How Much Was Fred Ward Worth When He Died?

Movie fans around the world are mourning the tragic death of Fred Ward. His publicist Ron Hofmann confirmed to the New York Post that the actor died on May 8, at age 79. "It was Fred Ward's wish that any memorial tributes be made in the form of donations to the Boston University Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy Center," Hofmann said. Per Hofmann's statement, Ward spent his last years developing his painting skills — another one of his many passions.

Ward — a who served in the military for three years, per CNN — had a career spanning four decades, during which he garnered his fair share of accolades and awards, according to IMDb. His most remarkable works include the 1983 epic flick "The Right Stuff" and the 1993 comedy-drama "Short Cuts," where he portrayed the lead character, fisherman Stuart Kane.

Some of his other movie credits include "Miami Blues," where he acted as Hoke Mosely, a veteran Miami detective; "Cast a Deadly Spell," where he appeared alongside Julianne Moore; and the "Tremors" franchise, where he starred as the lead character, Earl Bassett. Ward also left his mark in television, appearing in shows like "Grey's Anatomy" and 2015's "True Detective," per CNN. With this impressive filmography, fans must be wondering how much Ward was really worth at the time of his death — and they just might be surprised!

According to Celebrity Net Worth, Fred Ward was worth $3 million at the time of his death. Most of this, of course, came from his numerous acting roles over the years. In 1985, Ward brought to life the titular character in "Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins." However, despite the film's popularity, "Reno Williams" raked in less than $15 million, per Box Office Mojo, with Ward taking home a $250,000, according to The Richest.

The '90s came with big bank for the actor, too, as The Richest reports that Ward received a $500,000 salary for his role in "Tremors" and $1 million for his stellar performance in "Henry & June." The late '90s and early 2000s, however, saw a decline in his earnings, with the outlet reporting a $540,000 and $10,000 salary for his roles in "Tremors II: Aftershocks" and "Masked and Anonymous" respectively.

Much like his paychecks were, Ward's choices of roles were equally as diverse — something in which he took pride. "I look for change, a person that changes — he's on a voyage," he told The New York Times in 1990. Ward's publicist, Ron Hofmann, echoed this in a statement to CNN. "The unique thing about Fred Ward is that you never knew where he was going to pop up, so unpredictable were his career choices."