From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
John Saxon (born Carmine Orrico; August 5, 1935 – July 25, 2020) was an American actor and martial artist who worked on more than 200 projects during a span of 60 years. Saxon is known for his work in Westerns and horror movies, often playing police officers and detectives.
Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, Saxon studied acting with Stella Adler before beginning his career as a contract actor for Universal Pictures, playing in such movies as Rock, Pretty Baby (1956) and Portrait in Black (1961). During the 1970s and 1980s, he established himself as a character actor, frequently portraying law enforcement officials in horror movies such as Black Christmas (1974), Dario Argento's Tenebrae (1982), and A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984).
In addition to his roles in horror movies, Saxon co-starred with Bruce Lee in the martial arts movie Enter the Dragon (1973), and has supporting roles in the westerns Death of a Gunfighter (1969) and Joe Kidd (1972), as well as the adventure thriller Raid on Entebbe (1977). In the 1990s, Saxon occasionally appeared in movies, with small roles in Wes Craven's New Nightmare (1994) and From Dusk till Dawn (1996).
Saxon died of pneumonia in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, on July 25, 2020.
Movies
Beverly Hills Cop III Orrin Sanderson
A Nightmare on Elm Street Lieutenant Thompson
From Dusk Till Dawn FBI Agent Stanley Chase
My Mom's a Werewolf Harry Thropen
The Cardinal Benny Rampell
A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors Donald Thompson
Mr. Kingstreet's War Mr. Kingstreet
The Electric Horseman Hunt Sears
Zombie Death House Colonel Gordon Burgess
The Unforgiven Johnny Portugal
New Nightmare John Saxon / Donald Thompson
Wrong Is Right Homer Hubbard
Raid on Entebbe Maj. Gen. Benny Peled
Cannibal Apocalypse Norman Hopper
War Hunt Pvt. Raymond Endore
Mitchell Walter Deaney
Enter the Dragon Roper
The Appaloosa Chuy
Shalimar Colonel Columbus
Queen of Blood Allan Brenner
The Girl Who Knew Too Much Dr. Marcello Bassi
Bruce Lee: The Immortal Dragon Self
Stanley's Girlfriend Leo
War Wolves Tony Ford
Mr. Hobbs Takes a Vacation Byron Grant
The Bees John Norman
Battle Beyond the Stars Sador
Trapped Ashes Leo
Jonathan of the Bears Fred Goodwin
The Night Caller Dr. Jack Costain
Joe Kidd Luis Chama
The Swiss Conspiracy Robert Hayes
Cry Tough Miguel Antonio Enrico Francisco Estrada
House Made of Dawn Tosamah
Blood Beach Captain Pearson
Fast Company Phil Adamson
The Craving Heart Richard Tom
The Reluctant Debutante David Parkson
Scorpion with Two Tails Arthur Barnard
Black Christmas Lt. Fuller
Portrait in Black Blake Richards
Hands of Steel Francis Turner
Animal Instincts Otto Van Horne
The Glove Sam Kellog
Agostino Renzo
Prisoners of the Lost Universe Kleel
Mark Strikes Again Altman
The Cynic, the Rat & the Fist Frank Di Maggio
The GREATEST : Bruce Lee Comentador
Clarkworld Self
Planet Earth Dylan Hunt
Death of a Gunfighter Lou Trinidad
Shadows in an Empty Room Sgt. Ned Matthews
Black Christmas Legacy Self (archive footage)
Posse from Hell Seymour Kern
The Unguarded Moment Leonard Bennett
Violent Naples Francesco Capuano
Blood Salvage Clifford Evans
Beyond Evil Larry Andrews
The Restless Years Will Henderson
A Special Cop in Action Albertelli
Eurocrime! The Italian Cop and Gangster Films That Ruled the '70s Self
The Big Score Davis
Moonshine County Express J.B. Johnson
One Dollar Too Many Clay Watson
The Cavern Joe Cramer
The Baby Doll Murders John Maglia
Lucky Luke 2 The Man in Black
Western, Italian Style Self
This Happy Feeling Bill Tremaine
The Arrival Agent Miils
Hellmaster Professor Jones
Fever Pitch Sports Editor
Strange New World Capt. Anthony Vico
Aftershock Oliver Quinn
The Plunderers Rondo
The Big Fisherman Voldi
Cross Shot Commissario Jacovella
The Final Alliance Ghost
Blackmail Gene
Rock, Pretty Baby Jimmy Daley
Summer Love Jimmy Daley
No Escape, No Return James Mitchell
Can Ellen Be Saved? James Hallbeck
Night Class Murphy
Welcome to Primetime Self
The Intruders Billy Pye
Running Scared Captain Munoz
Running Wild Vince Pomeroy
The Doomsday Flight George Ducette
Never Sleep Again: The Elm Street Legacy Self
Fight to the Death Mariano Beltrán
Family Killer Gaspare Ardizzone
Linda Jeff Braden
Company of Killers Dave Poohler
Edgar G. Ulmer: The Man Off-Screen Self
Istanbul Express Cheval
Encyclopedia of Martial Arts: Hollywood Celebrities Self
Pelts Jeb 'Pa' Jameson
For Singles Only Bret Hendley
Frame-Up II: The Cover-Up Charles Searage
Winchester '73 Dakin McAdam
A Star Is Born Movie Premiere Usher (uncredited)
The Ravagers Capt. Kermit Dowling
Maximum Force Captain Fuller
Criminal Act Herb Tamplin
The Best of the Martial Arts Films Self - Host
Desire Joe Hale
It Should Happen to You Boy Watching Argument in Park (uncredited)
Snatched Paul Maxvill
Living in Fear Rev. Leo Hausman
The Party Crashers Mr. Foster
Criminal Minds Antonio DiPaolo Jr.
