Beulah Bondi (May 3, 1889 – January 11, 1981) was an Emmy Award-winning and Oscar-nominated American actress. Of slight stature, with a gaunt, pale face, dark hair and deep-set, penetrating eyes, she was a veteran actress who worked well into her 80s. She is probably best remembered for her role as Mrs. Bailey, the mother of George Bailey, in It's a Wonderful Life (1946), although she had a long career both before and after that film.
Bondi was born as Beulah Bondy in Valparaiso, Indiana, the daughter of Eva (née Marble) and Adolphe Bondy. Bondi began her acting career on the stage at age 7, playing the title role in the play Little Lord Fauntleroy in a production at the Memorial Opera House in Valparaiso, Indiana. She gained her Bachelors and Masters degrees in oratory at Valparaiso University in 1916 and 1918, and moved to film in the 1930s. 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.
She was one of the first five women to be nominated for an Academy Award in the newly-created category of "Best Supporting Actress" for her work in The Gorgeous Hussy, although she lost the award to Gale Sondergaard. Two years later, she was nominated again for Of Human Hearts, and lost again, but her reputation as a character actress kept her employed.
She would most often be seen in the role of the mother of the star of the film for the rest of her career, with the exception of 1937's Make Way for Tomorrow as the abandoned Depression-era 'Ma' Cooper. Her own personal favorite performance was as the bigoted "Ma Bridges" in 1957's Track of the Cat.
She often played mature roles in her early film career even though she was only in her early 40s. Bondi played James Stewart’s mother in four films: It's a Wonderful Life, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, Of Human Hearts, and Vivacious Lady. She made her final appearances as "Martha Corinne Walton" on the television series The Waltons, in the episodes "The Conflict" (9/73) & "The Pony Cart" (12/76). She received an Emmy award for her performance in the latter episode. When her name was called it appeared at first that she was not present but she walked slowly up to the podium to receive the award and was given a standing ovation. She thanked everyone for honoring her while she was still alive.
Despite the fact that she was known for playing mother figures, Bondi never married in real life. She died from pulmonary complications due to broken ribs suffered when she tripped over her cat on January 11, 1981, aged 91.
