How Beulah Bondi, The Actress Who Played Ma Bailey From It’s A Wonderful Life, Died Because Of Her Cat
Character actors have long been the lifeblood of Hollywood. They may not get top billing, but establishing a career where the majority of people know your face, even if they may not know your name, is a significant accomplishment. One of the best early supporting actresses was Beulah Bondi, who enjoyed a lengthy career perhaps best known for playing the mother of Jimmy Stewart’s George Bailey in the classic film, It’s a Wonderful Life. She led a long and notable life but ultimately died in a bizarre accident involving her cat.
Born in 1889, Bondi began acting on the stage as a child working her way up to Broadway. She finally began appearing in films in the early 1930s and established herself as an in demand screen actress for more than 40 years. Her specialty was playing quirky mothers and grandmothers, which made for a lucrative career.
Although playing Stewart’s mother in 1946’s It’s a Wonderful Life is by far her most recognizable role, it was actually the fourth time she had portrayed his mother in movies, with previous instances including Of Human Hearts, Vivacious Lady and Mr. Smith Goes to Washington.
One of her greatest disappointments came after she screen tested to play Ma Joad in The Grapes of Wrath. She was so convinced that she had won the part that she bought an old used car…
