Fred Ward

Ward, who died on Sunday, was also known for films like "Miami Blues," "Henry & June," "The Player," and "Short Cuts."

His role as Mercury 7 astronaut Virgil “Gus” Grissom in Philip Kaufman’s Tom Wolfe adaptation “The Right Stuff” in 1983 brought him new acclaim. Fred Ward, iconic character actor and star of films like “The Right Stuff,” “Tremors,” “Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins,” “Miami Blues,” and “Henry & June,” has died. The Golden Globe winner was also known for starring in Robert Altman films like “The Player” and “Short Cuts.”

Fred Ward, the veteran character actor best known for his diverse roles in "Tremors," "The Right Stuff," "Remo Williams," "The Punisher" and Robert Altman's ...

After working in television throughout the ’80s and ’90s, he landed a role alongside Kevin Bacon in “Tremors” and starred in its sequel, “Tremors II: Aftershocks.” He also starred in fan favorites such as “Exit Speed,” “Joe Dirt” and “Sweet Home Alabama.” After his “Alcatraz” success, he went on to star in “Southern Comfort” (1981), “Timerider: The Adventures of Lyle Swann” (1982) and “Uncommon Valor” (1983). Fred Ward, the veteran character actor best known for his diverse roles in “Tremors,” “The Right Stuff” and Robert Altman’s “Short Cuts,” has died.

Fred Ward, the erstwhile lumberjack known for playing no-nonsense men of action in such films as Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins, Tremors and The Right ...

“My father did a lot of time,” he told the Tribune. “He was in jail when I was born, got out briefly to celebrate the birth and then went right back. You see Gus Grissom hanging there: almost totally defeated, like a dead fish on the end of a line.” “And then they picked me up, dangling by a rescue noose. She left me with her mother in Texas while she went to New Orleans to set up a life for us. Ward’s Remo was a New York cop who is taught martial arts skills by a Korean master (Joel Grey) as he becomes an assassin for a secret government agency. “I had a wet suit on under my flight suit, in pretty cold water,” Ward recalled. “In many ways, his work, like that of Robert Duvall, can be viewed as a meditation on America’s notions of masculinity.” Then she married my stepfather, who was with the carnie. Alcohol was the real trouble, underneath all the rest. The San Diego native brought an authentic strength and gruff manner to his work. “When I was 3, my mother left my father. For Robert Altman, Ward was the head of studio security in The Player (1992) and shared Golden Globe and Venice Film Festival ensemble prizes for his performance in Short Cuts (1993).

Fred Ward, who starred in films including "Henry and June," "Tremors," "The Right Stuff" and "The Player," has died. He was 79.

Variety said: “Fred Ward is particularly good as the partners’ superior, Master Sgt. Dix.” Here Ward plays Swann as a laidback racer, a guy who just wants to go home with minimal trouble from his surroundings.” The Washington Post said: “As the handymen, Bacon and Ward make a good team. Ward brought his trademark grit to his portrayal of the courageous, intelligent astronaut Gus Grissom in 1983’s “The Right Stuff,” Philip Kaufman’s epic story of the early space program. The film depicted the intellectual and psychosexual dynamics between Miller, his wife June (played by Uma Thurman) and the erotically engaged French novelist Nin in Paris in the early 1930s. The film did not do much for Ward’s career, as its fan only discovered it later on cable and home video. There aren’t many actors able to carry a two-character film, but Suzy Amis and Fred Ward are among the few who can.” Reviewing the 1982 film for DVD Verdict in 2001, Patrick Naugle wrote: “‘Timerider’ is filled with some colorful and funny performances. Perhaps because Grissom ultimately lost his life in service to NASA (he was command pilot on Apollo 1, but before its launch on Feb. 21, 1967, the command module interior caught fire and all three men aboard died), audiences were especially sensitive to the portrayal in “The Right Stuff.” The film chronicled the Project Mercury spacecraft incident in which the emergency explosive bolts fired after splashdown and blew the hatch off, causing the ship to flood. In the quirky but painfully violent Alec Baldwin vehicle “Miami Blues,” Ward played Sgt. Hoke Moseley, the cop who’s after Baldwin’s sociopathic Fred Frenger. Roger Ebert wrote: “The actors struggle manfully with their roles. Ward, who didn’t quite cut it as superhero Remo Williams, has the rugged looks and good humor of a friendly desperado, while Bacon continues to move beyond his glamour-boy roots and prove himself as an actor.” There was a certain retro quality to the actor’s persona that made Ward seem more akin to Humphrey Bogart or John Garfield (although not quite with those actors’ level of charisma) than to his contemporaries, and it did not seem at all affected.

