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English character actor (1909–1997) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Michael Ward (born George William Everard Yoe Ward; 9 April 1909 – 8 November 1997) was an English character actor who appeared in nearly eighty films between 1947 and 1978.
Michael Ward | |
|---|---|
Sleeping Car to Trieste (1948) | |
| Born | George William Everard Yoe Ward 9 April 1909 Carnmenellis, Cornwall, England |
| Died | 8 November 1997 (aged 88) London, England |
| Alma mater | Royal Central School of Speech and Drama |
| Years active | 1947–1978 |
Ward was born in Carnmenellis in Cornwall, to clergyman William George Henry Ward and his wife Annie (née Dingle). He originally trained and worked as a teacher[1] but then retrained at the Central School of Speech and Drama, and won his first film role in 1947, playing Mr Trafford in Alexander Korda's An Ideal Husband.
In between the years 1947 and 1960, Ward appeared in no fewer than 30 films, making him one of the UK's busiest and most recognisable character actors.
As well as five Carry On films, Ward also appeared in four Norman Wisdom films and six made by the Boulting brothers.
In the early 1960s television started to take over Ward's career, and until his retirement in 1978 he appeared in (amongst many others) The Jack Benny Programme, The Avengers, The Morecambe and Wise Show, Dixon of Dock Green, The Two Ronnies, Armchair Theatre, Rising Damp and Sykes.
After making what would be his last ever screen outing in 1978's Revenge of the Pink Panther, Ward suffered a stroke which forced him to retire. By 1986, he was unable to walk. He died on 8 November 1997 at St Mary's Hospital in London. He was 88. Ward was an extremely complicated character and never really recovered from the death of his mother in the late 60s. He was also gay (openly from the late 1960s) which caused him a lot of problems. Ward was a very sensitive man and needed to be reassured regularly.[2]
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