Fred Ward

Frederick Joseph Ward (born December 30, 1942) is an American actor and producer. Starting with a role in an Italian television film in 1973, Ward has had a long and diverse career, including such films as Escape from Alcatraz, Southern Comfort, The Right Stuff, Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins, Tremors, Henry & June, The Player, Swing Shift and Short Cuts.

Fred Ward
Born (1942-12-30) December 30, 1942
OccupationActor, film producer
Years active1973–present
Spouse(s)
Carla Evonne Stewart
(m. 1965; div. 1966)

Silvia Ward
(m. 19??; div. 19??)
Marie-France Ward
(m. 1995)
Children1

Early life

Ward was born Freddie Joe Ward[1] in San Diego, California. He is of part Cherokee descent.[2] Before acting, Ward spent three years in the United States Air Force. He was also a boxer (breaking his nose three times) and worked as a lumberjack in Alaska,[3][4] janitor, and short-order cook. He studied acting at New York's Herbert Berghof Studio after serving in the U.S. Air Force. While living in Rome, he dubbed Italian films into English and appeared in films by neorealist director Roberto Rossellini.[5]

Career

1970s and 1980s

Ward became an actor after studying at Herbert Berghof Studio and in Rome. While in Italy, he dubbed Italian movies and worked as a mime until he made his debut in two Roberto Rossellini films. Upon returning stateside in the early 1970s, Ward spent time working in experimental theatre and doing some television work. He made his first American film appearance playing a cowboy in Hearts of the West (1975). His first major role came in the Clint Eastwood vehicle Escape from Alcatraz (1979) as fellow escapee John Anglin. He was also notable as a violent National Guardsman in Walter Hill's Southern Comfort (1981).

His first starring role in a motion picture was Timerider: The Adventure of Lyle Swann (1982). He then starred as astronaut Gus Grissom in The Right Stuff, in the action movie Uncommon Valor with Gene Hackman and in the drama Silkwood (all 1983).

Remo Williams

After co-starring roles in Swing Shift (1984) and Secret Admirer (1985) he played the title hero in the action movie Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins, which was directed by Guy Hamilton. The film was supposed to be the first of a series based on The Destroyer series of novels.[6] Though the movie was well promoted, with Ward appearing on the cover of several movie magazines, it only grossed $15 million.[7] He confirmed that he performed most of the stunts himself.

Ward played in a few low-budget productions until he returned to major cinema in 1988 as a cop in Off Limits, as Roone Dimmick in Big Business, and the father of Keanu Reeves' character in The Prince of Pennsylvania.

1990s

In 1990 he starred as Earl Bassett in the monster movie Tremors, as the American erotic writer Henry Miller in Henry & June (with Uma Thurman), and as cop Hoke Moseley, whose gun, badge and dentures are stolen, in Ward's own-produced motion picture Miami Blues (with Alec Baldwin and Jennifer Jason Leigh).

After playing private detective H.P. Lovecraft in the 1991 HBO film Cast a Deadly Spell alongside Julianne Moore,[8] Ward co-starred in the thriller Thunderheart, the Hollywood satire The Player, the mystery-drama Equinox and the TV western-comedy Four Eyes and Six Guns, for which he won a Cable ACE Award. He also did a cameo in Bob Roberts, starring Tim Robbins.

Notable leading roles include Lt. Brann in the two-character-thriller Two Small Bodies, fisherman Stuart Kane in the Robert Altman film Short Cuts (for which the whole ensemble won a Golden Globe) (both 1993), a dangerous criminal in the comedy Naked Gun 33 13: The Final Insult (1994), the sailor in the French-avant-garde-drama The Blue Villa (1995), plus his reprised role in Tremors II: Aftershocks and the Special Agent in Chain Reaction (both 1996). He also appeared as Sheriff Bud Phillips in Best Men, as Dave Reimüller in ...First Do No Harm with Meryl Streep (both 1997) and as Domenico Venier in Dangerous Beauty (1998).

2000s

In the new millennium Ward was seen in many motion pictures, but also in productions made for TV and video. In 2000 he starred in the action-thriller The Chaos Factor and co-starred in the gangster-movie Circus, the teen-movie Road Trip and as the Captain in the horror-sequel The Crow: Salvation.

In 2001 he was nominated for Video Premiere Award as the best male for the direct-to-video-production Full Disclosure. He also co-starred in Joe Dirt, Summer Catch, Wild Iris, the mini-TV-series Dice and the comedic Corky Romano.

In 2002 he co-starred in Sweet Home Alabama, Enough and Abandon. He had the starring role in Birdseye and signed in for the TV pilot for the drama Georgetown with Helen Mirren, but the series was never made. So, after roles in The Last Ride, 10.5 and Coast to Coast (all 2004) he took a short break from acting and returned as a guest in the TV series Grey's Anatomy and ER (2006 and 2007).

He then starred in the ensemble drama Feast of Love, in the brutal action-filled thriller Exit Speed, Management with Jennifer Aniston, The Wild Stallion and as the boss Ashcroft in Armored.

He starred as Ronald Reagan in the French political-thriller L'affaire Farewell (2009). He appeared in 30 Minutes or Less, guest starred in the TV series United States of Tara, In Plain Sight and Leverage in 2012. In 2013 he had a guest role in 2 Guns starring Denzel Washington and Mark Wahlberg.

