Ford Bond

Ford Bond
Born
David Ford Bond

(1904-10-23)October 23, 1904
Louisville, Kentucky, U.S.
DiedAugust 15, 1962(1962-08-15) (aged 57)
St.Croix, Virgin Islands of the United States
Career
ShowKraft Music Hall
StyleAnnouncer
CountryUnited States

David Ford Bond (October 23, 1904 – August 15, 1962) was an American radio personality.

He was the announcer for several popular radio shows in the 1930s and 1940s, earning him a spot on the This Is Your Life television show.

For his work on radio, Bond has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6706 Hollywood Blvd.[1]

Early years

Ford Bond was born in Louisville, Kentucky,[2] on October 23, 1904.[3] He was the son of James Clarence Bond and Mary A. Bond. His father, a dealer in sporting goods, wanted him to go into medicine, but he was more interested in music. He was a football star in high school. He served as a captain in the Army Officers Reserve Corps from 1924 to 1926.[2] In 1927 he moved to Alexandria, Louisiana, to be music and educational director at Emmanuel Baptist Church. He resigned from that position in November 1928[4] and began working in radio in Louisville.[5]

Radio

Bond began working on radio at WHAS in Louisville, Kentucky, and joined NBC in 1928.[6]

For 20 years in the 1930s and 1940s, he was the announcer for several radio soap operas and other shows, including the advertising voice for a sponsor's product, Bab-O cleanser.[7][8] He was also a sports announcer for NBC radio in the 1930s, calling college football games as well as the 1934 Major League Baseball All-Star Game and 1934 World Series. He also served as radio consultant for Thomas E. Dewey during Dewey's 1948 campaign for president.[9]

For almost 30 years, Bond was the spokesman for Cities Service petroleum company, "the longest sponsor-announcer association in the history of radio."[10]

Politics

Bond was the New York State Republican Committee's consultant for radio and television from 1942 through 1953. In that role he worked on the campaigns of Thomas E. Dewey for governor and president and John Foster Dulles for senate, among others. He directed the radio and TV components in New York state of Dwight D. Eisenhower's 1952 presidential campaign, and he was a consultant to United States Senator Irving M. Ives from 1946 to 1952.[2]

Later years

Bond retired from broadcasting in 1953 "to go into the building business in the Virgin Islands."[11]

Personal life

Bond served in the Coast Guard Reserve from 1938 to 1942.[2] He married Mary Elizabeth Ford on March 25, 1927, in Louisville.[12] He also was married to Lois Bennett, a singer.[10]

Death

Bond died at St. Croix, Virgin Islands on August 15, 1962.[2]

Appearances

This is a partial list of Bond's appearances on radio and television.

Radio

Television

  • This Is Your Life (1954) .... Himself
  • Cities Service Band of America (1949) .... Announcer

References

  1. ^ Bond, Ford. "Hollywood Walk of Fame Directory". Archived from the original on December 22, 2007. Retrieved December 29, 2007.
  2. ^ a b c d e "Ford Bond Dead; Radio Announcer; Former Producer, 57, Was Political Campaign Adviser". The New York Times. August 16, 1962. p. 27. Retrieved March 4, 2026.
  3. ^ "Our Respects to David Ford Bond". Broadcasting. September 27, 1948. p. 34. Retrieved March 5, 2026. "David Ford Bond was born Oct. 23, 1904, in Louisville. It is a tribute to his rugged individualism that he survived a boyhood lived with parents who were ardent Republicans in a city which was solidly Democratic."
  4. ^ "David Ford Bond Will Be Missed in Music Circles Here". Alexandria Daily Town Talk. November 15, 1928. p. 2. Retrieved March 4, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ "Talk of the Town". Alexandria Daily Town Talk. December 10, 1928. p. 2. Retrieved March 4, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ Thomas, W.J. (November 20, 1932). "Ford Bond Would Like to Become Football Announcer". The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. New York, Brooklyn. The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. p. 66. Retrieved December 27, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ Sponsor Promotions Popular With Radio Listeners Part II
  8. ^ The Great Radio Soap Operas
  9. ^ "Our Respects To -- David Ford Bond" (PDF). Broadcasting. September 27, 1948. Retrieved January 10, 2015.
  10. ^ a b DeLong, Thomas A. (1996). Radio Stars: An Illustrated Biographical Dictionary of 953 Performers, 1920 through 1960. McFarland & Company, Inc. ISBN 978-0-7864-2834-2. Pp. 35-36.
  11. ^ "Ford Bond, Radio Pioneer, Dies In Virgin Islands". The Evening Independent. August 16, 1962. p. 13-A. Retrieved December 28, 2015.
  12. ^ "Oldham County". The Shelby News. Kentucky, Shelbyville. April 7, 1927. p. 2. Retrieved March 4, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ "Radio Archives: Premier Collections: Christmas - On The Air!, Volume 2". Archived from the original on April 18, 2008. Retrieved December 29, 2007.
  14. ^ Goldin, J. David. "Fun At Breakfast". Retrieved December 29, 2007.
  15. ^ Hummert, Frank and Anne (May 21, 2003). Radio Factory: The Programs and Personalities. McFarland. ISBN 9780786416318. Retrieved December 29, 2007.
  16. ^ Haendiges, Jerry. "Vintage Radio Logs". Retrieved December 29, 2007.
  17. ^ "Radio of Yesteryear - Easy Aces Volume One". Retrieved December 29, 2007.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)


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