Fred Ward

Fred Ward Headshot

Actor • Producer

Birth Date: December 30, 1942

Death Date: May 8, 2022

Birth Place: San Diego, California

With his varied work experiences, this rough-hewn character lead excels at playing blue collar types and working class heroes. Ward worked in mime and masque theater and performed in cabarets in Europe and Northern Africa before moving to Rome where he translated spaghetti Westerns and appeared in two TV-movies directed by seminal Italian neorealist filmmaker Roberto Rossellini--"The Power of Cosimo" (1974) and "Cartesia" (1975). After some lean times in LA (where he supported himself selling jewelry on the street), Ward made his feature debut as a jailbreak buddy of the even craggier Clint Eastwood in Don Siegel's "Escape From Alcatraz" (1979). Ward's rugged looks worked well in action adventure films: Walter Hill's "Southern Comfort" (1981), a creepy tale of macho part-time National Guardsmen facing peril in the Louisiana bayou; "Timerider: The Adventures of Lyle Swann" (1982), wherein he played a motocross bike racer transported to the Old West; and "Uncommon Valor" (1983), as a member of Gene Hackman's crew of commandos on a rescue mission in Laos. He received positive notices as astronaut Gus Grissom in Philip Kaufman's "The Right Stuff" (1983) and went on to work regularly in films and TV throughout the 80s and 90s. Ward starred in "Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins" (1985). Directed by veteran Bond helmer Guy Hamilton ("Goldfinger" 1964), this was a failed but valiant attempt to start an action franchise. He was also Kevin Bacon's partner in "Tremors" (1990), a jaunty 50s-style monster flick. Ward starred in and served as co-executive producer on "Miami Blues" (1990), a cop thriller/black-comedy which featured dynamic performances from co-stars Alec Baldwin and Jennifer Jason Leigh. Ward reteamed with Kaufman to play Henry Miller in the controversial "Henry and June" (1990). He appeared in three ambitious 1992 films: Michael Apted's "Thunderheart"; Robert Altman's "The Player" (as the studio security head); and Tim Robbins' "Bob Roberts" (as a news anchor). Ward also played an underworld kingpin in Alan Rudolph's quirky mystery, "Equinox" (1993). Fred Ward died on May 8, 2022 at the age of 79.

