Richard Ward's journey in show business began at the tender age of eleven, when he accompanied his two sisters, Dot and Flo, in a vaudeville song and dance act called 'Dot, Flo, and Dick'. As a young boy, Richard showcased his impressive tap-dancing skills, but as he grew older, his physique became a significant asset in his subsequent career as a prize-fighter.
With over 30 wins under his belt, both as a professional and amateur, Richard decided to hang up his boxing gloves and join the police force. He served as a detective with the Manhattan district attorney's office for ten years, working alongside Frank Hogan. During his spare time, Richard continued to nurture his passion for the performing arts, making appearances in plays such as "Anna Lucasta" at the American Negro Theatre.
When World War II broke out, Richard answered the call to duty, serving as a sergeant major with the Army Signals Corps in the South Pacific. After the war, he refocused his attention on his acting career, appearing on stage and television in various dramatic roles.
The pinnacle of his career came when he was cast as Willy Loman in the Baltimore Centerstage production of "Death of a Salesman", directed by Lee Sankowich, as part of an all-black cast. On screen, his distinctive gravel-voiced persona was ideally suited to portraying authority figures, often playing police officers like Captain Dobey in the popular television series "Starsky and Hutch" (1975).
In his personal life, Richard was known to be an affable character who enjoyed simple pleasures such as fishing and cooking. Just before his untimely passing, Richard had experienced a major breakthrough in his film career, playing Steve Martin's father in "The Jerk" (1979) and one of the long-term inmates in Warden Robert Redford's prison in "Brubaker" (1980).
