Ben Bard, born on January 26, 1893, in Milwaukee, was a multifaceted talent in the entertainment industry, excelling as an actor on both stage and screen, as well as an influential acting teacher. He initially gained fame in vaudeville, forming a comedic duo with Jack Pearl, and in 1926, he showcased his talents in one of the early sound films produced using Lee DeForest's Phonofilm technology, alongside Pearl and Sascha Beaumont.
Bard made his mark in film with a notable role in Roland West’s classic mystery, The Bat Whispers (1930). He later established the renowned Ben Bard Drama acting school, which became a significant hub for aspiring actors. His personal life saw him marry renowned serial film star Ruth Roland in 1929, a partnership that endured until her passing in 1937.
Although Bard was signed as a leading man by Fox Film Corporation, he often found himself cast in the role of the "Suave Heavy," exemplified by his character Mr. Brun in the 1943 film The Seventh Victim. That same year, he appeared in two other horror classics produced by Val Lewton, The Leopard Man and The Ghost Ship.
Bard's personal life included a second marriage to actress Roma Clarisse, with whom he had three children before her death in 1947. He married Jackie Lynn Taylor in 1948, but they divorced in 1954. In the 1950s, he led the New Talent Department at Twentieth Century Fox and revived his acting school in 1960. Ben Bard passed away on May 17, 1974, in Los Angeles, leaving behind a legacy in the performing arts, and was laid to rest alongside Ruth Roland at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale. His children include Bryan Barak Bard, a video documentary artist in Israel, and Bartley Bard, a professional director and screenwriter.