Credits

True DetectiveStream

Guest Star
Series
2014
78%

2 GunsStream

Actor
Admiral Tuwey
Movie
2013

30 Minutes or LessStream

Actor
The Major
Movie
2011
45%

United States of TaraStream

Guest Star
Frank
Series
2009
85%

Armored

Actor
Duncan Ashcroft
Movie
2009

The Wild Stallion

Actor
Frank Mills
Movie
2009

Farewell

Actor
Ronald Reagan
Movie
2009

LeverageStream

Guest Star
Steve Reynolds
Series
2008
92%

In Plain SightStream

Guest Star
Frank Jergens / Frank Jerome
Series
2008

Management

Actor
Jerry
Movie
2008

Exit Speed

Actor
Sergeant Archie Sparks
Movie
2008

Feast of Love

Actor
Bat
Movie
2007

Grey's AnatomyStream

Guest Star
Series
2005
84%

10.5

Actor
Miniseries
2004

Coast to Coast

Actor
Hal Kressler
Movie
2004

The Last Ride

Actor
Darryl Kurtz
Movie
2004

Funky Monkey

Actor
Don Decker
Movie
2004

Masked and Anonymous

Actor
Drunk
Movie
2003

EnoughStream

Actor
Jupiter
Movie
2002
22%

AbandonStream

Actor
Lt. Bill Stayton
Movie
2002
16%

Sweet Home AlabamaStream

Actor
Earl
Movie
2002
38%

A.K.A. Birdseye

Actor
Nolan Sharpless
Movie
2002

Szaleństwa Iris

Actor
Movie
2001

Joe DirtStream

Actor
Joe's Dad
Movie
2001
9%

Corky Romano

Actor
Leo Corrigan
Movie
2001

Wild Iris

Actor
Errol Podubney
Movie
2001

Full Disclosure

Actor
John McWhirter
Movie
2001

Summer Catch

Actor
Sean Dunne
Movie
2001

The Crimson Code

Actor
Retired FBI agent
Movie
2000

Road TripStream

Actor
Earl Edwards
Movie
2000
57%

Chaos Factor

Actor
Max Camden
Movie
2000

Circus

Actor
Elmo
Movie
2000

The Crow: Salvation

Actor
Police Captain
Movie
2000

Jackie Bouvier Kennedy Onassis

Actor
John Vernon "Black Jack" Bouvier III
Movie
2000

La città d'oro

Actor
Andrew Fallon
Movie
1998

Dangerous BeautyStream

Actor
Domenico Venier
Movie
1998
70%

Best Men

Actor
Sheriff Phillips
Movie
1998

Vivero Letter

Actor
Andrew Fallon
Movie
1998

Gun

Actor
Show
1997

No Te Haré Daño

Actor
Dave Reimuller
Movie
1997

...First Do No Harm

Actor
Dave Reimuller
Movie
1997

Tremors II: AftershocksStream

Actor
Earl Bassett
Movie
1996
60%

Chain ReactionStream

Actor
FBI Agent Leon Ford
Movie
1996
18%

ERStream

Guest Star
Eddie Wyczenski
Series
1994

Naked Gun 33 1/3: The Final InsultStream

Actor
Rocco Dillon
Movie
1994
56%

Luck, Trust and Ketchup: Robert Altman in Carver Country

Actor
Movie
1993

Short cuts, les américains

Actor
Movie
1993

Equinox

Actor
Mr. Paris
Movie
1993

Short Cuts

Actor
Stuart Kane
Movie
1993

Two Small Bodies

Actor
Lt. Brann
Movie
1993

The PlayerStream

Actor
Walter Stuckel
Movie
1992
97%

Thunderheart

Actor
Jack Milton
Movie
1992

Four Eyes and Six-Guns

Actor
Wyatt Earp
Movie
1992

Cast a Deadly Spell

Actor
Det. Harry Philip Lovecraft
Movie
1991

The Dark Wind

Actor
Lieutenant Joe Leaphorn
Movie
1991

Conjuro Mortal

Actor
Movie
1991

TremorsStream

Actor
Earl Bassett
Movie
1990
88%

Miami BluesStream

Actor
Sgt. Hoke Moseley
Movie
1990
85%

Miami BluesStream

Executive Producer
Movie
1990
85%

Henry & June

Actor
Henry Miller
Movie
1990

Backtrack

Actor
Pauling
Movie
1989

The Prince of Pennsylvania

Actor
Gary Marshetta
Movie
1988

Big Business

Actor
Roone Dimmick
Movie
1988

Off Limits

Actor
Dix
Movie
1988

Train of Dreams

Actor
Teacher
Movie
1987

Rêve en cage

Actor
Movie
1987

Rêves en cage

Actor
Movie
1987

Florida Straits

Actor
Lucky Boone
Movie
1986

Noon Wine

Actor
Royal Earle Thompson
Movie
1985

Secret Admirer

Actor
Lou Fimple
Movie
1985

Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins

Actor
Remo Williams
Movie
1985

Swing ShiftStream

Actor
Movie
1984
87%

The Hitchhiker

Actor
Show
1983

The Right StuffStream

Actor
Gus Grissom
Movie
1983
96%

Uncommon Valor

Actor
Wilkes
Movie
1983

Silkwood

Actor
Morgan
Movie
1983
76%

Timerider

Actor
Lyle Swann
Movie
1982

Pesadilla de Guerra

Actor
Movie
1981

Southern Comfort

Actor
Reece
Movie
1981

Belle Starr

Actor
Ned Christie
Movie
1980

UFOria

Actor
Sheldon Bart
Movie
1980

Flukten fra Alcatraz

Actor
John Anglin
Movie
1979

Escape from AlcatrazStream

Actor
John Anglin
Movie
1979
97%

The Incredible HulkStream

Guest Star
Series
1978

L'età di Cosimo de' Medici

Actor
Niccolò de' Conti
Show
1972