John Saxon
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.
Filmography
The Green Fog
as Self
The Green Fog
as Self
Black Christmas Legacy
as Self (archive footage)
Black Christmas Legacy
as Self (archive footage)
The Dentros
as George Dentro
The Dentros
as George Dentro
Eurocrime! The Italian Cop and Gangster Films That Ruled the '70s
as Self
Eurocrime! The Italian Cop and Gangster Films That Ruled the '70s
as Self
Never Sleep Again: The Elm Street Legacy
as Self
Never Sleep Again: The Elm Street Legacy
as Self
Bring Me the Head of Lance Henriksen
as John
Bring Me the Head of Lance Henriksen
as John
Old Dogs
as Lee Robinson
Old Dogs
as Lee Robinson
Clarkworld
as Self
Clarkworld
as Self
The Mercy Man
as Father McMurray
The Mercy Man
as Father McMurray
How Bruce Lee Changed the World
as Self
How Bruce Lee Changed the World
as Self
War Wolves
as Tony Ford
War Wolves
as Tony Ford
God's Ears
as Lee Robinson
God's Ears
as Lee Robinson
The 12 Days of Black Christmas
as Self
The 12 Days of Black Christmas
as Self
Pelts
as Jeb 'Pa' Jameson
Pelts
as Jeb 'Pa' Jameson
Trapped Ashes
as Leo (segment "Stanley's Girlfriend")
Trapped Ashes
as Leo (segment "Stanley's Girlfriend")
The Craving Heart
as Richard Tom
The Craving Heart
as Richard Tom
Stanley's Girlfriend
as Leo
Stanley's Girlfriend
as Leo
Blood and Steel: The Making of Enter the Dragon
as Self
Blood and Steel: The Making of Enter the Dragon
as Self
Edgar G. Ulmer: The Man Off-Screen
as Self
Edgar G. Ulmer: The Man Off-Screen
as Self
Pitcher and the Pin-Up
as Michael Curtis
Pitcher and the Pin-Up
as Michael Curtis
Black Christmas Revisited
as Self
Black Christmas Revisited
as Self
Outta Time
as Darabont
Outta Time
as Darabont
'Cannibal Apocalypse' Redux
as Sarge
'Cannibal Apocalypse' Redux
as Sarge
The Unbeatable Bruce Lee
as Self
The Unbeatable Bruce Lee
as Self
Night Class
as Murphy
Night Class
as Murphy
Final Payback
as Police Chief George Moreno
Final Payback
as Police Chief George Moreno
Living in Fear
as Rev. Leo Hausman
Living in Fear
as Rev. Leo Hausman
Mario Bava: Maestro of the Macabre
as Self
Mario Bava: Maestro of the Macabre
as Self
Welcome to Primetime
as Self
Welcome to Primetime
as Self
Joseph's Gift
as Jacob Keller
Joseph's Gift
as Jacob Keller
The GREATEST : Bruce Lee
as Comentador
The GREATEST : Bruce Lee
as Comentador
The Party Crashers
as Mr. Foster
The Party Crashers
as Mr. Foster
Bottom Feeders
as Antonio DiPaolo Jr.
Bottom Feeders
as Antonio DiPaolo Jr.
