SAD NEWS: Beloved Actor Fred Ward, dies at 79. 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. He appeared to be the sort of fellow who hailed from the South Side of Chicago or Hell’s 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 Streep’s workmate in Mike Nichols’ Silkwood (1983) and for his turns in Errol Morris’ The Dark Wind (1991) and Michael Apted’s 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 HBO’s “True Detective” as Eddie Velcoro, the retired cop father of Colin Farrell’s Det. Ray Velcoro. He recurred on NBC’s “ER” as the father of Maura Tierney’s Abby Lockhart in 2006-07 and guested on series including “Grey’s Anatomy” and “United States of Tara.” The actor played President Reagan in the 2009 Cold War espionage thriller “Farewell,” directed by Christian Carion, and had a supporting role in the 2013 actioner “2 Guns,” 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 Ward’s family, friends, colleagues and fans. #peaceinparadise #rip #FredWard #Actor #RipFredWard #Tremors #TheRightStuff https://www.instagram.com/p/CdgVT7qrSaZ/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=
