Ben Bard

Ben Bard (January 26, 1893 – May 17, 1974) was an American movie actor, stage actor, and acting teacher. With comedian Jack Pearl, Bard worked in a comedy duo in vaudeville.

In 1926, Bard, Pearl, and Sascha Beaumont appeared in a short film made in Lee DeForest's Phonofilm sound-on-film process. He had a small role in The Bat Whispers (1930). Later in the decade, he ran a leading Hollywood acting school, Ben Bard Drama.

Bard was recruited to be a leading man at Fox Film Corporation. However, he was typecast as a "Suave Heavy"—a smooth-talking, well-dressed fellow with a dark side. An example of this type is his portrayal of "Mr. Brun" in The Seventh Victim (1943). Also in 1943, Bard appeared in two other Val Lewton-produced horror films: The Leopard Man, as Robles, the Police Chief, and The Ghost Ship, as First Officer Bowns.

Bard became the head of the New Talent Department at Twentieth-Century-Fox in September 1956, eventually resigning in August 1959. He re-opened his school, Ben Bard Drama, in 1960.

Birth and Death Data: Born January 26, 1893 (Milwaukee), Died May 17, 1974 (Los Angeles)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1917 - 1930

Roles Represented in DAHR: lyricist, speaker

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor B-21419 10-in. 1/15/1918 Give me the right to love you all the while Sterling Trio Male vocal trio, with orchestra lyricist  
Victor [Trial 1923-02-03-02] 10-in. 2/3/1923 Troubles Ben Bard ; Jack Pearl Comic dialogue speaker  
Columbia 77323 10-in. 9/10/1917 Give me the right to love you all the while Sterling Trio Male vocal trio, with orchestra lyricist  
Columbia 77828 10-in. 5/17/1918 Victory Arthur Fields Male vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist  
Brunswick LAE898 10-in. 11/10/1930 As long as we’re together Abe Lyman’s California Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with vocal; without vocal (take G) lyricist  
Edison 5913 10-in. 12/7/1917 Give me the right to love you Gladys Rice Female vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist  

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Bard, Ben," accessed April 23, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/111234.

Bard, Ben. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved April 23, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/111234.

"Bard, Ben." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 23 April 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/111234

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