Lancelot: Guardian of Time
as Wolvencroft
Lancelot: Guardian of Time
as Wolvencroft
From Dusk Till Dawn
as FBI Agent Stanley Chase
From Dusk Till Dawn
as FBI Agent Stanley Chase
Encyclopedia of Martial Arts: Hollywood Celebrities
as Self
Encyclopedia of Martial Arts: Hollywood Celebrities
as Self
Jonathan of the Bears
as Fred Goodwin
Jonathan of the Bears
as Fred Goodwin
The Killers Within
as Detective Lewis
The Killers Within
as Detective Lewis
Frame-Up II: The Cover-Up
as Charles Searage
Frame-Up II: The Cover-Up
as Charles Searage
Wes Craven's New Nightmare
as John Saxon / Lt. Donald Thompson
Wes Craven's New Nightmare
as John Saxon / Lt. Donald Thompson
Killing Obsession
as Dr. Sachs
Killing Obsession
as Dr. Sachs
Beverly Hills Cop III
as Orrin Sanderson
Beverly Hills Cop III
as Orrin Sanderson
Bruce Lee: The Immortal Dragon
as Self
Bruce Lee: The Immortal Dragon
as Self
No Escape, No Return
as James Mitchell
No Escape, No Return
as James Mitchell
The Baby Doll Murders
as John Maglia
The Baby Doll Murders
as John Maglia
Hellmaster
as Professor Jones
Hellmaster
as Professor Jones
Animal Instincts
as Otto Van Horne
Animal Instincts
as Otto Van Horne
Maximum Force
as Captain Fuller
Maximum Force
as Captain Fuller
Lucky Luke 2
as The Man in Black (archive footage)
Lucky Luke 2
as The Man in Black (archive footage)
Preminger: Anatomy of a Filmmaker
as Self (archive footage)
Preminger: Anatomy of a Filmmaker
as Self (archive footage)
Blackmail
as Gene
Blackmail
as Gene
Solomon Northup's Odyssey
as Epps
Solomon Northup's Odyssey
as Epps
Payoff
as Rafael Concion
Payoff
as Rafael Concion
The Arrival
as Agent Miils
The Arrival
as Agent Miils
Aftershock
as Oliver Quinn
Aftershock
as Oliver Quinn
Blood Salvage
as Clifford Evans
Blood Salvage
as Clifford Evans
Crossing the Line
as Jack Kagan
Crossing the Line
as Jack Kagan
The Final Alliance
as Ghost
The Final Alliance
as Ghost
The Last Samurai
as Haroun Al-Hakim
The Last Samurai
as Haroun Al-Hakim
The Best of the Martial Arts Films
as Self - Host
The Best of the Martial Arts Films
as Self - Host
Nightmare Beach
as Strycher
Nightmare Beach
as Strycher
My Mom's a Werewolf
as Harry Thropen
My Mom's a Werewolf
as Harry Thropen
Criminal Act
as Herb Tamplin
Criminal Act
as Herb Tamplin
Zombie Death House
as Colonel Gordon Burgess
Zombie Death House
as Colonel Gordon Burgess
Stephen King's Monster Stories
Stephen King's Monster Stories
A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors
as Thompson
A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors
as Thompson
Hands of Steel
as Francis Turner
Hands of Steel
as Francis Turner
Fever Pitch
as Sports Editor
Fever Pitch
as Sports Editor
The Big Score
as Davis
The Big Score
as Davis
Desire
as Joe Hale
Desire
as Joe Hale
Tenebre
as Bullmer
Tenebre
as Bullmer
Scorpion with Two Tails
as Arthur Barnard
Scorpion with Two Tails
as Arthur Barnard
Rooster
as Jerome Brademan
Rooster
as Jerome Brademan
One Too Many
as Sergio Puccini
One Too Many
as Sergio Puccini
Wrong Is Right
as Homer Hubbard
Wrong Is Right
as Homer Hubbard
Lo Scorpione a Due Code
as Arthur Barnard
Lo Scorpione a Due Code
as Arthur Barnard
Golden Gate
as Monty Sager
Golden Gate
as Monty Sager
Running Scared
as Captain Munoz
Running Scared
as Captain Munoz
Blood Beach
as Captain Pearson
Blood Beach
as Captain Pearson
Cannibal Apocalypse
as Norman Hopper
Cannibal Apocalypse
as Norman Hopper
Beyond Evil
as Larry Andrews
Beyond Evil
as Larry Andrews
The Electric Horseman
as Hunt Sears
The Electric Horseman
as Hunt Sears
The Glove
as Sam Kellog
The Glove
as Sam Kellog
Fast Company
as Phil Adamson
Fast Company
as Phil Adamson
Shalimar
as Colonel Columbus
Shalimar
as Colonel Columbus
The Immigrants
as Alan Brocker
The Immigrants
as Alan Brocker
Moonshine County Express
as J.B. Johnson
Moonshine County Express
as J.B. Johnson
The Cynic, the Rat & the Fist
as Frank Di Maggio
The Cynic, the Rat & the Fist
as Frank Di Maggio
Cross Shot
as Commissario Jacovella
Cross Shot
as Commissario Jacovella
Raid on Entebbe
as Maj. Gen. Benny Peled
Raid on Entebbe
as Maj. Gen. Benny Peled
Mark Strikes Again
as Altman
Mark Strikes Again
as Altman
Violent Naples
as Francesco Capuano
Violent Naples
as Francesco Capuano
Shadows in an Empty Room
as Sgt. Ned Matthews
Shadows in an Empty Room
as Sgt. Ned Matthews
The Swiss Conspiracy
as Robert Hayes
The Swiss Conspiracy
as Robert Hayes
Mitchell
as Walter Deaney
Mitchell
as Walter Deaney
Strange New World
as Capt. Anthony Vico
Strange New World
as Capt. Anthony Vico
Crossfire
as Dave Ambrose
Crossfire
as Dave Ambrose
Can Ellen Be Saved?
