Stuntman.
Credits: Live performances with Ward Bros Stuntmen of Texas
Local Artists, Actors & Notables
Cass County has produced, or is home to, a number of artists and musicians who have contributed to our cultural heritage. The following are Cass County sons & daughters, both professional and non-professional, who have enhanced our quality of life through their talents.
Actors
Cass County has produced, or is home to, a number of artists from stage, film, art, or literature who have contributed to our cultural heritage. The following are Cass County sons & daughters, both professional and non-professional, who have enhanced our quality of life through their art.
Autry Ward (Linden)
Born August 28, 1937 in the Red Hill Community of Cass County, Texas, and attended school in Linden. After graduation from Texarkana Community College, he served in the United States Air Force during the Korean War. Following his discharge from the Air Force in 1956, he studied drama at the Buster Keaton Studio in Hollywood, CA. He broadened his appeal to studios by honing his skills with horses, motorcycles, weapons, and ability to perform stunts. His first movie was Merry Andrews, starring Danny Kaye. Autry worked in films with many of Hollywood’s greats, including: Clint Eastwood, Kevin Costner, John Wayne, Robert Duvall, Roy Rogers, Ben Johnson, Chuck Norris, John Saxon, Robert Preston, Steve McQueen, Dennis Quaid, and Audie Murphy. In 1962, Autry established Ward Bros. Stuntmen of Texas with his brothers, Troy, Steve, and Dennis. This team of brothers became familiar faces in many Hollywood productions – specializing as “Heavies” and performing stunts. They also performed for specialty and corporate events in Texas; eventually Autry’s sons, Donnie and Anthony, and sister, Carolyn, joined the company. Autry is a member of the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA). He is also registered with the Texas Film Commission.
Credits:
Actor/Stuntman.Film: JFK (Camelot Productions; Principal), Silverado (Columbia/Trista Studios, 1985; Video release 2002; Stunts & Principal), Silent Rage (Columbia, 1982; Stunts & Principal), Tough Enough (20 th Century Fox; Stunts & Principal), Rolling Thunder (Lawrence Gordon Productions; Stunts & Principal), Mackintosh and TJ (Penland Productions, 1975; Principal), Joe Kidd ( Universal; Principal), Bootleggers (Charles Pierce Productions; Stunts & Coordinator), Book of Numbers (St. Jacques Production; Principal), Arizona Raiders (Fipco Productions; Stunts & Extra), Merry Andrews (MGM Productions; Extra), Attack On Terror (Quinn Martin Productions - TV), Friendly Persuasion (Lorimar Productions - TV), Bayou Boys (Walt Disney Productions - TV), Bright New Wings (Southern Baptist Productions), How The West Was Won , Junior Bonner, Bayou Terror.
TV: Americans Next Top Model (episode 1.3: 3 June 2003)
Theater: From Hardscrabble (Texarkana Repertory Company, Texarkana , TX ), Pilgrimage Play (Pilgrimage Theater, Hollywood , CA ), Best Little Whore House in Texas (Jefferson Opera House, Jefferson , TX ), Lil Abner (Jefferson Opera House, Jefferson , TX )
Brandy Ward ( Linden )
Born on October 25, 1971 in Kearney , Arizona . Her parents, Autry and . Ward moved back to Linden , Texas . In her early youth, Brandy started working in live action shows with her family and the Ward Bros Stuntmen of Texas. She co-starred with Drew Barrymore in the ABC After School Special - The Adventures of Con Sawyer and HuckleMary Finn , in which she played Huck.
Credits:
Actress
Film: Bright New Wings (Southern Baptist Productions), The Adventures of Con Sawyer and Hucklemary Finn (1985)
Carolyn Ward Chandler (Linden)
Born in Linden, Texas on September 20, 1948.
She joined her brothers Ward Bros. Stuntmen of Texas and performed for two years with their live shows throughout the state of Texas. Carolyn was a High Fall Specialist, and performed in a variety of acting and stunt roles.
Cynthia Helferstay Henderson (Linden)
Actress, playwright/screenwriter
Born: December 27, 1954. Died: April 13, 2010
Film: Stitches
TV: The Young and the Restless; Builders Emporium commercial ad
Stage: LA Connection,
TV Screenplays: Happy Days (episode: A Slight Mental Case); Ye Gods!, Star Trek - The Next Generation (episode: Mutiny, Maybe); It’s The Pitts (pilot show) (episodes: The Philosopher, The Snow Storm)
Published Plays/stage: Piano Man, Fantasy, C’est La Guarre (Writer’s Digest Award - 1998), Champaign And Feathers (Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas - 1978), From Heaven To Hell (Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas -1978), Montana Mountain (Wichita, Kansas -1975; Won 3rd Place), From Serenity To Sovereignty, The Godmother (Produced in Hermosa Beach, CA.), Time After Time (Iowa State University), Just Imagine (Performed at the University Of Nebraska)
Published screen plays: Fraidies (WGA #38070), So Ya Wanna Be A Toon? (C1990), Streets Of The Ages, Inside Out, The Foundkin (WGA #229760), Piano Man (C1987), Teen Angel (C1989), Physikill (WGA #366826), Dangerous Cycle (C 1989), A World Caught Between (WGA #278775), Yup-Me (WGA # 313807), The Livette Ans Story (WGA #362333), Project 10-90 (C1990), In The Name Of God, The Underground, Foundkin, The Nexus Chord
Radio Plays: The Greatest Outlaws Who Ever Lived
Donnie Ward (Linden)
Born in Linden, Texas on January 21, 1970 and is the son of Stuntman/Actor Autry Ward. He joined his uncles with the Ward Bros Stuntmen of Texas and performed acting and stunts in live performances in Texas. He specialized in high building falls and falling from moving trains into rivers.