Fred Ward had several roles throughout his acting career, including in films and TV shows like "Grey's Anatomy," "ER," and "True Detective."

Our thoughts go out to his family and friends at this time." Born in San Diego, Ward went on to have a prolific acting career. The official Facebook page for the movie "Tremors" shared a black-and-white photo Ward, writing: "We are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Fred Ward who played Earl Bassett in the Tremors franchise.

Fred Ward, a longtime Hollywood character actor who starred as an astronaut in "The Right Stuff" and took on giant worms in "Tremors," has died at 79.

Ward headlined the 1985 action adventure "Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins," in which he played a cop trained to become an assassin by a martial-arts master (Joel Grey). It turned out to be a failed franchise vehicle, but Ward had noteworthy roles in a pair of 1990 films: He starred as author Henry Miller in "Henry & June," the first NC-17 film, also featuring Uma Thurman, and he played a Miami detective hunting down Alec Baldwin's ex-con in the neo-noir dark comedy "Miami Blues." (Ward himself bought the book rights for Charles Willeford's novel two years before.) In addition, Ward had a role as a studio security chief in Robert Altman's "The Player" and a TV anchor in Tim Robbins' "Bob Roberts" – both in 1992 – and was a terrorist planning to detonate a bomb at the Oscars in the 1994 spoof "The Naked Gun 33 1/3: The Final Insult." Publicist Ron Hofmann confirmed to USA TODAY that Ward died Sunday. Ward had a steady presence on screen since the late 1970s, garnering his first major role alongside Clint Eastwood in 1979's "Escape from Alcatraz." Ward memorably played Mercury 7 astronaut Virgil “Gus” Grissom in 1983's space epic "The Right Stuff" but also tackled giant monster worms side by side with Kevin Bacon in the 1990 cult horror comedy "Tremors."

The versatile actor was known for bringing a grounded charisma to roles across a decades-long career.

He did not specify the cause of death. Mr. Ward also played the lead in “Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins,” which was intended to be the first in a series but fared poorly in theaters in 1985 and drew mixed reviews. Fred Ward, the versatile actor who played an astronaut in “The Right Stuff,” a grizzled drifter in “Tremors” and the titular writer in “Henry and June” across a decades-long career, died on Sunday. He was 79.

Fred Ward, Versatile Character Actor in 'Tremors' and 'The Right Stuff,' Dead at 79 · From Miami Blues and Remo Williams to Henry & June and Naked Gun 33 1/3, “ ...

After studying acting in Rome and dubbing Italian films into English, Ward made his first major on-screen appearance with a role in the Clint Eastwood-starring Escape From Alcatraz in 1979. Ward continued to act on both the big and small screens through the 2000s, making guest appearances on ER, Grey’s Anatomy, United States of Tara and Leverage. His last role was a two-episode stint on the first season of HBO’s True Detective. Ward’s rep, Ron Hoffman, confirmed the actor’s May 8 death in a statement, though no cause of death was provided.

Fred Ward, whose appeared in more than 80 movies and TV shows including 'Henry & June,' 'Tremors' and 'Big Business,' died Sunday. He was 79.

“You carry the baggage of your childhood with you until you can step into a Zen space and objectify it,” Ward told The Times in 1990. Ward also executive-produced a film, “Miami Blues,” released in 1990. Roles in “The Player” and “Short Cuts” followed, with the latter film earning him a piece of a special-recognition Golden Globe award in 1994. “I mourn the loss of Fred Ward, who was so kind to me when we worked together on Remo Williams,” Mulgrew tweeted. “Fred Ward was seemingly incapable of being inauthentic. After battling flesh-eating subterranean monsters alongside Kevin Bacon in the cult-favorite flick “Tremors” (1990), he played erotic novelist Henry Miller in “Henry & June” that same year.

