," an early-evening current-affairs program. Among his other series work included episodes of "William Tell" and "The Saint," and a notable recurring role on "Callan" (1967) starring Edward Woodward . A bright presence on the West End light comedy stage, his theatre resume included "A Scent of Flowers" (with a budding Ian McKellen ), "Your Obedient Servant," "The Secretary Bird," "Murder at the Vicarage," "No Sex Please, We're British, and "The Mousetrap." He also wrote a number of plays for both TV and radio. Bond was elected president of the British Actors' Equity Association during the 1970s. An outspoken, ultra-conservative leader, he resigned in 1986 amid political controversy, which prompted his amusing memoir, "Steady Old Man! Don't You Know There's a War On?" in 1990. Married three times, he passed away at age 86 on October 15, 2006, and was survived by his third wife, a son from his first marriage, and a daughter from his second.
Portrayed Nicholas Nickleby in 1947.Bond was a conservative Equity council member and eventual president where he came up against the left-wing faction led by Vanessa Redgrave and Corin Redgrave for control. An opponent of apartheid, he nonetheless insisted on his right to go to South Africa to perform before segregated audiences. The dispute climaxed in April 1985 and forced his resignation.Met first wife Ann Grace while both were performing with the Colchester Repertory Company. They married in 1942 and had one son. A young widow at the time of their marriage, she also had a son, Larry, from her earlier marriage.Saw action in North Africa where, leading a successful attack on a German gun emplacement, he was seriously injured by a bullet to the leg.At the onset of his career (1938) he found a part in one of the first television plays, Karel Capek's "RUR," in which he played a robot whose sole word was "no".He wrote a stage play called "Akin to Death" (1954) and the television drama "Unscheduled Stop" in 1968.Quit school at 16 determined to become a journalist but quickly tired of learning shorthand and discovered that the stage was more to his liking. When he announced this change of career, his father agreed to a one-year moratorium on getting a proper job.Began acting career in the late 30s and appeared in light comedic stage work.Served with distinction in the Grenadiers during WWII and suffered a serious leg wound. Was eventually captured and imprisoned at one point as a POW.Entered films in post-war years and joined the Rank Studios.Member of the British Actor's Equity union, serving as a member of the council from the early 1970s; was president of Equity until 1986 when a cultural boycott of South Africa during apartheid led to his resignation.Was once a leader of an Actor's Equity faction that thwarted an attempt by the leftist faction led by Vanessa Redgrave and Corin Redgrave to take over the union.
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Derek Bond
Date of Birth: |
26 January 1920
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Date of Death: |
15 October 2006
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Biography: |
The Scots-born leading man of post-war British films fondly remembered for his portrayal o...more
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Trivia: |
Portrayed Nicholas Nickleby in 1947.Bond was a conservative Equity council member and even...more
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In a vein similar to the James Bond movies, British Agent Philip Calvert (Sir Anthony Hopkins) is on a mission to determine the whereabouts of a ship that disappeared near the coast of Scotland.
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