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John Saxon

Actor

John Saxon

Born August 5, 1935 in Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USADied July 25, 2020126 films

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.

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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.

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The best way into John Saxon's work
Enter the Dragon posterFirst watchEnter the Dragon19737.4as RoperA martial artist agrees to spy on a reclusive crime lord using his invitation to a tournament there as cover.View film

Essential films

Ranked by acclaim and reach
A Nightmare on Elm Street poster7.4A Nightmare on Elm Street1984From Dusk Till Dawn poster7.1From Dusk Till Dawn1996A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors poster6.7A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors1987Black Christmas poster7.0Black Christmas1974Wes Craven's New Nightmare poster6.5Wes Craven's New Nightmare1994Beverly Hills Cop III poster5.9Beverly Hills Cop III1994Tenebre poster6.8Tenebre1982A Star Is Born poster7.1A Star Is Born1954

Filmography

126 films as actor
  1. 2015The DentrosGeorge Dentro
  2. 2010Bring Me the Head of Lance HenriksenJohn
  3. 2009Old DogsLee Robinson
  4. 2009The Mercy ManFather McMurray
  5. 2009War WolvesTony Ford
  6. 2008God's EarsLee Robinson
  7. 2006PeltsJeb 'Pa' Jameson
  8. 2006Trapped AshesLeo (segment "Stanley's Girlfriend")
  9. 2006The Craving HeartRichard Tom
  10. 2006Stanley's GirlfriendLeo
  11. 2003Pitcher and the Pin-UpMichael Curtis
  12. 2002Outta TimeDarabont
  13. 2001Night ClassMurphy
  14. 2001Final PaybackPolice Chief George Moreno
  15. 2000Living in FearRev. Leo Hausman
  16. 1999Joseph's GiftJacob Keller
  17. 1998The Party CrashersMr. Foster
  18. 1998Bottom FeedersAntonio DiPaolo Jr.
  19. 1997Lancelot: Guardian of TimeWolvencroft
  20. 1996From Dusk Till DawnFBI Agent Stanley Chase
  21. 1995Jonathan of the BearsFred Goodwin
  22. 1995The Killers WithinDetective Lewis
  23. 1994Frame-Up II: The Cover-UpCharles Searage
  24. 1994Wes Craven's New NightmareJohn Saxon / Lt. Donald Thompson
  25. 1994Killing ObsessionDr. Sachs
  26. 1994Beverly Hills Cop IIIOrrin Sanderson
  27. 1993No Escape, No ReturnJames Mitchell
  28. 1993The Baby Doll MurdersJohn Maglia
  29. 1992HellmasterProfessor Jones
  30. 1992Animal InstinctsOtto Van Horne
  31. 1992Maximum ForceCaptain Fuller
  32. 1991BlackmailGene
  33. 1991Solomon Northup's OdysseyEpps
  34. 1991PayoffRafael Concion
  35. 1991The ArrivalAgent Miils
  36. 1990AftershockOliver Quinn
  37. 1990Blood SalvageClifford Evans
  38. 1990Crossing the LineJack Kagan
  39. 1990The Final AllianceGhost
  40. 1990The Last SamuraiHaroun Al-Hakim
  41. 1989Nightmare BeachStrycher
  42. 1989My Mom's a WerewolfHarry Thropen
  43. 1989Criminal ActHerb Tamplin
  44. 1988Zombie Death HouseColonel Gordon Burgess
  45. 1988Stephen King's Monster Stories
  46. 1987A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream WarriorsThompson
  47. 1986Hands of SteelFrancis Turner
  48. 1985Fever PitchSports Editor
  49. 1985Brothers-in-LawRoyal Cane
  50. 1984A Nightmare on Elm StreetLt. Thompson
  51. 1983Prisoners of the Lost UniverseKleel
  52. 1983The Big ScoreDavis
  53. 1982DesireJoe Hale
  54. 1982TenebreBullmer
  55. 1982Scorpion with Two TailsArthur Barnard
  56. 1982RoosterJerome Brademan
  57. 1982One Too ManySergio Puccini
  58. 1982Wrong Is RightHomer Hubbard
  59. 1982Lo Scorpione a Due CodeArthur Barnard
  60. 1981Golden GateMonty Sager
  61. 1980Running ScaredCaptain Munoz
  62. 1980Battle Beyond the StarsSador
  63. 1980Blood BeachCaptain Pearson
  64. 1980Cannibal ApocalypseNorman Hopper
  65. 1980Beyond EvilLarry Andrews
  66. 1979The Electric HorsemanHunt Sears
  67. 1979The GloveSam Kellog
  68. 1979Fast CompanyPhil Adamson
  69. 1978ShalimarColonel Columbus
  70. 1978The BeesJohn Norman
  71. 1977Moonshine County ExpressJ.B. Johnson
  72. 1977The Cynic, the Rat & the FistFrank Di Maggio
  73. 1976Cross ShotCommissario Jacovella
  74. 1976Raid on EntebbeMaj. Gen. Benny Peled
  75. 1976A Special Cop in ActionAlbertelli
  76. 1976Mark Strikes AgainAltman
  77. 1976Violent NaplesFrancesco Capuano
  78. 1976Shadows in an Empty RoomSgt. Ned Matthews
  79. 1976The Swiss ConspiracyRobert Hayes
  80. 1975MitchellWalter Deaney
  81. 1975Strange New WorldCapt. Anthony Vico
  82. 1975CrossfireDave Ambrose
  83. 1975Fight to the DeathMariano Beltrán
  84. 1974Black ChristmasLt. Fuller
  85. 1974Planet EarthDylan Hunt
  86. 1974Can Ellen Be Saved?James Hallbeck
  87. 1973LindaJeff Braden
  88. 1973Enter the DragonRoper
  89. 1973Mr. Kingstreet's WarMr. Kingstreet
  90. 1973Family KillerGaspare Ardizzone
  91. 1973SnatchedPaul Maxvill
  92. 1972Joe KiddLuis Chama
  93. 1972House Made of DawnTosamah
  94. 1970The IntrudersBilly Pye
  95. 1970Company of KillersDave Poohler
  96. 1969Death of a GunfighterLou Trinidad
  97. 1969Istanbul ExpressCheval
  98. 1968One Dollar Too ManyClay Watson
  99. 1968For Singles OnlyBret Hendley
  100. 1967Winchester '73Dakin McAdam
  101. 1966The Doomsday FlightGeorge Ducette
  102. 1966The AppaloosaChuy
  103. 1966Queen of BloodAllan Brenner
  104. 1965The Night CallerDr. Jack Costain
  105. 1965The RavagersCapt. Kermit Dowling
  106. 1964The CavernJoe Cramer
  107. 1963The CardinalBenny Rampell
  108. 1963The Girl Who Knew Too MuchDr. Marcello Bassi
  109. 1962AgostinoRenzo
  110. 1962Mr. Hobbs Takes a VacationByron Grant
  111. 1962War HuntPvt. Raymond Endore
  112. 1961Posse from HellSeymour Kern
  113. 1960The PlunderersRondo
  114. 1960Portrait in BlackBlake Richards
  115. 1960The UnforgivenJohnny Portugal
  116. 1959The Big FishermanVoldi
  117. 1959Cry ToughMiguel Antonio Enrico Francisco Estrada
  118. 1958The Restless YearsWill Henderson
  119. 1958The Reluctant DebutanteDavid Parkson
  120. 1958This Happy FeelingBill Tremaine