The Immigrants Alan Brocker
Mario Bava: Maestro of the Macabre Self
Crossing the Line Jack Kagan
God's Ears Lee Robinson
The Killers Within Detective Lewis
Killing Obsession Dr. Sachs
Bring Me the Head of Lance Henriksen John
Bruce Lee: The Legend Lives On Self (scenes Enter the Dragon) (archive footage)
Bruce Lee: In His Own Words Self (archive footage)
How Bruce Lee Changed the World Self
The Path of the Dragon Self
Black Christmas Revisited
Bruce Lee: The Intercepting Fist Self (archive footage)
One Too Many Sergio Puccini
Preminger: Anatomy of a Filmmaker Self (archive footage)
Crossfire Dave Ambrose
Final Payback Police Chief George Moreno
The Last Samurai Haroun Al-Hakim
Outta Time Darabont
Joseph's Gift Jacob Keller
Nightmare Beach Strycher
Tenebre Bullmer
Brothers-in-Law Royal Cane
Pitcher and the Pin-Up Michael Curtis
Blood and Steel: The Making of 'Enter the Dragon' Self
'Cannibal Apocalypse' Redux Sarge
Golden Gate Monty Sager
Lancelot: Guardian of Time Wolvencroft
Rooster Jerome Brademan
The 12 Days of Black Christmas Self
Payoff Rafael Concion
Solomon Northup's Odyssey Epps
Location: Hong Kong with Enter the Dragon Self
Shows
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Walter Gordon
Masters of Horror Jeb 'Pa' Jameson
Gunsmoke Virgil Stanley
Wonder Woman Captain Radl
The Bold Ones: The New Doctors Dr. Theodore Stuart
Lucky Luke
Masquerade
Murder, She Wrote Marco Gambini
The A-Team Martin James
The Mary Tyler Moore Show Mike Tedesca
Night Gallery Ianto
The Six Million Dollar Man Maj. Frederick Sloan
Gunsmoke Pedro Manez
Gunsmoke Gristy Calhoun
Hawaii Five-O Harry Clive
The Six Million Dollar Man Nedlick
Once an Eagle Capt. Townshend
Starsky & Hutch René Nadasy
The Name of the Game Peter Max
Bonanza Chief Jocova
Bonanza Blas
The Rockford Files Dave Delaroux
Ironside Eric Saginor
Bonanza Steven Friday
The A-Team Kalem
Banyon Johnny Clay
Quincy, M.E. Publisher Charles Desskasa
Finder of Lost Loves Zach Donahue
Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre Mario Silvetti
Melrose Place Henry Waxman
Lucky Luke The Man in Black
It Takes a Thief Dead Man
Fantasy Island Dr. Roger Sullivan
Gunsmoke Dingo
Murder, She Wrote Bernardo Bonelli
79 Park Avenue Harry Vito
The New Alfred Hitchcock Presents Garth December
Matlock John Franklin
Petrocelli Richie Martin
Hotel Jack Curtis
Scarecrow and Mrs. King Dirk Fredericks
Hardcastle and McCormick Martin Cody
Banacek Harry Harland
The Virginian Sgt. Terence Mulcahy
Kung Fu Raven
The Virginian Ben Oakes
Burke's Law Bud Charney
The Virginian Dell Stetler
The Streets of San Francisco Vincent 'Vince' Hagopian Jr.
General Electric Theater Martin Glass
Gunsmoke Cal Strom, Jr.
The Mike Douglas Show Self
Murder, She Wrote Jerry Lydecker
Falcon Crest Tony Cumson
Golden Globe Awards Self - Presenter
