- published: 19 May 2013
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Beulah Bondi (May 3, 1889 – January 11, 1981) was an American actress.
Bondi began her acting career as a young child in theater, and after establishing herself as a stage actress, she reprised her role in Street Scene for the 1931 film version. She played supporting roles in several films during the 1930s, and was twice nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. She played the mother of James Stewart in four films, including Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939) and It's a Wonderful Life (1946).
She continued acting into her later years, and won an Emmy Award for an appearance in the television series The Waltons in 1976.
Bondi was born as Beulah Bondy in Valparaiso, Indiana, the daughter of Eva Suzanna (née Marble), an author, and Abraham O. Bondy, who worked in real estate. Bondi began her acting career on the stage at age seven, playing the title role in the play Little Lord Fauntleroy in a production at the Memorial Opera House in Valparaiso, Indiana. She graduated from the Frances Shimer Academy (later Shimer College) in 1907, and gained her Bachelors and Masters degrees in oratory at Valparaiso University in 1916 and 1918. She made her Broadway debut in Kenneth S. Webb's "One of the Family" at the 49th Street Theatre on December 21, 1925. She next appeared in another hit, Maxwell Anderson's "Saturday's Children" in 1926. It was Bondi's performance in Elmer Rice's Pulitzer Prize-winning "Street Scene," which opened at the Playhouse Theatre on January 10, 1929, that brought Bondi to the movies at the advanced age of 43. Her debut movie role was as "Emma Jones" in Elmer Rice's Street Scene (1931), which starred Sylvia Sidney, and in which Bondi reprised her stage role, followed by "Mrs. Davidson" in Rain (1932), which starred Joan Crawford and Walter Huston.
When we were together I knew that forever
I'd always, my days
follow you into the blue beyond.
Dream with one another
help each other over the rainbow
You know I'd follow you into the blue beyond
I never wanna be anywhere I can not see
The love light you shine
Only wanna be wherever you are, running with my friend.
You never will be lonely
You need only look right behind you
To find who will follow you into the blue beyond.
Never wanna be anywhere I cannot see
The love light you shine
Only wanna be wherever you are, walking hand in hand.
Dream with one another
help each other over the rainbow
You know I'd follow you into
I'd follow you into