Personal life

Ward lives in Venice, California. His first marriage, to Carla Evonne Stewart in the early 1960s, ended in divorce the following year. His second marriage was to Silvia Ward, with whom he had a son, Django. After they divorced, he married Marie-France Boisselle in 1995 and she filed for divorce in August 2013,[9] but they reconciled later that year.[10]

Awards

Filmography

Year Film Role Notes
1973The Age of the Medici (L'età di Cosimo de Medici)Niccolò de' ContiEpisode: “Il potere di Cosimo”
1974CartesiusN/ATV movie
Ginger in the MorningTruck Driver
1975Hearts of the WestSamUncredited
1978TiltLenny
Quincy, M.E.Hostage TakerEpisode: “Even Odds” (uncredited)
1979Escape from AlcatrazJohn Anglin
The Incredible HulkLynch’s Henchman / MarvinEpisodes: “The Disciple” / “Jake”
1980CarnyJack
Cardiac ArrestJamie
Belle StarrNed ChristieTV Movie
1981Southern ComfortReece
1982Timerider: The Adventure of Lyle SwannLyle Swann
1983SilkwoodMorgan
Uncommon ValorWilkes
The Right StuffGus Grissom
1984Swing ShiftArchibald “Biscuits” Toue
1985Remo Williams: The Adventure BeginsRemo Williams
American PlayhouseRoyal Earle Thompson / Mr. CrouchEpisodes: “Noon Wine” / “Triple Play II”
Secret AdmirerLou Fimple
UFOriaSheldon Bart
1986Florida StraitsLucky BooneTV movie
1987The Price of LifeCrouchShort feature
The HitchhikerLuther RedmondEpisode: “Dead Heat”
1988CatchfirePauling
The Prince of PennsylvaniaGary Marshetta
Big BusinessRoone Dimmick
Off LimitsDix
1990Henry & JuneHenry MillerAlso soundtrack
Miami BluesSgt. Hoke MoseleyAlso producer
TremorsEarl Bassett
1991Cast a Deadly SpellDet. Harry Philip LovecraftTV movie
The Dark WindJoe Leaphorn
1992Four Eyes and Six-GunsWyatt EarpTV movie
The PlayerWalter Stuckel
EquinoxMr. Paris
ThunderheartJack Milton
Bob RobertsChip Daley
1993Short CutsStuart Kane
Two Small BodiesLt. BrannFestival event
1994Naked Gun 33 13: The Final InsultRocco
1995The Blue Villa (Un bruit qui rend fou)FrankFestival event
1996Chain ReactionFBI Agent Leon Ford
Tremors 2: AftershocksEarl BassettDirect-to-video
1997...First Do No HarmDave ReimullerTV movie
Best MenSheriff Phillips
GunJohn FarragutEpisode: “Father John”
1998The Vivero LetterAndrew Fallon
Invasion: EarthMaj. Gen. David ReeceTV miniseries
Dangerous BeautyDomenico Venier
1999The Crimson CodeRandall Brooks
2000The Crow: SalvationThe Captain
RopewalkCharlie’s Dad
The Chaos FactorMax Camden
CircusElmo Somerset
Road TripEarl Edwards
Jackie Bouvier Kennedy OnassisJohn “Black Jack” Bouvier IIITV movie
2001Summer CatchSean Dunne
Corky RomanoLeo Corrigan
Joe DirtCody Nunamaker
Full DisclosureJohn McWhirter
Wild IrisErrol PodubneyTV movie
DiceGacy / Noah AldisTV miniseries
2002EnoughJupiter
Sweet Home AlabamaEarl Smooter
BirdseyeNolan Sharpless
AbandonLieutenant Bill Stayton
2003Masked and AnonymousDrunk
2004The Last RideDarryl KurtzTV movie
10.5Roy Nolan, FEMA DirectorTV miniseries
Coast to CoastHal KresslerTV movie
Funky MonkeyDon Decker
2006EREddie Wyczenski3 episodes
Grey's AnatomyDenny Duquette, Sr.Episode: “What I Am”
2007Feast of LoveBat
2008ManagementJerry
Exit SpeedSergeant Archie Sparks
2009ArmoredAshcroft
Farewell (L'affaire Farewell)Ronald Reagan
The Wild StallionFrank Mills
United States of TaraFrankEpisodes: “Transition” / “From This Day Forward”
2010In Plain SightFrank Jergens / Frank JeromeEpisode: “No Clemency for Old Men”
201130 Minutes or LessThe Major
2012LeverageSteve ReynoldsEpisode: “The D.B. Cooper Job”
20132 GunsAdmiral Tuwey
2015True DetectiveEddie VelcoroEpisodes: “Maybe Tomorrow” / “Omega Station”

References

  1. According to the State of California. California Birth Index, 1905–1995. Center for Health Statistics, California Department of Health Services, Sacramento, California. Familytreelegends.com
  2. "Worcester Telegram & Gazette Archives".
  3. Mitchell, Sean (April 15, 1990). "Exploring the Dark Side-as a Producer Actor Fred Ward's tenacity brings the comically sordid world of 'Miami Blues' to the screen".
  4. Wuntch, Philip. "dallasnews.com – Archives".
  5. "Fred Ward". TV Guide. Retrieved June 24, 2015.
  6. Mathews, Jack (October 18, 1985). "Will The Adventure Go on For Remo Williams?". The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved December 4, 2010.
  7. "Remo Williams Domestic Grosses". Box Office Mojo.
  8. J. O'Connor, John (September 10, 1991). "Review/Television; A Detective and Sci-Fi In Los Angeles Magic". The New York Times.
  9. "'Tremors' Star Fred Ward -- Second Marriage Shot to Hell". August 13, 2013. Missing or empty |url= (help)
  10. ""2 Guns" Star Fred Ward NOT Getting Divorced – Never Mind...We Worked it Out". November 13, 2013. Retrieved June 24, 2015.
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