‘Henry & June’ actor Fred Ward dies, age 79
Beloved TV and film actor of over four decades, Fred Ward, has died, age 79, well known for his roles in Henry & June, Tremors and The Right Stuff.
Ward’s publicist Ron Hoffman confirmed the actor’s death in a statement, and as per Ward’s family’s request, details of his death have not been released.
“I am sad to announce the passing of acclaimed actor Fred Ward, who passed away on Sunday, May 8, 2022, at age 79,” the statement said.
“The unique thing about Fred Ward is that you never knew where he was going to pop up, so unpredictable were his career choices.
“It was Fred Ward’s wish that any memorial tributes be made in the form of donations to the Boston University Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy Center. Please visit https://bit.ly/BUSMCTE or contact 617-358-9535 for more information.”
Ward was famous for portraying tough and gruff characters, perhaps perfected by his time spent in the U.S Airforce and as an amateur boxer before becoming an actor.
He started off acting in mostly TV roles, starring in shows like Quincy, M.E. and The Incredible Hulk, with his first major big-screen role in 1974 starring in the film Ginger in the Morning.
The Golden Globe winner played a huge variety of characters that span from cowboys, astronauts, veterans, assassins and heroes.
So sad to hear about Fred Ward. When it came to battling underground worms I couldn’t have asked for a better partner. I will always remember chatting about his love of Django Reinhardt and jazz guitar during our long hot days in the high desert. Rest In Peace Fred. pic.twitter.com/WLOB0iVwkd
— Kevin Bacon (@kevinbacon) May 13, 2022
R.I.P. Fred Ward, I’ll always remember you as Gus Grissom. You nailed this part. pic.twitter.com/bPhXGxSnbm
— Chris Addeo (@7EzioAuditore) May 15, 2022
RIP, Fred Ward, a great character actor whose big shot at leading man status, Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins, unfortunately flopped, but who kept giving great, lived-in performances for the rest of his career. pic.twitter.com/X3NnD3PgnX
— Alan Sepinwall (@sepinwall) May 13, 2022
I was a huge fan of Fred Ward and was overjoyed to get to work with him on Sweet Home Alabama. He was a joy to work with- kind, thoughtful, grounded, smart, and funny, and he was consistently all of those things in every performance he gave. So sad to hear this news. ???? https://t.co/KNl8E4LcLZ
— Melanie Lynskey (@melanielynskey) May 13, 2022
Ward is survived by his wife of 27 years, Marie-France Ward, and son Django Ward.
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