Fred Ward, beloved star of Remo Williams and Tremors, dead at 79

The great Fred Ward, star of such cult classics as Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins, Tremors and Cast a Deadly Spell, is dead at 79. No cause of death has been revealed yet, but for any fan of genre cinema from the eighties and nineties, this is a blow, as Ward was a legendary figure. Ward, who had part Cherokee heritage, didn’t become in demand as an actor until he hit his forties, when his weathered, craggy features made him a natural leading man in action roles. He started in movies opposite Clint Eastwood in 1979’s Don Siegel film Escape from Alcatraz and had a memorable on-screen knife fight with the late Powers Boothe in Walter Hill’s Southern Comfort.

He hit the big time in 1983 with strong supporting roles in three hit films, Silkwood, Uncommon Valor, and The Right Stuff. The latter two showcased a nervy approach that made him unique as far as would-be action stars went, with many critics noting that he stole both movies from his bigger co-stars, which included Gene Hackman and Patrick Swayze in the former, and Scott Glenn and Ed Harris in the latter. Rumour has it that Ward actually beat out Harris for the lead in 1985’s Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins, which was based on the pulp novel series “The Destroyer” and seemed primed to launch a major franchise. Alas, it was not meant to be, even if the film became a favourite of ours here at JoBlo.

While Remo Williams was a bit of a flop, Ward’s hot streak continued, with him memorably playing a cop with dentures in the underrated Miami Blues while also starring in the first NC-17 movie, Henry & June. He also dipped his toe into horror around this time, making a memorable foil for Kevin Bacon in the iconic hit Tremors and starring in a cult-classic HBO film called Cast a Deadly Spell opposite a young Julianne Moore. He also became a favourite of director Robert Altman, co-starring in The Player and Short Cuts. Ward most recently had roles in 2013’s 2 Guns opposite Denzel Washington and Mark Wahlberg while also having a meaty role in the divisive second season of True Detective. Indeed, Ward was a legend among character actors, and he’ll be missed. Check out our tributes to a few of Ward’s movies below, and let us know which film of his is your favourite in the comments.