Fred Ward

Biography

Fred Ward was an American character actor who trained at New York's Herbert Berghof Studio and, while living in Rome, worked as a mime and dubbed Italian movies into English. He made his American film debut in 1975 in Hearts of the West, cast as a cowboy, and his breakthrough came alongside Clint Eastwood in Escape from Alcatraz (1979), playing the fellow escapee John Anglin. He went on to portray the astronaut Gus Grissom in The Right Stuff (1983) and the title figure in Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins (1985). In the monster movie Tremors (1990) he took the lead role of Earl Bassett, and he also appeared in Henry & June, Miami Blues, The Player and Short Cuts, the last winning an ensemble Golden Globe and a Special Volpi Cup. Later credits include Road Trip (2000), 30 Minutes or Less (2011) and 2 Guns (2013). He died in 2022.

79years old at death

Born December 30, 1942San Diego
Died May 8, 2022San Diego
Star sign: CapricornThe sign runs December 22 to January 19
Freddie Joe Ward (birth name)Also credited as Frederick Joseph Ward

Movie Career

Films: 47
Career span: 39 years1974 to 2013

Genres

Drama51%, 24 films
Comedy49%, 23 films
Crime32%, 15 films
Action26%, 12 films
Thriller21%, 10 films

First and latest

Did you know?!

Early training
Ward studied acting at the Herbert Berghof Studio in New York. During a stay in Rome, he appeared in films by the neorealist director Roberto Rossellini and dubbed Italian movies into English.
First role
In 1982, Ward took on his first lead part in a movie, playing the title character in Timerider: The Adventure of Lyle Swann.
Behind the award
Ward played fisherman Stuart Kane in the Robert Altman film Short Cuts, and the whole ensemble won a Golden Globe for it in 1993.
Behind the camera
Ward played the part of cop Hoke Moseley in Miami Blues, a movie he produced himself. Alec Baldwin and Jennifer Jason Leigh also appeared in it.

Fred Ward movies on Netflix

2 Guns2013IMDb rating 6.7as Admiral Tuwey
30 Minutes or Less2011IMDb rating 6.0as The Major
Armored2009IMDb rating 5.7as Duncan Ashcroft
Farewell2009IMDb rating 6.9as Reagan
Exit Speed2008IMDb rating 5.3as Sergeant Archie Sparks
Management2008IMDb rating 5.8as Jerry
Feast of Love2007IMDb rating 6.5as Bat
Funky Monkey2004IMDb rating 3.7as Don Decker (scenes deleted)
Masked and Anonymous2003IMDb rating 5.3as Drunk
Abandon2002IMDb rating 4.8as Lieutenant Bill Stayton
Enough2002IMDb rating 5.8as Jupiter
Sweet Home Alabama2002IMDb rating 6.2as Earl Smooter
Corky Romano2001IMDb rating 4.8as Leo Corrigan
Joe Dirt2001IMDb rating 6.0as Joe's Dad
Summer Catch2001IMDb rating 5.1as Sean Dunne
Circus2000IMDb rating 5.5as Elmo
Road Trip2000IMDb rating 6.5as Earl Edwards
The Crow: Salvation2000IMDb rating 4.9as The Captain
Red Team1999IMDb rating 4.5as Retired FBI agent
Dangerous Beauty1998IMDb rating 7.1as Domenico Venier
...First Do No Harm1997IMDb rating 6.7as Dave Reimuller
Best Men1997IMDb rating 5.5as Sheriff Phillips
Chain Reaction1996IMDb rating 5.7as FBI Agent Leon Ford
Tremors 2: Aftershocks1996IMDb rating 6.0as Earl Bassett
Naked Gun 33 1/3: The Final Insult1994IMDb rating 6.5as Rocco
Short Cuts1993IMDb rating 7.6as Stuart Kane
The Player1992IMDb rating 7.5as Walter Stuckel
Thunderheart1992IMDb rating 6.8as Jack Milton
Cast a Deadly Spell1991IMDb rating 6.3as Det. Harry Philip Lovecraft
Catchfire1990IMDb rating 5.3as Pauling
Henry & June1990IMDb rating 6.3as Henry Miller
Miami Blues1990IMDb rating 6.4as Sgt. Hoke Moseley
Tremors1990IMDb rating 7.2as Earl Bass
Big Business1988IMDb rating 6.4as Roone Dimmick
Off Limits1988IMDb rating 6.2as Dix
Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins1985IMDb rating 6.4as Remo Williams
Secret Admirer1985IMDb rating 6.5as Lou Fimple
Swing Shift1984IMDb rating 6.0as Biscuits Toohey
UFOria1984IMDb rating 6.0as Sheldon Bart
Silkwood1983IMDb rating 7.1as Morgan
The Right Stuff1983IMDb rating 7.8as Gus Grissom
Uncommon Valor1983IMDb rating 6.3as Wilkes
Timerider: The Adventure of Lyle Swann1982IMDb rating 5.4as Lyle Swann
Southern Comfort1981IMDb rating 7.1as Reece
Carny1980IMDb rating 6.4as Jack
Escape from Alcatraz1979IMDb rating 7.5as John Anglin
Ginger in the Morning1974IMDb rating 5.3as Truck Driver

