Ronald Ward (5 April 1901 – 31 March 1978) was a

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies. ** Britishness, the British identity and common culture * British English, ...

actor who, alongside his stage work, appeared in more than twenty British films between 1931 and 1956. He was born in

Eastbourne Eastbourne () is a town and seaside resort in East Sussex, on the south coast of England, east of Brighton and south of London. Eastbourne is immediately east of Beachy Head, the highest chalk sea cliff in Great Britain and part of the la ...

in 1901 as Ronald William Ward, and made his screen debut in the 1931 film ''

Alibi An alibi (from the Latin, '' alibī'', meaning "somewhere else") is a statement by a person, who is a possible perpetrator of a crime, of where they were at the time a particular offence was committed, which is somewhere other than where the crim ...

''. One of his biggest roles was in the popular

Vera Lynn Dame Vera Margaret Lynn (; 20 March 191718 June 2020) was an English singer and entertainer whose musical recordings and performances were very popular during World War II. She is honorifically known as the " Forces' Sweetheart", having giv ...

vehicle ''

We'll Meet Again "We'll Meet Again" is a 1939 song by English singer Vera Lynn with music and lyrics composed and written by English songwriters Ross Parker and Hughie Charles. The song is one of the most famous of the Second World War era, and resonated with ...

'' (1943), where he was effectively the male lead (although he was billed fourth), co-starring with Lynn and

Patricia Roc Patricia Roc (born Felicia Miriam Ursula Herold; 7 June 1915 – 30 December 2003) was an English film actress, popular in the Gainsborough melodramas such as ''Madonna of the Seven Moons'' (1945) and ''The Wicked Lady'' (1945), though she only m ...

. His final marriage was to the actress

Betty Baskcomb Betty Violet Marie Baskcomb (30 May 1914 – 15 April 2003) was a British actress who appeared in roles for theatre, film, television and radio productions. She was born in London in 1914 and made her stage debut as a stooge opposite her father, ...

; and he was father of photographer Michael Ward.

Partial filmography

* ''

'' (1931) - Ralph Ackroyd * ''

Love's Old Sweet Song "Love's Old Sweet Song" is a Victorian parlour song published in 1884 by composer James Lynam Molloy and lyricist Graham Clifton Bingham. The first line of the chorus is "Just a song at twilight", and its title is sometimes misidentified as su ...

'' (1933) - Eric Kingslake * ''

Brides to Be ''Brides to Be'' is a 1934 British comedy film directed by Reginald Denham and starring Betty Stockfeld, Constance Shotter and Ronald Ward. The film was made at Elstree Studios as a quota quickie for release by the British branch of Paramount ...

'' (1934) - George Hutton * ''

Girls Will Be Boys ''Girls Will Be Boys'' is a 1934 British comedy film directed by Marcel Varnel and starring Dolly Haas, Cyril Maude and Esmond Knight. It is based on ''The Last Lord'', a play by Kurt Siodmak. The film was shot at Elstree Studios with sets desig ...

'' (1934) - Bernard * ''

The Broken Rosary ''The Broken Rosary'' is a 1934 British musical film directed by Harry Hughes and starring Derek Oldham, Margaret Yarde and Vesta Victoria. It was made at Isleworth Studios.Wood p.81 Cast * Derek Oldham as Giovanni * Jean Adrienne as Maria ...

'' (1934) - Jack * ''

The Passing of the Third Floor Back ''The Passing of the Third Floor Back'' is a 1935 British drama film directed by Berthold Viertel and starring Conrad Veidt, Anna Lee, Rene Ray and Frank Cellier. The film is based on a 1908 play and short story by Jerome K. Jerome and depicts ...

'' (1935) - Chris Penny * ''

The Man Behind the Mask ''The Man Behind the Mask'' is a 1936 British mystery film directed by Michael Powell and starring Hugh Williams, Jane Baxter, Ronald Ward, Maurice Schwartz, George Merritt, Henry Oscar and Peter Gawthorne. A man assaults and switches places wi ...

'' (1936) - Jimmy Slade * '' East Meets West'' (1936) - Neville Carter * ''

Strange Experiment ''Strange Experiment'' is a 1937 British drama film directed by Albert Parker and starring Donald Gray, Ann Wemyss and Mary Newcomb. It was an adaptation of the play ''Two Worlds'' by John Golden and Hubert Osborne. It was made at Wembley St ...

