He originally trained and worked as a teacher[1] but then retrained at the Central School of Speech and Drama, and won his first film role in 1947, playing Mr Trafford in Alexander Korda's An Ideal Husband.

In between the years 1947 and 1960, Ward appeared in no fewer than 30 films, making him one of the UK's busiest and most recognisable character actors.

In the early 1960s television started to take over Ward's career, and until his retirement in 1978 he appeared in (amongst many others) The Jack Benny Programme, The Avengers, The Morecambe and Wise Show, Dixon of Dock Green, The Two Ronnies, Armchair Theatre, Rising Damp and Sykes.

After making what would be his last ever screen outing in 1978's Revenge of the Pink Panther, Ward suffered a stroke which forced him to retire.

Ward was an extremely complicated character and never really recovered from the death of his mother in the late 60s.