Fred Ward, a prolific actor known for roles in 'The Right Stuff,' 'Tremors,' 'Remo Williams,' 'True Detective' and many others, died May 8. He was 79.

Two years later, he’d star as astronaut Gus Grissom in the hit film The Right Stuff. No cause or place of death was disclosed. Featured roles would quickly follow, including in such films as Silkwood, Swing Shift, Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins, Tremors, Henry & June, the Robert Altman movies The Player and Short Cuts Errol Morris’ The Dark Wind and Michael Apted’s Thunderheart. He starred in and exec-produced the 1990 film Miami Blues, directed by George Armitage and co-starring Alec Baldwin and Jennifer Jason Leigh.

Veteran actor Fred Ward, who parlayed rugged everyman looks into a lengthy career playing everything from historic American heroes to a monster-fighting.

Ward's younger fans may know him best from the second season of "True Detective," the critically acclaimed HBO series. The versatile actor is perhaps equally well known for the 1990 science fiction comedy "Tremors," where he and Kevin Bacon played down-on-their luck repairmen who stumble upon a flesh-eating worm monster. He was also in the cast of Altman's "Short Cuts," which was honored with a special award at the 1994 Golden Globes for the work of its ensemble cast.

Fred Ward, a veteran actor who brought a gruff tenderness to tough-guy roles in such films as “The Right Stuff,” “The Player” and “Tremors,” has died.

With the sexually charged, NC-17 “Henry & June,” Ward showed more than just grit. “I mourn the loss of Fred Ward, who was so kind to me when we worked together on ‘Remo Williams,’” actor Kate Mulgrew tweeted. Ward played President Reagan in the 2009 Cold War espionage thriller “Farewell” and had a supporting role in the 2013 action flick “2 Guns,” starring Denzel Washington and Mark Wahlberg. “Devastated to learn about the passing of my friend, Fred Ward,” tweeted actor Matthew Modine, who co-starred with Ward in “Short Cuts” and Alan Rudolph’s Equinox.” “A tough façade covering emotions as deep as the Pacific Ocean. Godspeed amigo.” A former boxer, lumberjack in Alaska and short-order cook who served in the U.S. Air Force, Ward was a San Diego native who was part Cherokee. One early big role was alongside Clint Eastwood in 1979′s “Escape From Alcatraz.” NEW YORK (AP) — Fred Ward, a veteran actor who brought a gruff tenderness to tough-guy roles in such films as “The Right Stuff,” “The Player” and “Tremors,” has died.

Fred Ward, a veteran actor who brought a gruff tenderness to tough-guy roles in such films as “The Right Stuff,” “The Player” and “Tremors,” has died.

With the sexually charged, NC-17 “Henry & June,” Ward showed more than just grit. “I mourn the loss of Fred Ward, who was so kind to me when we worked together on ‘Remo Williams,’” actor Kate Mulgrew tweeted. Ward played President Reagan in the 2009 Cold War espionage thriller “Farewell” and had a supporting role in the 2013 action flick “2 Guns,” starring Denzel Washington and Mark Wahlberg. “Devastated to learn about the passing of my friend, Fred Ward,” tweeted actor Matthew Modine, who co-starred with Ward in “Short Cuts” and Alan Rudolph’s Equinox.” “A tough façade covering emotions as deep as the Pacific Ocean. Godspeed amigo.” A former boxer, lumberjack in Alaska and short-order cook who served in the U.S. Air Force, Ward was a San Diego native who was part Cherokee. One early big role was alongside Clint Eastwood in 1979′s “Escape From Alcatraz.” NEW YORK (AP) — Fred Ward, a veteran actor who brought a gruff tenderness to tough-guy roles in such films as “The Right Stuff,” “The Player” and “Tremors,” has died.

Actor Fred Ward has died, according to his publicist, Ron Hofmann. The star, who brought gentlemanly gruffness to films that included The Right Stuff, Henry and June and The Player died Sunday, May 8 at the age of 79. No cause of death was given.