Best known for

The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.

Top

Tremors1990 Comedy, Horror, Sci-Fias Earl Bass
IMDb rating 7.2168K votes
Escape from Alcatraz1979 Biography, Crime, Dramaas John Anglin
IMDb rating 7.5167K votes
2 Guns2013as Admiral Tuwey
IMDb rating 6.7239K votes
The Player1992as Walter Stuckel
IMDb rating 7.573K votes
Naked Gun 33 1/3: The Final Insult1994as Rocco
IMDb rating 6.5130K votes
Tremors 2: Aftershocks1996as Earl Bassett
IMDb rating 6.034K votes
Sweet Home Alabama2002as Earl Smooter
IMDb rating 6.2137K votes
Road Trip2000as Earl Edwards
IMDb rating 6.5190K votes

Most often with

Robert Altman directed two of these films, Philip Kaufman two and Michael Apted two. Five actors appear in three of them each. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.

Top

Ed Harris

Margo Martindale

Tim Thomerson

Michael Gross

Chris Penn

Willem Dafoe

Robert AltmanDirector, 2 films

Philip KaufmanDirector, 2 films

Michael AptedDirector, 2 films

Films together

Ed Harris3 films together, 1983 to 2003
Ed Harris's page
- Masked and Anonymous2003IMDb rating 5.3Ward as DrunkHarris as Oscar Vogel
- Swing Shift1984IMDb rating 6.0Ward as Biscuits TooheyHarris as Jack Walsh
- The Right Stuff1983IMDb rating 7.8Ward as Gus GrissomHarris as John Glenn
Margo Martindale3 films together, 1997 to 2008
Margo Martindale's page
- Management2008IMDb rating 5.8Ward as JerryMartindale as Trish
- Feast of Love2007IMDb rating 6.5Ward as BatMartindale as Mrs. Maggarolian
- ...First Do No Harm1997IMDb rating 6.7Ward as Dave ReimullerMartindale as Marjean
Tim Thomerson3 films together, 1980 to 1999
Tim Thomerson's page
- Red Team1999IMDb rating 4.5Ward as Retired FBI agentThomerson as William Heywood
- Uncommon Valor1983IMDb rating 6.3Ward as WilkesThomerson as Charts
- Carny1980IMDb rating 6.4Ward as JackThomerson as Doubles
Michael Gross3 films together, 1988 to 1996
Michael Gross's page
- Tremors 2: Aftershocks1996IMDb rating 6.0Ward as Earl BassettGross as Burt Gummer
- Tremors1990IMDb rating 7.2Ward as Earl BassGross as Burt Gummer
- Big Business1988IMDb rating 6.4Ward as Roone DimmickGross as Dr. Jay Marshall
Chris Penn3 films together, 1993 to 2003
Chris Penn's page
- Masked and Anonymous2003IMDb rating 5.3Ward as DrunkPenn as Crew Guy #2
- Corky Romano2001IMDb rating 4.8Ward as Leo CorriganPenn as Peter Romano
- Short Cuts1993IMDb rating 7.6Ward as Stuart KanePenn as Jerry Kaiser
Willem Dafoe2 films together, 1988 to 2009
Willem Dafoe's page
- Farewell2009IMDb rating 6.9Ward as ReaganDafoe as Feeney
- Off Limits1988IMDb rating 6.2Ward as DixDafoe as Buck McGriff
Robert AltmanDirector, 2 films, 1992 to 1993
