Actor Fred Ward has passed away at the age of 79
It was reported today that beloved horror actor Fred Ward passed away at the age of 79. Fans will likely know him best in his role as Earl Bassett from the 90’s American western-themed monster horror comedy film Tremors and Tremors II: Aftershocks.
According to reports from NPR: Ward died on Sunday, May 8th. No cause of death was given.
Horror fans may also remember Ward played Det. Harry Philip Lovecraft in 1991’s Cast a Deadly Spell, a Lovecraftian detective tale that has built up a cult following over the years. Other credits also include: Escape from Alcatraz, The Right Stuff, Miami Blues, The Player, Naked Gun 33 1/3, The Crow: Salvation, and Road Trip, as well as True Detective.
“The unique thing about Fred Ward is that you never knew where he was going to pop up, so unpredictable were his career choices,” publicist Ron Hofmann said in a statement shared by NPR. “He could play such diverse characters as Remo Williams, a cop trained by Chiun, Master of Sinanju (Joel Grey) to become an unstoppable assassin in Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins, or Earl Bass, who, alongside Kevin Bacon, battle giant, worm-like monsters hungry for human flesh in cult. horror/comedy film, Tremors (1990), or a detective in the indie film Two Small Bodies (1993) directed by underground filmmaker Beth B., or a terrorist planning to blow up the Academy Awards in The Naked Gun 33 1/3: The Final Insult (1994), or the father of the lead character in Jennifer Lopez’s revenge thriller Enough (2002).”
Fred Ward is survived by his wife of 27 years, Marie-France Ward, and son Django Ward.
