Patrick Ward (4 January 1950 – 14 October 2019[1]) was an Australian actor noted for several performances on Australian television. He died from cancer on 14 October 2019.

Patrick Ward
Born
Patrick Ward

4 January 1950
Sydney, Australia
Died14 October 2019 (aged 69)
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
OccupationActor

Career

edit

Early career

edit

Ward began his career as a dancer in choreographer Ross Coleman's production of Gotta Move at Sydney's Union Theatre (now Footbridge Theatre) around the same time as being signed by Pat Woodley's modelling agency. He trained at Sydney's Independent Theatre and signed with International Casting Services run by Gloria Payten who initially secured work for him as an extra in films such as That Lady from Peking and Color Me Dead.

Television

edit

At the beginning of the 1970s he was scoring acting work in various television shows. He played Gilbert Bunthorp in ABC TV's adaptation of The Cousin from Fiji, a soldier in Spyforce and a Vietnam veteran in The Godfathers. Further television roles came in police drama Matlock Police in 1973 and as Sam Wandsworth in the teen soap opera Class of '74. He played Nicholas Brent in the 1974 film version of Number 96, and was a regular, Cornelius (aka Corny), in the serial The Unisexers (1975) produced by Cash Harmon Television, the makers of Number 96.[2] The Unisexers was cancelled after just three weeks and 16 episodes due to poor ratings.[3] Ward had previously played Mike Parsons in the television version of Number 96 in 1972.[4]

Ward had a regular support role as Constable Peter Fleming in the police serial Cop Shop starting late 1977 but left the series within three months of its launch.[5] 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. Arcade was a critical and ratings failure and was cancelled after six weeks on air.[6][7] and played a guest role in the US series The Love Boat in 1981.

Ward subsequently played a regular role in the situation comedy My Two Wives (1992).[8] Other TV roles included appearances in A Country Practice (1983), Chances (1991), Phoenix (1992), Mission: Impossible (1988), All Saints (2001), Farscape (2001 and 2003) and Bad Cop, Bad Cop (2003). Miniseries appearances include ANZACS and Fields of Fire.

Film

edit

Ward appeared in the cult film Stone opposite Helen Morse,[9] and the feature film Restraint. He appeared in the opening sequence of Peter Weir's The Cars That Ate Paris, and played tough guy Tex in Sidecar Racers.

Other films include The Chain Reaction,[10] Jindalee Lady[11] and The Crossing.

Filmography

edit

Film

edit
Year Title Role Type
1969 Color Me Dead Extra Feature film
1974 The Cars That Ate Paris Feature film
1974 1974 film version of Number 96 Nicholas Brent TV movie
1975 That Lady from Peking Extra Feature film
1975 Sidecar Racers Tex Feature film
1974 Stone Feature film
1980 The Chain Reaction Oates Feature film
1988 Barracuda 'Crusher' Harris TV film
1990 The Crossing Feature film
1990 Jindalee Lady David Feature film

Television

edit
Year Title Role Type
Early 1970s The Cousin from Fiji Gilbert Bunthorp TV series
Spyforce Soldier TV series
The Godfathers Vietnam veteran TV series
1972 Number 96 Mike Parsons TV series
1973 Matlock Police TV series
1974–75 Class of '74 Sam Wandsworth TV series
1975 The Unisexers Cornelius (aka Corny) TV series
1977 Cop Shop Constable Peter Fleming TV series
1980 Arcade Craig Carmichael TV series
1981 The Love Boat Guest role TV series
1983 A Country Practice TV series
1985 ANZACS Tom McArthur TV miniseries
1987 Fields of Fire Chook TV miniseries
1988 Mission: Impossible TV series
1991 Chances TV series
1992 My Two Wives TV series
1992 Phoenix Blazo TV series
2001 All Saints TV series
2001, 2003 Farscape TV series
2003 Bad Cop, Bad Cop TV series

References

edit
  1. ^ "Vale: Patrick Ward". TV Tonight. 14 October 2019. Retrieved 14 October 2019.
  2. ^ "Aussie Soap Archive: The Unisexers". ozemail.com.au. Retrieved 8 May 2015.
  3. ^ Moran, Albert. Moran's Guide to Australian TV Series, Allen & Unwin, 1993. ISBN 0-642-18462-3 p 471
  4. ^ Mercado, Andrew. Super Aussie Soaps, Pluto Press Australia, 2004. ISBN 1-86403-191-3 p 92.
  5. ^ Mercado, Andrew. Super Aussie Soaps, Pluto Press Australia, 2004. ISBN 1-86403-191-3 p 114.
  6. ^ Moran, Albert. Moran's Guide to Australian TV Series, Allen & Unwin, 1993. ISBN 0-642-18462-3 p. 64.
  7. ^ Mercado, Andrew. Super Aussie Soaps, Pluto Press Australia, 2004. ISBN 1-86403-191-3 p 149-153.
  8. ^ Moran, Albert. Moran's Guide to Australian TV Series, Allen & Unwin, 1993. ISBN 0-642-18462-3 pp. 307–308.
  9. ^ Giles, Nigel (20 December 2019). "Matinee idol was much more than a pretty face". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 15 January 2021.
  10. ^ "Patrick Ward". uk-tv-guide.com. Retrieved 8 May 2015.
  11. ^ "Jindalee Lady". Ozmovies. Retrieved 26 August 2021.
edit