All films by Robert Altman
- Short Cuts1993IMDb rating 7.6Ward as Stuart Kane
- The Player1992IMDb rating 7.5Ward as Walter Stuckel
Philip KaufmanDirector, 2 films, 1983 to 1990
All films by Philip Kaufman
- Henry & June1990IMDb rating 6.3Ward as Henry Miller
- The Right Stuff1983IMDb rating 7.8Ward as Gus Grissom
Michael AptedDirector, 2 films, 1992 to 2002
All films by Michael Apted
- Enough2002IMDb rating 5.8Ward as Jupiter
- Thunderheart1992IMDb rating 6.8Ward as Jack Milton
Also two films together35 more actors
- Morgan FreemanFeast of Love (2007) and Chain Reaction (1996)
- Bruce DavisonSummer Catch (2001) and Short Cuts (1993)
- Julianne MooreShort Cuts (1993) and Cast a Deadly Spell (1991)
- Val KilmerMasked and Anonymous (2003) and Thunderheart (1992)
- C. Thomas HowellRed Team (1999) and Secret Admirer (1985)
- Meryl Streep...First Do No Harm (1997) and Silkwood (1983)
- Luke WilsonMasked and Anonymous (2003) and Best Men (1997)
- Richard E. GrantThe Player (1992) and Henry & June (1990)
- Kurt RussellSwing Shift (1984) and Silkwood (1983)
- Matthew ModineFunky Monkey (2004) and Short Cuts (1993)
- Jennifer Jason LeighShort Cuts (1993) and Miami Blues (1990)
- Dean StockwellThe Player (1992) and Catchfire (1990)
- Josh LucasManagement (2008) and Sweet Home Alabama (2002)
- Jodie FosterCatchfire (1990) and Carny (1980)
- Peter CoyoteTimerider: The Adventure of Lyle Swann (1982) and Southern Comfort (1981)
- Scott GlennOff Limits (1988) and The Right Stuff (1983)
- Tim RobbinsShort Cuts (1993) and The Player (1992)
- Sam ShepardThunderheart (1992) and The Right Stuff (1983)
- Brion JamesThe Player (1992) and Southern Comfort (1981)
- Peter GallagherShort Cuts (1993) and The Player (1992)
- Joanna CassidyDangerous Beauty (1998) and Chain Reaction (1996)
- Lily TomlinShort Cuts (1993) and Big Business (1988)
- Melanie LynskeyAbandon (2002) and Sweet Home Alabama (2002)
- Andy DickRoad Trip (2000) and Best Men (1997)
- J.C. QuinnBig Business (1988) and Silkwood (1983)
- Charles NapierMiami Blues (1990) and Swing Shift (1984)
- Courtney GainsSweet Home Alabama (2002) and Secret Admirer (1985)
- Tzi MaManagement (2008) and Chain Reaction (1996)
- Charles HallahanCast a Deadly Spell (1991) and Silkwood (1983)
- Leo Burmester...First Do No Harm (1997) and Big Business (1988)
- Gabriel MannAbandon (2002) and Summer Catch (2001)
- Raymond O'ConnorCast a Deadly Spell (1991) and Off Limits (1988)
- Les LannomSilkwood (1983) and Southern Comfort (1981)
- Seth AdkinsFunky Monkey (2004) and ...First Do No Harm (1997)
- Sudie BondSwing Shift (1984) and Silkwood (1983)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.