Credits: Actor/Stuntman
Live performances with Ward Bros Stuntmen of Texas
Film: Bayou Terror
Fred S. Martin (Linden)
Actor/singer/musician. Western Music Hall of Fame (1996).
Film: Sioux City Sue (1946), Trail to San Antone (1947), Twilight on the Rio Grande (1947), Saddle Pals (1947), Robin Hood of Texas (1947), Buckaroo from Powder River (1947), Last Days of Boot Hill (1947), Trail to Laredo (1948), Loaded Pistol (1948), Riders of the Whistling Pines (1949), Beyond the Purple Hills (1950), Holiday Rhythm (1950), The Kid from Amarillo (1951), Valley of Fire (1951), Apache County (1952), Barbed Wire (1952), Wagon Train (1952), Blue Canadian Rockies (1952), On Top of Old Smoky (1953). These westerns included working with Gene Autry, Charles Starrett, and Tex Ritter.
TV: 10 episodes of the Gene Autry Show.
Radio: All episodes of Gene Autry’s Melody Ranch starting in 1947.
Steve “West” Ward (Linden)
Born on November 19, 1942 in Carthage, Texas and raised in Linden, Texas. West became a member of the Ward Bros Stuntmen of Texas in 1963. He worked at the Apache Land Movie Studio in Arizona for two years as a stuntman and actor. He worked in numerous films with Hollywood greats, such as: Audie Murphy, Marty Robbins, Jason Robards, Steve McQueen, Roy Rogers, and Chuck Norris. West was also in Wrangler Jeans print ads. He was a member of the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA).
Credits: Actor/Stuntman
Film: Arizona Raiders (Fipco Productions; Stunts & Extra), A Time for Dying (Audie Murphy Productions), Ballad of Cable Hogue, Buffalo Soldiers, Ballad of a Gunfighter, Junior Bonner, Friendly Persuasion (Lorimar Productions - TV), Book of Numbers (St. Jacques Production; Principal), Mackintosh and TJ (Penland Productions, 1975; Principal), Rolling Thunder (Lawrence Gordon Productions; Stunts & Principal), Tough Enough (20th Century Fox; Stunts & Principal), Silent Rage (Columbia, 1982; Stunts & Principal)
The Ward Brothers Stuntmen of Texas
The Ward Brothers is a Linden family business which provides actors and stuntmen to the film industry, and western oriented entertainment events. The original members were brothers Autry, Troy, Steve “West”, and Dennis. They were joined by sister, Carolyn and Autry’s children, Anthony Lee and Donnie. Daughter, Brandy, became an actress and co-starred in two films.
Troy Ward (Linden)
Born on April 17, 1940 in Linden, Texas. After serving in the US Army, troy joined his brothers in 1962 as an actor and stuntman. He was numerous films that were filmed at the Apache Land Movie Studios, and Old Tucson Studios in Arizona. He performed with many Hollywood greats, such as: Audie Murphy, John Wayne, Marty Robbins, Jason Robards, Steve McQueen, Roy Rogers, and Chuck Norris. Troy was a member of the Ward Bros. Stuntmen of Texas with his brothers, Autry, Steve, and Dennis. This team of brothers became familiar faces in many Hollywood productions – specializing as “Heavies” and performing stunts. They also performed for specialty and corporate events in Texas. Troy was a member of the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) and American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA).
Credits: Actor/Stuntman.
Film: Arizona Raiders (Fipco Productions; Stunts & Extra), How The West Was Won , Junior Bonner, Bayou Boys (Walt Disney Productions - TV), Bootleggers (Charles Pierce Productions; Stunts, Silverado (Columbia/Trista Studios, 1985; Video release 2002; Stunts & Principal), Tough Enough (20 th Century Fox; Stunts & Principal), Bright New Wings (Southern Baptist Productions), Mackintosh and TJ (Penland Productions, 1975; Principal), Silent Rage (Columbia, 1982; Stunts & Principal), A Time for Dying (Audie Murphy Productions), Ballad of Cable Hogue, Rio Concho, Soul of Nigger Charlie, Buffalo Soldiers, Ballad of a Gunfighter.
