Biography
Richard Ward (15 March 1915 – 1 July 1979) was an American actor who appeared in stage productions, films and television from 1949 until his death. He was born in Glenside, Pennsylvania, and worked for ten years as a New York City police detective before turning to acting. An Actors Studio alumnus, he made his television debut in 1950 and later appeared in anthology dramas and 1970s sitcoms including All in the Family, The Jeffersons and Good Times.
Ward had an extensive stage career. Highlights included the role of Mr Parker in Ceremonies in Dark Old Men and Willy Loman in the 1972 all-Black production of Death of a Salesman at Baltimore's Center Stage. His film roles included the street speaker in The Cool World (1964), Doc Johnson in Across 110th Street (1972), Agamemnon in Mandingo (1975) and Father in The Jerk (1979). He also appeared in Brubaker (1980), released after his death from a heart ailment in Coxsackie, New York.
