B. J. Ward (actress)
{{short description|American actress}}
{{Other people||B. J. Ward (disambiguation){{!}}B. J. Ward}}
{{BLP sources|date=April 2024}}
{{Use American English|date=September 2022}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2022}}
{{Infobox person
| name = B. J. Ward
| image = BJ Ward (2018 crop).jpg
| alt =
| caption = Ward in 2018
| birth_name = Betty Jean Ward
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1944|9|12}}
| birth_place = Wilmington, Delaware, U.S.
| occupation = {{hlist|Actress|singer}}
| years_active = 1960–present
| agent = [http://www.sbvtalent.com/talent/b-j-ward SBV Talent Agency]
| spouse = {{ubl
| {{marriage|Donn Trenner|1966|1978|end=divorced}}
| {{marriage|Gordon Hunt|1995|2016|reason=died}}
}}
| website = {{url|https://bjwardnow.com/}}
}}
Betty Jean Ward (born September 12, 1944){{Cite web|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/bj_ward|title=Rotten Tomatoes: Movies | TV Shows | Movie Trailers | Reviews - Rotten Tomatoes|website=Rotten Tomatoes |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220509055831/https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/bj_ward |archive-date=May 9, 2022}} is an American actress. She is the creator and the star of Stand-Up Opera, a musical one-woman show.
Personal life
Ward was first married to Donald Trenner in 1966, they divorced in 1978.{{cite web|title=B.J. Ward: She Talks A Good Show|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1987-03-13-ca-5530-story.html|author=Don Heckman|date=March 13, 1987|work=Los Angeles Times|access-date=January 5, 2017}} She was later married to director Gordon Hunt from 1995 until his death in 2016.{{cite news|author=Steve Marble |url=https://www.latimes.com/local/obituaries/la-me-gordon-hunt-20161220-story.html|title=Gordon Hunt, director, voice actor and father of Helen Hunt, dies at 87. |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |date=December 20, 2016|access-date=November 14, 2019}}
Career
=Early career=
She made her debut on the stage in 1960, in the original off-Broadway production of The Fantasticks, where she was an understudy for the role of Luisa/the Girl. B.J. Ward had gotten the part by calling the producer of the show.
She toured with the Groundlings for a short while before starting her own voice over career starting with Hanna-Barbera's Jana of the Jungle in 1978.{{cite news|url=https://groundlings.com/people/bj-ward|title=BJ Ward|access-date=October 7, 2023}}
=Singing career=
Ward also worked as a singer. She is well known for her acclaimed one-woman show, "Stand-Up Opera", which became a massive success with critics and audiences alike. She has released seven albums throughout her singing career.
Though Ward is best known as a voice actress, she has also appeared on television. In 1985, she made a rare film appearance in the television film Malice in Wonderland alongside Elizabeth Taylor and Jane Alexander. She has guest-starred on television series such as Frasier, ER, and In-Laws.
Ward has also done voices for video games and theme parks, including:
- Voices for EPCOT and Disneyland Paris, including the safety narration for Spaceship Earth from 1994 to 2007.
- The narration of the former PeopleMover attraction at Disneyland.
- Mother / Sarah in the 1993 version of the Walt Disney's Carousel of Progress.
- Voice of mother opossum and mother rabbit in the Disneyland version of Splash Mountain (1989–2023)
- The current voice guide for "It's a Small World" and the refurbished Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover attraction at Magic Kingdom Park.
Filmography
= Television =
| class="wikitable sortable"
!Year !Title !Role !Notes |
| rowspan="2" |1978
|Jana |Main role (13 episodes) |
| The New Maverick
|B.J. Vinnie's Henchman |Television film |
| 1981
|Elektra |11 episodes |
| 1982
|2 episodes |
| rowspan="2" |1982–1983
|Butch, Waldo |33 episodes |
| The Incredible Hulk
|13 episodes |
| rowspan="4" |1984–1985
|Panky, Punkin |26 episodes |
| Super Friends
|Jayna, Wonder Woman, young Bruce Wayne |10 episodes |
| The Littles
|Ashley Little |16 episodes |
| Voltron
|Princess Allura, additional voices |Main cast (122 episodes) |
| 1984–1988
|Casey Kelp |65 episodes |
| rowspan="3" |1985
|Marcella |Episode: "When You Witch Upon a Star" |
| Star Fairies
|Sparkle, Michelle |Television film |
| Challenge of the GoBots
|Small Foot |5 episodes |
| 1985–1986
|G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero |38 episodes |
| rowspan="2" |1986–1987
|Cassandra Cross, Lilith Cross |2 episodes; uncredited |
| My Little Pony
|North Star, Surprise |4 episodes |
| 1986–1988
|Betty Rubble, Mrs. Rockbottom |34 episodes |
| rowspan="4" |1987
|Birdie McQuack, Loopie McQuack |Episode: "Top Duck" |
| Popeye and Son
|Rad | rowspan="2" |2 episodes |
| Sky Commanders
|Erica Slade |
| The Little Troll Prince
|Bjorn's Wife |
| rowspan="6" |1988
|The Good, the Bad, and Huckleberry Hound |Various voices |Television film |