'' (1937) - Michael Waring * ''

Splinters in the Air ''Splinters in the Air'' (aka, ''Splinters In The Air Force'') is a 1937 British comedy film directed by Alfred J. Goulding and starring Sydney Howard and Richard Hearne. It is a loose sequel to the films ''Splinters (1929 film), Splinters'' (19 ...

'' (1937) - Richards * '' Stardust'' (1938) - Eric Williams * ''

Sidewalks of London ''Sidewalks of London'', also known as ''St Martin's Lane'', ''London After Dark'', and ''Partners of the Night'', is a 1938 British black-and-white comedy drama starring Charles Laughton as a busker or street entertainer who teams up with a ta ...

'' (1938) - Jack Temperley * ''

Goodbye, Mr. Chips ''Goodbye, Mr. Chips'' is a novella about the life of a school teacher, Mr. Chipping, written by English writer James Hilton and first published by Hodder & Stoughton in October 1934. It has been adapted into two feature films and two televi ...

'' (1939) - (uncredited) * ''

The Proud Valley ''The Proud Valley'' is a 1940 Ealing Studios film starring Paul Robeson. Filmed in the South Wales coalfield, the principal Welsh coal mining area, the film is about a seaman who joins a mining community. It includes their passion for singing a ...

'' (1940) - Sir John (uncredited) * ''

Confidential Lady ''Confidential Lady'' is a 1939 British comedy drama film, directed by Arthur B. Woods and starring Ben Lyon and Jane Baxter. It is now classed as a lost film.

'' (1940) - John Canter * ''

Turned Out Nice Again ''Turned Out Nice Again'' is a 1941 British comedy film directed by Marcel Varnel and starring the Lancashire-born comedian George Formby. Made at Ealing Studios, ''Turned Out Nice Again'' premiered at the London Pavilion Cinema on 29 June 194 ...

'' (1941) - Nelson * '' This England'' (1941) - Lord Clavely * ''

'' (1943) - Frank * ''

Escape to Danger ''Escape to Danger'' is a 1943 British thriller film directed by Lance Comfort and Victor Hanbury and starring Eric Portman, Ann Dvorak and Karel Stepanek. Plot During the Second World War a British schoolteacher working in Denmark is caught u ...

'' (1943) - Rupert Chessman * ''

They Met in the Dark ''They Met in the Dark'' is a 1943 British comedy thriller film directed by Karel Lamač and starring James Mason, Joyce Howard and Edward Rigby. The screenplay concerns a cashiered Royal Naval officer and a young woman who join forces to solve ...

'' (1943) - Carter * ''

Carnival Carnival is a Catholic Christian festive season that occurs before the liturgical season of Lent. The main events typically occur during February or early March, during the period historically known as Shrovetide (or Pre-Lent). Carnival typi ...

'' (1946) - Jack Danby * ''

Green for Danger ''Green for Danger'' is a popular 1944 detective novel by British writer Christianna Brand, praised for its clever plot, interesting characters, and wartime hospital setting. It was made into a 1946 film which is regarded by film historians ...

'' (1946) - Minor Role (uncredited) * '' My Daughter Joy'' (1950) - Dr. Schindler * ''

The Second Mrs. Tanqueray ''The Second Mrs. Tanqueray'' is a problem play by Arthur Wing Pinero. It utilises the "Woman with a past" plot, popular in nineteenth century melodrama. The play was first produced in 1893 by the actor-manager George Alexander and despite ca ...

'' (1952) - Cayley Drummie * ''

The Straw Man ''The Straw Man'' is a 1957 novel by the French writer Jean Giono. Its French title is ''Le Bonheur fou'', which means "the mad happiness". The story is set in the 1840s and follows Angelo Pardi as he is caught up in plots leading up to the Itali ...

'' (1953) - Clay Rushlow (scenes deleted) * ''

The Rainbow Jacket ''The Rainbow Jacket'' is a 1954 British drama film directed by Basil Dearden, and featuring Robert Morley, Kay Walsh, Bill Owen, Honor Blackman and Sid James. It was made at Ealing Studios produced by Michael Balcon and Michael Relph and shot ...

'' (1954) - Bernie Rudd * '' Aunt Clara'' (1954) - Cyril Mason * ''

Lost Lost may refer to getting lost, or to: Geography *Lost, Aberdeenshire, a hamlet in Scotland * Lake Okeechobee Scenic Trail, or LOST, a hiking and cycling trail in Florida, US History *Abbreviation of lost work, any work which is known to have bee ...

'' (1956) - Military Man (uncredited) (final film role)

References

External links

* * 1901 births 1978 deaths English male stage actors English male film actors 20th-century English male actors {{UK-film-actor-stub