Richard Ward

Biography

Richard Ward, (March 15, 1915 – July 1, 1979) was a gravel-voiced African American actor on the stage, television, and in films, from 1949 until his death. Though best known through his TV appearances late in life, both in sitcoms and police procedurals, Ward also had an extensive film resume and a distinguished stage career, one of the highlights of the latter being his portrayal of Willy Loman in the 1972 production of Death of a Salesman, staged in Baltimore's Center Stage (the first African American production of Arthur Miller's signature opus, produced with the playwright's blessing); Ward's own favorite among his theatrical vehicles was Ceremonies in Dark Old Men.

Known For

Ned

Freeman

Father

The Jerk

Agamemnon

Mandingo

Gunsmith

Family Enforcer

Police Story: No Margin for Error

Blind Jordan

Sty of the Blind Pig

Satyros

Barefoot in Athens

Mill Hand

Nothing But a Man

Frank

Brother John

Captain Dobey

Starsky & Hutch

Booker Savage

The Learning Tree

Abraham Cook

Brubaker

Doc Johnson

Across 110th Street

Paul Jones

Cops and Robbers

Burt Wilson

Black Like Me

Street speaker

The Cool World

Lechock

Carib Gold

Bernie

For Pete's Sake

Heinrich Maksimov

All Men's Dead

Jack Kittens

Contract on Cherry Street