Biography
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 Murfreesb…
Movies & TV Shows
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From Dusk Till Dawn (1996) — FBI Agent Stanley Chase
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A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) — Lt. Donald Thompson
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Beverly Hills Cop III (1994) — Orrin Sanderson
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Enter the Dragon (1973) — Roper
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A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors (1987) — Thompson
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Wes Craven's New Nightmare (1994) — John Saxon / Lt. Donald Thompson
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CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (2000) — Walter Gordon
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The A-Team (1983) — Martin James
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Black Christmas (1974) — Lt. Fuller
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Old Dogs (2009) — Lee Robinson
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Tenebre (1982) — Bullmer
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Wonder Woman (1975) — Captain Radl
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Bonanza (1959) — Chief Jocova
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Murder, She Wrote (1984) — Marco Gambini
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Magnum, P.I. (1980) — Ed Russler
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The Six Million Dollar Man (1974) — Maj. Frederick Sloan
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Joe Kidd (1972) — Luis Chama
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A Star Is Born (1954) — Movie Premiere Usher (uncredited)
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Masters of Horror (2005) — Jeb 'Pa' Jameson
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Kung Fu (1972) — Raven
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The Unforgiven (1960) — Johnny Portugal
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Battle Beyond the Stars (1980) — Sador
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Starsky & Hutch (1975) — René Nadasy
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The Girl Who Knew Too Much (1963) — Dr. Marcello Bassi
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The Time Tunnel (1966) — Marco Polo
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Melrose Place (1992) — Henry Waxman
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Never Sleep Again: The Elm Street Legacy (2010) — Self
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The Electric Horseman (1979) — Hunt Sears
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Hawaii Five-O (1968) — Harry Clive
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Matlock (1986) — John Franklin
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The Rockford Files (1974) — Dave Delaroux
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Fantasy Island (1978) — Roger Sullivan
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Quincy, M.E. (1976) — Publisher Charles Desskasa
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Gunsmoke (1955) — Virgil Stanley
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Cannibal Apocalypse (1980) — Norman Hopper
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Night Gallery (1970) — Ianto
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Nightmare Beach (1989) — Strycher
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The Streets of San Francisco (1972) — Vincent 'Vince' Hagopian Jr.
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Mr. Hobbs Takes a Vacation (1962) — Byron Grant
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Hands of Steel (1986) — Francis Turner