Simon Ward was born on 16 October 1941^[1][2][3] in Beckenham, the son of Leonard Fox Ward, a car dealer, and his wife Winifred.^[2][4] From an early age he wanted to be an actor. He received his formal education at Alleyn's School, London, where from the age of 14 he was one of the founding members of its drama group that became the National Youth Theatre, and stayed for eight years. He trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art from 1961.^[1]

Ward made his professional stage debut with the Northampton Repertory in 1963, and his London theatrical debut one year later in The 4th of June. He worked in repertory in Northampton, Birmingham and Oxford and occasionally in London's West End.^{[citation needed]}

His big break in theatre came in 1966 when he played Dennis in Joe Orton's Loot,^[2] which led to a number of small film and television roles. All of Ward's major film roles were in the 1970s.^{[citation needed]}

His first film appearance was probably an uncredited role as one of the sociopathic students in Lindsay Anderson's If.... (1968).^[2] He was primarily a stage actor when selected to play the title role in Young Winston in 1971, the role which brought him to national prominence. The in-demand Ward starred in several high-profile films during the remainder of the 1970s.^{[citation needed]}

In 1973 he played the Duke of Buckingham in Richard Lester's The Three Musketeers and in 1974 appeared in its sequel The Four Musketeers. Also in 1974 he played author-veterinarian James Herriot in the successful film adaptation of All Creatures Great and Small. He played one of the lead roles (Lt. Crawford) in the 1976 World War I film Aces High, then starred as Lt. William Vereker in the 1979 film Zulu Dawn. He was also seen as Captain Hoffmann, a fictional Nazi functionary, in Hitler: The Last Ten Days (1973). Later film roles included Zor-El in Supergirl (1984).^[2]

In 1986, Ward starred in the title role of Ross, the first West End revival of Terence Rattigan's play since its original run in 1960. It toured the UK and, after a run at the Royal Alexandra Theatre, Toronto, opened at The Old Vic, featuring Marc Sinden as Dickinson, with David Langton, Roland Curram, Bruce Montague and Ernest Clark in supporting roles.^{[citation needed]}

Ward made few films after the 1970s, although he did have a major role in the Ralph Fiennes version of Wuthering Heights (1992), alongside his daughter Sophie Ward.^{[citation needed]}

In 1987 he sustained a serious head injury in a street attack, the circumstances of which were obscure.^[5] He believed the attack, which left him with a broken skull that needed brain surgery, caused the chronic blood disorder, polycythaemia that affected his career.^[6]

In 1995, at very short notice, he took over Stephen Fry's role in the play Cell Mates, after Fry walked out of the play near the start of its run.^[7]

Between 2001 and 2007, he appeared as Sir Monty Everard in the BBC television series Judge John Deed;^[5] between in 2007 and 2010 he starred as Bishop Stephen Gardiner in The Tudors.^[2][5]

In 2010, Ward appeared in the title role in the British tour of Alan Bennett's play The Madness of George III.^{[citation needed]}

In 1964, Ward married Alexandra Malcolm, whom he met while they were students at RADA. They had three daughters, one being the actress Sophie Ward.^[8]

Having been afflicted with ill health in his later years, Ward died aged 70, on 20 July 2012 in Taunton.^[1] His body was buried in Highgate Cemetery in London.^[6]

A memorial service was held in his memory at St Paul's Church, Covent Garden, London, on 9 July 2013.^[1]