as James Hallbeck
Can Ellen Be Saved?
as James Hallbeck
Linda
as Jeff Braden
Linda
as Jeff Braden
Enter the Dragon
as Roper
Enter the Dragon
as Roper
Location: Hong Kong with Enter the Dragon
as Self
Location: Hong Kong with Enter the Dragon
as Self
Family Killer
as Gaspare Ardizzone
Family Killer
as Gaspare Ardizzone
Snatched
as Paul Maxvill
Snatched
as Paul Maxvill
Joe Kidd
as Luis Chama
Joe Kidd
as Luis Chama
House Made of Dawn
as Tosamah
House Made of Dawn
as Tosamah
The Intruders
as Billy Pye
The Intruders
as Billy Pye
Company of Killers
as Dave Poohler
Company of Killers
as Dave Poohler
Death of a Gunfighter
as Lou Trinidad
Death of a Gunfighter
as Lou Trinidad
Istanbul Express
as Cheval
Istanbul Express
as Cheval
For Singles Only
as Bret Hendley
For Singles Only
as Bret Hendley
Western, Italian Style
as Self
Western, Italian Style
as Self
Winchester '73
as Dakin McAdam
Winchester '73
as Dakin McAdam
The Doomsday Flight
as George Ducette
The Doomsday Flight
as George Ducette
The Cavern
as Joe Cramer
The Cavern
as Joe Cramer
The Cardinal
as Benny Rampell
The Cardinal
as Benny Rampell
The Girl Who Knew Too Much
as Dr. Marcello Bassi
The Girl Who Knew Too Much
as Dr. Marcello Bassi
Mr. Hobbs Takes a Vacation
as Byron Grant
Mr. Hobbs Takes a Vacation
as Byron Grant
War Hunt
as Pvt. Raymond Endore
War Hunt
as Pvt. Raymond Endore
Posse from Hell
as Seymour Kern
Posse from Hell
as Seymour Kern
The Plunderers
as Rondo
The Plunderers
as Rondo
Portrait in Black
as Blake Richards
Portrait in Black
as Blake Richards
The Unforgiven
as Johnny Portugal
The Unforgiven
as Johnny Portugal
The Big Fisherman
as Voldi
The Big Fisherman
as Voldi
Cry Tough
as Miguel Antonio Enrico Francisco Estrada
Cry Tough
as Miguel Antonio Enrico Francisco Estrada
The Restless Years
as Will Henderson
The Restless Years
as Will Henderson
This Happy Feeling
as Bill Tremaine
This Happy Feeling
as Bill Tremaine
Summer Love
as Jimmy Daley
Summer Love
as Jimmy Daley
Rock, Pretty Baby
as Jimmy Daley
Rock, Pretty Baby
as Jimmy Daley
Running Wild
as Vince Pomeroy
Running Wild
as Vince Pomeroy
A Star Is Born
as Movie Premiere Usher (uncredited)
A Star Is Born
as Movie Premiere Usher (uncredited)
It Should Happen to You
as Boy Watching Argument in Park (uncredited)
It Should Happen to You
as Boy Watching Argument in Park (uncredited)