Larry Ward (October 3, 1924 â€" February 16, 1985) was an American
actor who appeared in many films and television series. He was
sometimes credited under the name Ward Gaynor.Ward was born in
Columbus, Ohio. His father was a former college football coach and a
member of the Ohio State Senate. Ward studied at a number of
universities before joining the United States Navy, where he served
for three years.Enrolling in the American Theatre Wing under the G.I.
Bill of Rights, Ward soon appeared in several outstanding productions.
He turned his talents to writing but also kept his hand in the acting
profession by appearing in a television soap opera titled The Brighter
Day in 1954. Here he played a character called Dr. Randy Hamilton, but
Ward had his sights set on Hollywood and left the show in 1957 when
his character died of a myocardial infarction.Ward got his break in
1962 while he was visiting the Warner Brothers studio to discuss a
film script with producer Jules Schermer, who was so impressed with
his appearance that he gave him a minor part as Blake Stevens in the
episode "The Holdout" of the western series Lawman, starring John
Russell and Peter Brown, which was filming the following morning
during its last season on the air. This break was followed by minor
roles in other TV series, and in 1963 Schermer gave Ward the starring
role of U.S. Marshal Frank Ragan in a new western series called The
Dakotas, which also featured Chad Everett, Mike Greene, and Jack Elam
as Ward's deputies. The series was suddenly canceled after a public
outcry over the nineteenth episode, in which a priest was injured
during a gunfight at a church.
actor who appeared in many films and television series. He was
sometimes credited under the name Ward Gaynor.Ward was born in
Columbus, Ohio. His father was a former college football coach and a
member of the Ohio State Senate. Ward studied at a number of
universities before joining the United States Navy, where he served
for three years.Enrolling in the American Theatre Wing under the G.I.
Bill of Rights, Ward soon appeared in several outstanding productions.
He turned his talents to writing but also kept his hand in the acting
profession by appearing in a television soap opera titled The Brighter
Day in 1954. Here he played a character called Dr. Randy Hamilton, but
Ward had his sights set on Hollywood and left the show in 1957 when
his character died of a myocardial infarction.Ward got his break in
1962 while he was visiting the Warner Brothers studio to discuss a
film script with producer Jules Schermer, who was so impressed with
his appearance that he gave him a minor part as Blake Stevens in the
episode "The Holdout" of the western series Lawman, starring John
Russell and Peter Brown, which was filming the following morning
during its last season on the air. This break was followed by minor
roles in other TV series, and in 1963 Schermer gave Ward the starring
role of U.S. Marshal Frank Ragan in a new western series called The
Dakotas, which also featured Chad Everett, Mike Greene, and Jack Elam
as Ward's deputies. The series was suddenly canceled after a public
outcry over the nineteenth episode, in which a priest was injured
during a gunfight at a church.
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