Remo Williams: The Adventure Ends

R.I.P. Fred Ward

We know we’re getting old. Not only are the Mercury 7 all dead, but now the actors that played them are starting to shuffle off this mortal coil. Ward (Gus Grissom) is gone. Scott Glenn (Alan Shepherd) and Lance Henriksen (Wally Schirra) are very old.

Ed Harris and Dennis Quaid are younger.

Chuck Yeager was not an astronaut, but he was the man with the right stuff, and his portrayer (Sam Shepherd) has also left us.

7 thoughts on “Remo Williams: The Adventure Ends

  1. I actually grew up reading Remo Williams (the Destroyer) novels and was thus hugely excited when they made a Remo Williams movie. As a result, Remo was the role I associated with Fred Ward before all others. The movie was OK, but the real joy of the books was how deeply satirical they were. They published one book just before the Clintons left the White House in which the book’s president and first lady stole White House furnishings as they left the White House. The amazing thing was the book was published before the Clinton’s were accused of doing that. Not all of the 112 books were worth reading though. They didn’t hit on the right formula until the third, and over the decades not all the ghost writers understood that formula. But most of them are worth reading.

    My brother is also a fan and to prove great minds think alike, I texted him the headline of this post long before I read it here. We were discussing how Shane Black has been trying to get a new Remo Williams movie made. I pointed out that Joel Grey is now old enough (age 90) to play Chiun without makeup, if he were actually Asian. I told him I doubted they would hire a white actor to play him in a new film. My brother suggested that if the Daily Caller made the movie they might hire a white actor just to make liberals go apoplectic. That would be a sight to see, but I don’t think Ben Shapiro has the rights.

    Rest in peace Fred. There are no graboids where you are. Although, I suppose I don’t actually know where you are. But I still doubt their are graboids there.

    1. Remo Williams is the first thought that comes to mind whenever Fred Ward is mentioned. So basically I would something say “Tremors, starring Remo Williams, Footloose, Steven Keaton, and Reba.”

      Never read the books though. But I was always waiting for the next adventure. I guess the first movie didn’t do well enough.

  2. Great actor. The role I remember him most for, other than Gus, is the false teeth-wearing cop in Miami Blues.

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