April Winchell

R.I.P. Tommy Bond

Tommy Bond, best known to you as Butch from the "Our Gang" and "Little Rascals" comedies, died yesterday. He was 79.

Tommy was best know to me, however, as one of the very few adults in my childhood to provide me with unconditional kindness.

I met Tommy in the mid-60's, when my father was making Winchell-Mahoney Time. Tommy had given up acting many years before, and was now working in television production. He had been hired as the prop man on my dad's show.

I accompanied my mom and dad to the set many times. Tommy took quite a liking to me; probably because he recognized something of himself in me. By the age of 5, I was already a seasoned professional and knew the business like an old pro.

But at the end of the day, I was still a little girl. And looking back, I guess Tommy didn't want me to blow right through those years as he may have had to do.

I still remember seeing a Disney "Small World" doll on the set one day, as part of a scene where Jerry and Knucklehead were giving toys away. I coveted that doll, but I knew it was a prop, and not a toy. I understood it was not to be touched or played with. But I still went over on all the breaks and looked lovingly at it, wishing it were mine.

Whe we got home that night, I opened the door to my room and almost wet my pants. There, in the middle of the floor, were boxes containing every Small World doll Disney made, wearing costumes from all over the world. They were stacked almost to the ceiling. Tommy had sent them.

Tommy did a lot of nice things for me. Sure, he got me toys and snuck small props to me as souvenirs, but more importantly, he spent time with me. He helped to ease a feeling of loneliness I carried around, but didn't really understand. He was a very nice man.

I'm sad to say that I never saw Tommy again after the show wrapped, so I can't really pay tribute to all he did in his caeer and life since. But I can show you some of his work from Winchell-Mahoney Time. And I can send good thoughts to all who knew and loved him.