Golden Globe-winning actor Fred Ward has passed away at the age of 79.
TMZ reports via Ward’s rep that his cause of death is currently unknown. Ward, who died on May 8, wanted memorial tributes to be given to the Boston University Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy Center.
His screen credits included Tremors—his most well-known role, in which he starred alongside Kevin Bacon—and Short Cuts, for which he won a Golden Globe. He also appeared in Grey’s Anatomy, Miami Blues, United States of Tara, Henry and June, and The Player.
Ward appeared in the second season of HBO’s True Detective, playing Eddie Velcoro, a retired officer and father to Detective Ray Velcoro (Colin Farrell). Ward previously had a recurring role in ER as the father of Abbey Lockhart (Maura Tierney) from 2006 to 2007. Ward continued acting until 2018, after which he spent his time painting.
“Ward has played many heroes, each with a subtlety that removed them from the cardboard cutout figures that they could have been,” the Chicago Tribune’s Julia Cameron wrote of the actor in 1985. “In many ways, his work...can be viewed as a meditation on America’s notions of masculinity.”
Fred Ward was married to Marie-France Ward, with whom he had a son, Django.
