My Bridge over Troubled Waters
by
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It was just after eight in the morning when my telephone rang. I lowered the TV volume and crossed to the desk and picked up the phone. “Hello.” A charming female voice says, “Hi, I’m trying to reach a David Ward. This is the CBS Regis Philbin office calling. “Hey, my favorite nine o’clock show.” “So nice to hear. I assume you’re Mister Ward?” “Yes.” “Thank you, Mister Ward. Mister Ward, Regis would like to talk with you, on air, this morning about ....” Shocked, “With me?” “Sir, haven’t you seen this morning’s papers?” “Dear lady, I haven’t seen a newspaper since August of nineteen sixty-nine. TV news is all I have.” “Well, Regis would like to interview you since your divorce has been so internationally explosive and .... “Internationally?” “At least London, Europe and .... “Gee ... well ... gee, I’m sorry but this whole mess has been so traumatic that I’ve just been concentrating on surviving and taking care of the kids. I guess it must be some sort of a great story?” Long pause as I pace, holding the phone receiver. “It might be best to contact my sensational attorney, Loyd Saunders to talk to Regis.” “Thank you, Mister Ward. We will do that. And, thank you.” Fifteen minutes later after the usual opening banter and commercials of Regis and Kathy Lee, Regis had Loyd on the phone. “Mister Saunders you and David Ward have created a male-saving situation here. I just wish I’d had you for my attorney when my marriage fell apart.” “Thank you, Regis.”
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About the Book
What if your divorce wasn’t just personal—it changed the law forever?
Kramer vs. Kramer won an Oscar. Ward vs. Ward rewrote California law. In My Bridge Over Troubled Waters, music industry insider David Perry Ward recounts his extraordinary journey from Hollywood studio floors to the frontlines of a legal revolution.
As one of the most prolific music copyists in the golden age of Hollywood, Ward collaborated with legends like Jimmie Haskell, Johnny Mandel, and Nelson Riddle. His meticulous work helped bring to life iconic film scores and pop vocal arrangements, while the public knew little of the men behind the music. But behind the scenes of platinum records and scoring sessions, Ward’s private life was unraveling.
When his wife abruptly left with their children in 1969, Ward became the center of a bitter custody battle. Refusing to surrender, he fought through the legal system at a time when fathers had no rights. What followed was a landmark family law case, Ward vs. Ward, that forced the courts to acknowledge a father’s equal standing in parenting.
Told with wit, vulnerability, and precision, this memoir fuses the glamour of 1950s to 1970s Hollywood with the grit of fatherhood and the chaos of personal upheaval. It offers a rare lens into the entertainment industry’s unsung contributors and reveals one man’s enduring fight to protect what mattered most.
If you enjoy Hollywood memoirs, fatherhood narratives, and legal drama that led to real change, this unforgettable story is your next read.
Buy My Bridge Over Troubled Waters today and discover a legacy that spans music, law, and love.
About the Author
David Ward worked as the music copyist for many of the greatest composers and arrangers in Hollywood. For over forty years, he, helped the greats in pop music, television and movies create their masterpieces and win Grammys, Emmys and Oscars—not to mention over 135 gold and platinum albums. Among others, Mr. Ward has worked with Jimmie Haskell, Johnny Mandell, Phil Spector, the Wrecking Crew, Ricky Nelson, Simon and Garfunkel, Chicago and David Byrne.