Patrick Ward (4 January 1950 – 14 October 2019) was an Australian actor noted for several performances on Australian television.

Early life Ward grew up in the Sydney suburb of Marrickville, the son of a taxi driver and payroll mistress. He left home and school at the age of 14. He worked in several jobs, before joining choreographer Ross Coleman's production of Gotta Move at Sydney's Union Theatre (now Footbridge Theatre) in 1968. At 16, he joined the Independent Theatre, where he trained as an actor, before going on to perform at the Killara 680 Coffee Theatre. At 17, he came second in a go-go dancing competition for radio station 2UW.

In his late teens, Ward was signed by Pat Woodley's modelling agency, through which he began landing roles in TV commercials.

Career Ward signed with International Casting Services run by Gloria Payten who initially secured work for him as an extra in films such Color Me Dead (1969) and That Lady from Peking (1975). At the beginning of the 1970s he also scored work in various television shows. He played Gilbert Bunthorp in the ABC's adaptation of The Cousin from Fiji, a soldier in Spyforce and a Vietnam veteran in The Godfathers. Ward played Mike Parsons in early episodes of the television series Number 96 in 1972,Mercado, Andrew. Super Aussie Soaps, Pluto Press Australia, 2004. p 92. before later playing Nicholas Brent in the 1974 film version.

Other early roles came in police drama Matlock Police in 1973 and as Sam Wandsworth in the teen soap opera Class of '74. He played the regular role Cornelius (aka 'Corny'), in 1975 serial The Unisexers, produced by Cash Harmon Television, the makers of Number 96. However, the series was cancelled after just three weeks and 16 episodes, due to poor ratings.Moran, Albert. Moran's Guide to Australian TV Series, Allen & Unwin, 1993. p 471

Ward had a regular support role as Constable Peter Fleming in the police serial Cop Shop beginning in late 1977, but left the series within three months of its launch.Mercado, Andrew. Super Aussie Soaps, Pluto Press Australia, 2004. p 114. In 1980 he was a regular cast member of a new soap opera, Arcade, created by several members of the creative team from Number 96. He played sports shop owner Craig Carmichael. Arcade was a critical and ratings failure and was cancelled after six weeks on air.Moran, Albert. Moran's Guide to Australian TV Series, Allen & Unwin, 1993. p. 64.Mercado, Andrew. Super Aussie Soaps, Pluto Press Australia, 2004. p 149-153.

Further television credits included short-lived police drama The Spoiler, Catch Kandy, Homicide and sitcom Up The Convicts. He also appeared in A Country Practice (1983), Chances (1991) and Phoenix (1992) and had a regular role in the sitcom My Two Wives (1992).Moran, Albert. Moran's Guide to Australian TV Series, Allen & Unwin, 1993. pp. 307–308. He later appeared in All Saints (2001), Farscape (2001; 2003) and Bad Cop, Bad Cop (2003) and Home and Away.

Ward's miniseries credits include ANZACS (1985), alongside Paul Hogan, Fields of Fire (1987) and Bodysurfer (1989), based on the short story collection by Robert Drewe. He also appeared in the TV movies Kindred Spirits and Super Sleuth (1984).

Ward also appeared in film, an early credit being 1974 cult Ozploitation film Stone opposite Helen Morse. The same year, he featured in the opening sequence of Peter Weir's The Cars That Ate Paris and then played tough guy Tex in 1975 film Sidecar Racers. Other film credits include 1980 thriller The Chain Reaction, opposite Steve Bisley, 1987 crime thriller Running from the Guns, 1990 romantic drama The Crossing alongside Russell Crowe and 1992 film Jindalee Lady He later appeared in 2008 thriller Restraint opposite Teresa Palmer, Travis Fimmel and British actor Stephen Moyer.

Theatre, however, was Ward's first love, which saw him appear in numerous stage productions throughout his career, including Butley, Summer of the Seventeenth Doll, Scapino, The Lion in Winter, Mourning Becomes Electra, Caesar and Cleopatra and Father's Day. Other theatre credits included Pyjama Tops, The Shifting Heart, The Removalists, Having a Ball, The Devil's Advocate, True West and Angel City. From 1979 to 1981 he performed in Kirribilli Pub Theatre shows. A role in Broadway musical South Pacific saw him tour Thailand in the early 1990s.

Despite landing roles in international productions including a 1981 guest role in Aaron Spelling drama The Love Boat, 1986 miniseries Spearfield's Daughter, the 1988 reboot of Mission: Impossible, and sci-fi series Farscape, Ward never had big ambitions to make it internationally.

Personal life and death Ward died on 14 October 2019, at the age of 69. He was survived by his long-term partner Alanna and his sister Sue.

