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Paul Ford is remembered for his 鈥渄eep roles鈥� in plays like 鈥淜ing Lear鈥� and inspiring countless aspiring actors and actresses in sa国际传媒官网网页入口.

Ford died on Feb. 17. The family did not release the cause of death. He was 77.

鈥淗e was really just a steward for the sa国际传媒官网网页入口 theater community,鈥� said Doug Montoya, Ford鈥檚 former student and founder of the Cardboard Playhouse Theatre Company. 鈥淗e did so much. He impacted so many people through his teaching, through his directing, through his acting.鈥�

As an actor, Ford starred in many productions like "King Lear.鈥�

鈥淗e took on big, deep roles and did them in a very humane and strong way,鈥� Ford鈥檚 friend David Jones said. 鈥淗e wasn鈥檛 theatrical in the showy sense, sort of like we think of the cliche 鈥榯heatrical actor鈥� who鈥檚 always displaying himself in public. He was actually very modest as a human being, but as an actor he was fearless and deep.鈥�

If he wasn鈥檛 performing on stage, Ford was directing plays like 鈥淎 Streetcar Named Desire鈥� and teaching actors and actresses of all age groups and experience levels.

"His biggest legacy is all of the people he trained through his Theater-in-the-Making program and at (the University of New Mexico), who are still acting in the community and have gone on to careers outside of sa国际传媒官网网页入口," said Ford鈥檚 friend Leslee Richards. "And so, almost anybody who has been on stage in sa国际传媒官网网页入口 has been influenced by Paul Ford鈥檚 work either directly or because somebody he trained is now working with them.鈥�

Ford was born in Sacramento, California, in 1949. He graduated from the University of California, Davis where he studied theatre and drama, according to his LinkedIn account. In 1986, Ford moved to sa国际传媒官网网页入口 where he ran the children鈥檚 theater section of the Southwest Repertory Theater and started Theatre-in-the-Making.

鈥�(Theatre-in-the-Making) offers programs that (give) sort of an entry-level approach to what acting is, development of the idea of creative dramatics and the use of that and developing character and performance experiences for those young people,鈥� 鈥渟o that they have the opportunity to run through the process of finding their basic skills, taking ownership of their skills and their techniques and 鈥� establishing that moment of real success of mastery over material and over themselves in that moment on stage.鈥�

In 1989, Ford got a job with the University of New Mexico鈥檚 Department of Theatre and Dance.

Ed Chavez said he was a freshman when someone suggested he take one of Ford鈥檚 classes.

鈥淚鈥檓 glad I did because he (would become) the best acting teacher I鈥檝e ever had,鈥� Chavez said. 鈥淗e had such a deep love and affection for acting, for performing and for the work. He just taught us that, 鈥榊ou鈥檝e got to throw everything you鈥檝e got into this work. Because if it means something to you, if it鈥檚 significant to you, it鈥檚 going to be significant to the audience.鈥欌��

Ford retired from UNM in 2013, but continued to be involved in the theater until he died.

鈥淚 think he made generations of actors even better because of his wisdom and what he taught us,鈥� Chavez said. 鈥淗e was so easygoing. He was a real actor鈥檚 director. He encouraged you to try new stuff. He鈥檇 say, 鈥楲et鈥檚 try doing the scene this way. If it doesn鈥檛 work, it doesn鈥檛 work. But just give it a try.鈥� 鈥� His biggest legacy is all the inspiration that he gave to so many actors.鈥�

Outside the theater, Ford enjoyed playing tennis, hiking and photography.

鈥淧aul鈥檚 absence leaves a profound and heartbreaking void,鈥� the sa国际传媒官网网页入口 Little Theatre . 鈥淗is voice, his spirit, and his quiet brilliance will be deeply missed, yet his influence will continue to echo through the stages, classrooms, and lives he touched.鈥�

A celebration of life will take place at 6 p.m. March 22 at the Rodey Theatre, 1 University of New Mexico.

Ford is survived by his daughter Jennifer Ford.

Gregory R.C. Hasman is a general assignment reporter and the Road Warrior. He can be reached at ghasman@abqjournal.com or 505-823-3820.