Biography
Early life
Ward on the cover of Tremors 2: Aftershocks.
Ward was born in San Diego, California of Scottish-Irish and Native American descent. Before acting, Ward spent three years in the United States Air Force. He was also a boxer, and worked as a lumberjack in Alaska. He became an actor after studying at New York's 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 '70s, Ward spent time working in experimental theater and doing some television work. He made his first American film appearance playing a truck driver in Ginger in the Morning (1974).
Career
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).
Other notable film roles include astronaut Gus Grissom in The Right Stuff (1983), the overbearing father in Secret Admirer (1985), the title role in the action movie Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins (1985) (his first leading role), Earl Bassett in Tremors (1989) (which he reprised in Tremors II: Aftershocks (1996)), the writer Henry Miller in Philip Kaufman's Henry & June (1990), and the covert security chief in Robert Altman's Hollywood satire The Player (1992).
Fred Ward has continued to be active through the 1990s and 2000s, with roles in films such as Bob Roberts (1992), The Naked Gun 33 1/3: The Final Insult (1994), Chain Reaction (1996), The Chaos Factor (2000), and Sweet Home Alabama (2002). He has enjoyed success in comedies, dramas and action thrillers.
Private life
Ward is divorced from Silvia Ward and currently married to Marie-France Ward.
Awards
2001: Video Premiere Award - Full Discosure (Nomination)
1993: Volpi Cup - Short Cuts
1993: Golden Globe - Short Cuts
Selected filmography
Fred Ward as Earl Bassett in the 1990 film Tremors.
Fred Ward as Earl Bassett in the 1996 film Tremors II: Aftershocks.
2006 - Last of the Mustangs - John Mills - Drama
2004 - The Last Ride - Darryl Kurtz - Action
2004 - 10.5 - Roy Nolan - Action
2004 - Coast to Coast - Hal Kressler - Comedy
2003 - Masked & Anonymous - Drunk - Comedy
2002 - Enough Jupiter - Drama
2002 - Sweet Home Alabama - Earl Smooter - Romance
2001 - Summer Catch - Sean Dunne - Romance
2001 - Corky Romano - Leo Corrigan - Comedy
2001 - Joe Dirt - Joe´s Dad - Comedy
2001 - Full Disclosure - John McWhirter - Thriller
2001 - Wild Iris - Errol Podubney - Romance
2000 - The Crow: Salvation - The Captian - Fantasy
2000 - The Chaos Factor - Max Camden - Thriller
2000 - Road Trip - Earl Edwards - Comedy
2000 - The Crimson Code - Randall Brooks - Crime
1998 - The Vivero Letter - Andrew Fallon - Adventure
1998 - Dangerous Beauty - Domenico Venier - History
1997 - First Do No Harm - Dave Reimüller - Drama
1997 - Best Men - Sheriff Bud Phillips - Comedy
1996 - Chain Reaction - Agent Leon Ford - Thriller
1995 - Tremors 2: Aftershocks - Earl Bassett - Adventure
1995 - Un bruit qui rend fou - Frank - Crime
1994 - The Naked Gun - Rocco Dillon - Comedy
1993 - Short Cuts - Stuart Kane - Comedy
1993 - Two Small Bodies - Lieteunant Brann - Crime
1992 - Four Eyes and Six Guns - Wyatt Earp - Western
1992 - The Player - Walter Stuckel - Drama
1992 - Equinox - Mr. Paris - Thriller
1992 - Thunderheart - Jack Milton - Crime
1992 - Bob Roberts - TV News Anchor Chip Daley - Comedy
1991 - Cast a Deadly Spell - H. P. Lovecraft -Horror
1990 - Henry & June - Henry Miller - Erotic
1990 - Miami Blues - Sgt. Hoke Moseley - Comedy
1989 - Tremors - Earl Bassett - Adventure
1988 - Catchfire - Police Officer Pauling - Crime
1988 - The Prince of Pennsylvania - Gary Marshetta - Comedy
1988 - Big Business - Roone Dimmick - Comedy
1988 - Off Limits - Dix - Thriller
1986 - Florida Straits - Lucky Boone - Adventure
1985 - Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins - Remo Williams, Samuel - Edward Macon - Thriller
1985 - Secret Admirer - Lou Fimple - Comedy
1985 - Noon Wine - Royal Early Thompson - Western
19984 - Swing Shift - Archibald "Biscuits" Toue - Romance
1983 - Silkwood - Morgan - Thriller
1983 - Uncommon Valor - Wilkes - Action
1983 - The Right Stuff - Gus Grissom - Biography
1982 - Timerider: The Adventure of Lyle Swan - Lyle Swan - Science-Fiction
1981 - Southern Comfort (film) - Cpl. Reece - Drama
1980 - UFOria - Waylon Jennings Imitator, Sheldon Bart - Comedy
1980 - Carny - Erotic
1979 - Escape from Alcatraz - John Anglin - Thriller