"The unique thing about Fred Ward is that you never knew where he was going to pop up, so unpredictable were his career choices," Hofmann wrote in an email. That led to a few appearances in TV productions by Italian neorealist pioneer Roberto Rossellini. Ward made his U.S. movie debut as a convict alongside Clint Eastwood in Escape from Alcatraz in 1979. A former boxer, lumberjack and short-order cook who served in the U.S. Air Force, Ward went to acting school and got his start when he moved to Rome as a young man and worked as a mime, then a voice-over actor.

He appeared in nearly 90 film and television roles, including as a bumbling repairman in "Tremors" and a movie-studio security chief in "The Player."

“My rear end seemed to have something to do with it,” Mr. Ward told The Washington Post in 1990. His father was in and out of jail, behind bars the day Mr. Ward was born, and his parents separated when he was 3 years old. It reflects my view of the world.” But “Remo Williams” bombed at the box office, grossing only $14 million and effectively tanking Mr. Ward’s chance at transitioning into a bankable leading man. He went on to draw wide acclaim for his portrayal of Grissom, one of America’s first astronauts, in “The Right Stuff” (1983), based on Tom Wolfe’s epic chronicle of the early U.S. space program. Mr. Ward later played a National Guard member antagonizing a group of Cajuns in “Southern Comfort” (1981), a dirt-bike racer who stumbles into a time-travel experiment in “Timerider: The Adventure of Lyle Swann” (1982), a Native American tribal leader in “Thunderheart” (1992) and a gangster plotting to blow up the Academy Awards in “Naked Gun 33⅓: The Final Insult” (1994). That same year, he was featured alongside Kevin Bacon in the zippy horror comedy “Tremors,” using a lasso to fool a man-eating worm into swallowing a makeshift pipe bomb. In the statement, his publicist said Mr. Ward “spent the last years of his life developing his second favorite art form: painting.” “You carry the baggage of your childhood with you until you can step into a Zen space and objectify it,” Mr. Ward told the Los Angeles Times. “There are certain elements of need — the need for acceptance — from my childhood that gave me the drive that an actor has to have.” Mr. Ward was raised in Texas and Louisiana by his mother, who worked at bars before she remarried. He also showed off his comedic chops in two Robert Altman films, as a movie-studio security chief in “The Player” (1992) and an out-of-work salesman who finds a corpse during a fishing trip in “Short Cuts” (1993). Mr. Ward remained an in-demand actor, reuniting with Kaufman to star in the erotic biographical drama “Henry & June” (1990), which explored the love triangle between the roguish “Tropic of Cancer” author Miller; his second wife, June (Uma Thurman); and writer Anaïs Nin (Maria de Medeiros). It became the first movie to receive an NC-17 rating.

Fred Ward, a veteran actor who brought a gruff tenderness to tough-guy roles in such films as “The Right Stuff,” “The Player” and “Tremors,” has died.

With the sexually charged, NC-17 “Henry & June,” Ward showed more than just grit. “I mourn the loss of Fred Ward, who was so kind to me when we worked together on ‘Remo Williams,’” actor Kate Mulgrew tweeted. Ward played President Ronald Reagan in the 2009 Cold War espionage thriller “Farewell” and had a supporting role in the 2013 action flick “2 Guns,” starring Denzel Washington and Mark Wahlberg. “Devastated to learn about the passing of my friend, Fred Ward,” tweeted actor Matthew Modine, who co-starred with Ward in “Short Cuts” and Alan Rudolph’s “Equinox.” “A tough façade covering emotions as deep as the Pacific Ocean. Godspeed amigo.” A former boxer, lumberjack in Alaska and short-order cook who served in the U.S. Air Force, Ward was a San Diego native who was part Cherokee. One early big role was alongside Clint Eastwood in 1979′s “Escape From Alcatraz.” NEW YORK (AP) — Fred Ward, a veteran actor who brought a gruff tenderness to tough-guy roles in such films as “The Right Stuff,” “The Player” and “Tremors,” has died.