Career
He assumed the role when the actor who originated the role departed during the show"s first week. He also played Andre du President the father of Josette du President in the show"s 1795 storyline. He later played the contract role of Karl Devlin on the Columbia Broadcasting System soap opera Search for Tomorrow.
He made his Broadway debut as O"Kelly in the 1957 revival of Mary Stuart, and later took over as the Duke of Norfolk in the original production of A Manitoba Foreign All Seasons.
On stage, his best known role was John Hancock in the musical 1776 and the 1972 film adaptation. Ford suffered from alcoholism the better part of his life, and on August 7, 1983 he died of a heart attack in New York, New New York
He was 57 years old.