Filmography

Film YearTitleRoleType 1969 Color Me Dead Extra Feature film 1974 The Cars That Ate Paris Feature film Stone Alistair Feature film 1975 That Lady from Peking Extra Feature film Sidecar Racers Tex Wilson Feature film 1980 Gary's Story Short film The Chain Reaction Oates Feature film 1984 Fantasy Man Max Feature film 1985 Warming Up Watney Feature film 1987 Running from the Guns Mulcahy Feature film 1988 A Day and a Half Short film1990 The Crossing Nev Feature film Jindalee Lady David Feature film 2008 Restraint Andrew's father Feature film 2011 Façade Boss Short film

Television YearTitleRoleType1972 Number 96 Mike Parsons 5 episodes The Spoiler 1 episode Spyforce Lieutenant Wills 1 episode The Cousin from Fiji Gilbert Bunthorp TV movie The Godfathers Vietnam veteran 1972–1975 Homicide Bruce Milford / Gary Saunders 2 episodes 1973 Certain Women 1 episode Matlock Police Ed King 1 episode Catch Kandy Christian Faber 8 episodes 1974 Class of '74 Sam Wandsworth Number 96 Nicholas Brent TV movie 1975 The Unisexers Cornelius 'Corny' Hastings 16 episodes 1976 Is There Anybody There? Duncan TV movie Up the Convicts Roger Miniseries 1977–1978 Cop Shop Constable Peter Fleming 27 episodes 1977–1979 Crown Court Court Usher 7 episodes 1978 Shimmering Light Bruce McBride TV movie 1980 Arcade Craig Carmichael 35 episodes 1981 Holiday Island Greg Costello 1 episode The Love Boat Mongala 2 episodes 1983 A Country Practice Carl Nash 2 episodes 1983–1984 Runaway Island Private Evans 4 episodes 1984 Kindred Spirits Bondi Taxi Driver TV movie Super Sleuth Oswald McKinnon TV movie 1985 ANZACS Sergeant Tom McArthur Miniseries, 3 episodes 1986 Spearfield’s Daughter Philip Napier-Andrews Miniseries1987 Fields of Fire Chook Miniseries, 2 episodes I've Come About the Suicide John Regus TV movie1988 Barracuda Sheedy TV movie Fields of Fire II Chook Miniseries, 2 episodes Rafferty's Rules Ian 'Freddo' Frogmore 1 episode 1989 Bodysurfer Kev Parnell Miniseries, 2 episodes Fields of Fire III Chook Miniseries, 2 episodes 1989; 1997 Home and Away Henry Whiting / Snowy James 5 episodes 1990 Mission: Impossible Slade 1 episode 1991 Chances Perry Bergman 1 episode 1992 Dearest Enemy 1 episode Phoenix Blazo 4 episodes My Two Wives Taylor 13 episodes 1997 Mirror, Mirror Tom Potter 1 episode 2001 All Saints Geoff Darlington 1 episode 2001; 2003 Farscape Ralnaht / Zylar 2 episodes 2003 Bad Cop, Bad Cop Reardon 1 episode

Theatre YearTitleRoleType 1973 Butley Independent Theatre, Sydney Playhouse, Canberra with Old Tote Theatre Company1976 Mourning Becomes Electra Captain Adam Brant Sydney Opera House with Old Tote Theatre Company The Lion in Winter Independent Theatre, Sydney with The Players Company1977 Caesar and Cleopatra Achillas Sydney Opera House with Old Tote Theatre Company The Unexpected Guest Stark Widder Genesian Theatre, Sydney 1978 Father's Day Harold Mayfair Theatre, Sydney, Total Theatre, Melbourne with Stuart Wagstaff Enterprises1979–1980 The Jungle Show Watusi (also playwright) Kirribilli Pub Theatre, Sydney, Lulu's Theatre Restaurant, Sydney, Luke's Theatre Restaurant, Sydney The Vampire Show Igor Kirribilli Pub Theatre, Sydney, Bronte Inn, Sydney 1981 The Private Eye Show Joe Doe Kirribilli Pub Theatre, Sydney 1982 The Front Page Hildy Johnson (Herald Examiner) SGIO Theatre, Brisbane with QTC1985 The Removalists Phillip St Theatre, Sydney The Shifting Heart 1986 Having a Ball..! Canberra Theatre with AETT 1988 True West Bay Street Theatre, Sydney 1989 Angel City Early 1990s South Pacific Commander Harbison Gordon Frost 1995 A Passionate Woman Marian St Theatre, Sydney 1996 Resurrected Lennox Theatre, Parramatta Source:

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