Biography
An actor-turned-producer who worked with some of the biggest names in the business in both respects, Skip Ward would step behind the camera for such successful television endeavors as
The Dukes of Hazzard, though the lure of the lens drew him back in front of the camera when he later formed a close working relationship with filmmaker Andy Sidaris. A Cleveland native who served a stint as an air force pilot before making the move to Hollywood, Ward's film debut came in
Robert Wise's 1958 war film Run Silent, Run Deep. Subsequent efforts such as
The Nutty Professor (1963) and
Night of the Iguana (1964) found the fledgling actor working with a series of A-list stars, and though Ward himself would never ascend to that status, he would continue in front of the camera until 1970's
Myra Breckinridge. Though he would lose the lead role in
The Wild Wild West series to actor
Robert Conrad, Ward's numerous television appearances included such series as The F.B.I. and The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries. The late '70s found Ward gaining notice as a producer, and with efforts such as
The Dukes of Hazzard and
V, his status continued to rise. An association with Sidaris was established when Ward served as production coordinator for a series of Sidaris-produced ABC sports programs. Despite the fact that it had been quite some time since Ward had appeared onscreen, his relationship with Sidaris resulted in somewhat of a comeback with roles in
Do or Die, Fit to Kill, and
Hard Hunted. In late June of 2002, Skip Ward died of natural causes in Calabasas, CA. He was 69. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide