BIOGRAPH The oldest movie company in America News

Scowling bully of the Our Gang films with a nice-guy reputation

Ronald Bergan
Tuesday October 4, 2005
The Guardian

Among the leading lights in the sound versions of the Our Gang shorts, one of the most popular film series ever made, were Spanky, Buckwheat, Darla, Alfalfa and the scowling bully Butch, the kid you loved to hate. The latter, played by Thomas "Tommy" Bond, who has died aged 79, made Alfalfa's life a misery, menacingly announcing his arrival in the neighbourhood with the catchphrase, "You're darn right, it's Butch!"
For most of his life, Bond avoided the curse that hung over most members of the gang, until he and his wife were severely injured in a car crash in 1996. Carl "Alfalfa" Switzer, the squeaky-voiced boy with the freckles and vacuous grin, was shot dead in 1959, aged 31; Darla Hood, the gang's leading lady, contracted hepatitis in hospital and died, aged 47; William "Buckwheat" Thomas died of a heart attack, aged 49; and Robert "Bobby" Blake was tried (and acquitted) on a charge of murdering his wife. Even Pete, the Pup, was fatally poisoned by an unknown assailant.

Bond became the keeper of the Our Gang flame by making innumerable television and personal appearances, being interviewed on the DVD of the films and writing his 1993 autobiography, aptly entitled You're Darn Right, it's Butch!. It turned out that, despite the nastiness of his movie character, often threatening to bounce Alfalfa around "like a rubber ball", Bond had a reputation as the most pleasant and well-adjusted of child actors. Switzer, his "worst enemy" onscreen, was his best friend off it. In fact, whenever Switzer began misbehaving on the set, it was usually Bond who calmed him down. Bond was born in Dallas, Texas, and got his start in show business at the age of five, when a talent scout for Hal Roach studios approached him as he was leaving a movie theatre with his mother, and told her that her son had a great face.

After a meeting with Roach in Los Angeles, he was cast as Tommy, one of the "second-echelon" little rascals, in 1934. He went on to appear in a total of 27 Our Gang shorts over the next six years. For some reason, Tommy was dropped from the cast after little over a year, but he found employment as a brat in a number of comedy shorts in 1935 and 1936, particularly pestering grizzled, bespectacled Andy Clyde.

However, Bond made a triumphant return to the gang as Butch in 1937, aged 11. In the first short, Glove Taps, Butch, the new kid on the block, is eager to beat up the toughest boy in school. For some strange reason, that turns out to be skinny Alfalfa, who, even with Spanky's help, is scared silly. This became the pattern for many of the subsequent films, often with Butch and Alfalfa vying for the attention of coquette Darla. Unfortunately, the quality of the films gradually deteriorated after Roach sold Our Gang to MGM. Bond continued as Butch until Bubbling Troubles (1940), when age was creeping up on him. But he was able to continue making movies, mostly in the B category, until 1951.

In 1947, he was reunited with Carl Switzer in two pictures, The Gas House Kids Go West and The Gas House Kids in Hollywood, a woeful attempt to rival the popular Bowery Boys series. Fortunately, Bond landed the role of boy reporter Jimmy Olsen in the 1950 serial, Atom Man vs Superman.

On his retirement from films - at the age of 25 - Bond, who married a former Miss California in 1953, went into television production. In 1955, when more than a hundred of the Roach shorts were sold to television as The Little Rascals (because the rights to the Our Gang title belonged to MGM), a wider audience was assured. Bond was a Vice President with American Mutoscope and Biograph Company, a family owned independent production company. Bond is survived by his wife and son, Thomas Bond II, a producer and independent filmmaker.

Bond was a Vice President with American Mutoscope and Biograph Company, a family owned independent production company.

Young Hollywood party for very old “First Movie in Hollywood” monument on Hollywood and Vine

V. I. P. Parties from Hollywood to
Beverly Hills for Hollywood’s first movie

Monday, May 10th, 2004

Following the dedication was a great V. I. P. reception at the Forbidden City Restaurant with limos carrying many of the new up and coming Hollywood set, including Lindsay Miller (Felicity-WB, That 70’s Show-FOX), Lauren Storm (Joan of Arcadia-CBS, Mrs. Harris - FEATURE), and Miko Hughes (Apollo 13, Kindergarten Cop-IMAGINE) Other celebrities were Paul Vinson (Charmed-WB) and Tommy Bond who was the “Butch” on the original “Little Rascals”. The event was also attended by LeRon Gubler, President of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, Todd Lingren, City Mayor’s office. as well as many civic and political people.

The event begin with the unveiling of the monument, followed by a proclamation presented from Los Angeles City Mayor, James Hahn proclaimed May 6th as “Biograph Day” to commemorate the founding of Hollywood for the movie industry by Biograph.

That evening the screening of the film kicked off the Beverly Hills Film Festival. This is the first time the film has been seen by the public since 1910. The screening was followed by a gala event at the Clarion theatre, and then the party continued at Joya in Beverly Hills that went on until 3:00 AM.

Thomas Bond, II CEO says “We are very happy this historic film is recognized. Its impact on Hollywood and its multi-cultural theme bridges time”. It is significant not just being Hollywood’s first film, but the subject matter is about the Latinos in early in California.

It is a drama of Mexico-owned California, and is an insight into the life and times of the history of Mexico, Spain, and Mexican-Americans in California. Since this was the subject matter chose for the first movie in Hollywood, it shows the importance Latinos played in the beginning of Hollywood and the movie industry.

Biograph is the last truly independent film companies, involved in television and commercial production as well. Plans are to for Biograph to be an integral part of the district of Hollywood, with its independent films, charitable events, a live glass studio on Hollywood Boulevard, and even live stage and theatrical productions.

The interest of young Hollywood in the very old bridges time and generations, and and will be the seed to the beginning of the great new Hollywood on the horizon.