| Superman
|Syrene |Episode: "Superman and Wonder Woman vs. the Sorceress of Time" |
| A Pup Named Scooby-Doo
|Sugie Rogers, Betsy Brainy |2 episodes |
| The Flintstone Kids' "Just Say No" Special
|Betty Rubble, Mrs. Gravelson, Announcer |Television special |
| Rockin' with Judy Jetson
|Zippy | rowspan="2" |Television film |
| Scooby-Doo! and the Reluctant Werewolf
|Googie, Repulsa |
| 1989
|Bernice Wooley |Episode: "The Black Widow" |
| rowspan="2" |1990
|Honey |
| The Wizard of Oz
|13 episodes |
| rowspan="2" |1991
|Patricia, Gloria Swansong |2 episodes |
| TaleSpin
|Records Clerk |Episode: "Louie's Last Stand" |
| 1992
|Widow Casino |Episode: "The Shell Game" |
| rowspan="5" |1993
|Betty Rubble | rowspan="2" |Television film |
| Jonny's Golden Quest
|3-DAC |
| Bonkers
|Hildy |Episode: "What You Read Is What You Get" |
| Murder, She Wrote
|Chairwoman |Episode: "Love's Deadly Desire" |
| Hollyrock-a-Bye Baby
|Betty Rubble |Television film |
| rowspan="2" |1994
|Captain Planet and the Planeteers |Federal Spokesman |Episode: "Twilight Ozone" |
| A Flintstones Christmas Carol
|Betty Rubble |
| rowspan="2" |1995
|M3 |
| Daisy-Head Mayzie
|Mrs. McGrew |
| rowspan="2" |1995–1996
|Various voices |
| Gargoyles
|Lydia Duane, Fleance, Lady of the Lake, Alexander Fox |
| 1996–1997
|The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest |Iris, Nurse Holloway |
| rowspan="2" |1997
|Melissa, Computer |
| The Angry Beavers
|Computer |
| 1998
|Velma Dinkley, Jebidisa, Mother |
| 1999
|The Sylvester & Tweety Mysteries |Madame Pamplemousse |
| 1999–2000
|Princess Allura, additional voices |
| rowspan="2" |2002
|Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law |Velma Dinkley |
| Samurai Jack
|Witch Hag |
| 2007
|Betty Tennyson |
| 2008
|Mayor Waters |
| 2009
|Curious George: A Very Monkey Christmas |Aunt Margaret |
| 2010
|Dr. Asinovskovich |
| 2011
|Connie Hauser |
=Film=
| class="wikitable sortable"
!Year !Title !Role !Notes |
| 1984
|Galli |
| 1986
|GoBots: Battle of the Rock Lords |Small Foot |
| 1987
|Scarlett |
| rowspan="2" |1988
|Pound Puppies and the Legend of Big Paw |Whopper | |
| Daffy Duck's Quackbusters
|Possessed Duck/Melissa Duck | |
| 1991
|Grumpella |
| 1993
|Tom's Owner |
| rowspan="3" |1994 |
| The Bears Who Saved Christmas
|Mrs. Bucktooth |
| Tom and Jerry's Christmas Carol
|Direct-to-video |
| 1995 |
| rowspan="2" |1998
|Hercules and Xena – The Animated Movie: The Battle for Mount Olympus |Tethys (singing voice) |Direct-to-video |
| Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island
| rowspan="2" |Velma Dinkley |
| rowspan="2" |1999 |
| The Brave Little Toaster to the Rescue
|Police Lady | rowspan="2" |Direct-to-video |
| rowspan="2" |2000
|The Land Before Time VII: The Stone of Cold Fire |Rainbow Face (singing voice) |
| Scooby-Doo and the Alien Invaders
| rowspan="2" |Velma Dinkley |
| 2001 |
| 2016
|DC Super Hero Girls: Hero of the Year |Master Alchemist |
=Video games=
| class="wikitable sortable"
!Year !Title !Role !Notes |
| rowspan="2" |1996
|Mrs. Blub, Computer, Grandma Louse, Mole |
| Blazing Dragons
|Lady of the Lake, Rapunsel Yablanowitz | |
| 1999
|Sword of the Berserk: Guts' Rage |Casca, Eriza |
| rowspan="5" |2000
|Sephy |
| Grandia II
|Roan, Elmo | |
| Scooby-Doo! Showdown in Ghost Town
| rowspan="7" |Velma Dinkley |
| Scooby-Doo! Phantom of the Knight |
| Scooby-Doo! Classic Creep Capers |
| rowspan="3" |2001
|Scooby-Doo: Activity Challenge |
| Scooby-Doo and the Cyber Chase
| |
| Scooby-Doo! Jinx at the Sphinx |
| rowspan="2" |2002 |
| Star Trek: Starfleet Command III
|Romulan Officer | |
| rowspan="2" |2003
|Arc the Lad: Twilight of the Spirits |Camellia |
| Star Trek: Elite Force II
|Katarina Scott | |
| 2004
|Henri Blanc |
| 2020
|Samurai Jack: Battle Through Time |Witch Hag |
Discography
- Vocal Ease (1970)
- Queen of the Night (1994)
- Stand-Up Opera (1995){{cite news|url= https://bjwardnow.com/music/|title=Music|access-date=November 14, 2019}}
- Syrinx: Voice of the Songbird (2003)
- B.J. Ward Sings Marshall Barer (2005)
- Double Feature: Love Songs From The Movies (2015)
- Double Feature 2: More Songs From The Movies! (2016)
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://bjwardnow.com/ Official website]
- {{IMDb name|0911389}}
- [http://www.voicechasers.com/database/showactor.php?actorid=1042 B. J. Ward at Voice Chasers] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200915062938/https://www.voicechasers.com/database/showactor.php?actorid=1042 |date=2020-09-15 }}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ward, B. J.}}
Category:Actresses from Delaware
Category:American film actresses
Category:American musical theatre actresses
Category:American video game actresses
Category:American voice actresses
Category:20th-century American actresses
Category:21st-century American actresses
Category:20th-century American singers
Category:21st-century American singers