SAD NEWS: Beloved Actor Fred Ward, dies at 79. There was a certain retro quality to the actorâs persona that made Ward seem more akin to Humphrey Bogart or John Garfield (although not quite with those actorsâ level of charisma) than to his contemporaries, and it did not seem at all affected. He appeared to be the sort of fellow who hailed from the South Side of Chicago or Hellâs Kitchen, but he was actually from San Diego. The San Diego native brought an authentic strength and gruff manner to his work. Part Cherokee, he tapped into his heritage as a union activist and Meryl Streepâs workmate in Mike Nicholsâ Silkwood (1983) and for his turns in Errol Morrisâ The Dark Wind (1991) and Michael Aptedâs Thunderheart (1992). Some of Ward's best-known work includes staring opposite Kevin Bacon in comedy-horror monster movie Tremors, chasing down Keanu Reeves in Chain Reaction, one of the many highlights in Robert Altman's 1993 classic Short Cuts, and his scene-stealing turn in The Right Stuff. Ward most recently appeared in the second season of HBOâs âTrue Detectiveâ as Eddie Velcoro, the retired cop father of Colin Farrellâs Det. Ray Velcoro. He recurred on NBCâs âERâ as the father of Maura Tierneyâs Abby Lockhart in 2006-07 and guested on series including âGreyâs Anatomyâ and âUnited States of Tara.â The actor played President Reagan in the 2009 Cold War espionage thriller âFarewell,â directed by Christian Carion, and had a supporting role in the 2013 actioner â2 Guns,â starring Denzel Washington and Mark Wahlberg. Ward was married three times. Survivors include his wife of 27 years, Marie-France Ward, and his son, Django, named for Belgian jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt. Donations in his memory can be made to the Boston University Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy Center @ (https://bit.ly/39g7BrA). Up Your Geek extends its condolences to Wardâs family, friends, colleagues and fans. #peaceinparadise #rip #FredWard #Actor #RipFredWard #Tremors #TheRightStuff https://www.instagram.com/p/CdgVT7qrSaZ/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=
