John Saxon

For other people named John Saxon, see John Saxon (disambiguation).

John Saxon
Saxon in 1958
Born	Carmine Orrico (1936-08-05)August 5, 1936 Brooklyn, New York, U.S.
Died	July 25, 2020(2020-07-25) (aged 83) Murfreesboro, Tennessee, U.S.
Resting place	Lake View Cemetery
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1954–2017
Known for	Rock, Pretty Baby This Happy Feeling Enter the Dragon The Appaloosa
Spouse	Mary Ann Saxon ​ ​ (m. 1967; div. 1979)​ Elizabeth Saxon ​ ​ (m. 1987; div. 1992)​ Gloria Martel Saxon ​ ​ (m. 2008⁠–⁠2020)​
Children	1
Awards	Golden Globe Award for New Star of the Year - Actor

John Saxon (born Carmine Orrico; August 5, 1936 – July 25, 2020) was an American actor who worked on more than 200 film and television projects during a span of 60 years. He was known for his work in Westerns and horror films, 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, appearing in such films as Rock, Pretty Baby (1956) and Portrait in Black (1961), which earned him a reputation as a teen idol and won him a Golden Globe Award for New Star of the Year – Actor. During the 1970s and 1980s, he established himself as a character actor, frequently portraying law-enforcement officials in horror films such as Black Christmas (1974) and A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984).

Saxon appeared in numerous Italian films from the early 1960s. In a 2002 interview, he said of this period: "At the time, Hollywood was going through a crisis, but England and Italy were making a great many films. Besides, I thought the European films were of a much more mature quality than most of what Hollywood was making at the time."^[1] Saxon appeared in Italian productions all through the 1970s and 1980s, until 1994, when he made Jonathan of the Bears.

In addition to his roles in horror films, Saxon co-starred with Bruce Lee in the martial arts film Enter the Dragon (1973), and he had supporting roles in the Westerns The Appaloosa (1966; for which he was nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture), Death of a Gunfighter (1969), and Joe Kidd (1972), as well as the made-for-television thriller Raid on Entebbe (1977). In the 1990s, Saxon occasionally appeared in films, with small roles in Wes Craven's New Nightmare (1994) and From Dusk till Dawn (1996).

Early life

Of Italian descent,^[2] Saxon was born Carmine Orrico in Brooklyn, New York in 1936.^[3] His father, Antonio Orrico, was a New York-born dock worker, and his mother Anna (née Protettore) was an immigrant from Calabria.^[4] Italian was the primary language spoken at home, though Saxon also spoke some Spanish. He attended New Utrecht High School and studied acting with famous acting coach Stella Adler. He entered show business as a teenager, when he was spotted by a modeling scout at a movie theatre.

According to Robert Hofler's 2005 biography, The Man Who Invented Rock Hudson: The Pretty Boys and Dirty Deals of Henry Willson, agent Henry Willson saw Saxon's picture on the cover of a detective magazine, where Saxon posed as "a Puerto Rican guy" who gets shot and falls over a garbage can while his girlfriend looks on.^[5] Willson immediately contacted the boy's family in Brooklyn.^[6] With his parents' permission, the 17-year-old Orrico contracted with Willson, and he was given the stage name John Saxon.^[7] He contracted with Universal Studios in April 1954 at $150 a week.^[8]

Career

Universal Pictures

Saxon (right) with Sal Mineo and Sue George in a publicity still photo for Rock, Pretty Baby (1956)

Saxon spent 18 months at Universal before the studio first used him in a film.^[9] His first significant role was a juvenile delinquent in Running Wild (1955), co-starring Mamie Van Doren. According to Filmink, "young Saxon had a scowling, broody teen quality that was in fashion in mid-‘50s Hollywood."^[10]

He was then given a good role in The Unguarded Moment (1956), playing a youth who seemingly stalks Esther Williams. During February 1956, Universal exercised its option on Saxon and he was paid $225 a week.^[8]

Teen idol

Saxon had the lead in a low-budget teen film, Rock, Pretty Baby (1956), which became an unexpected success and established Saxon as a teen idol. Universal executives were pleased, and Ross Hunter announced he would be in Teach Me How To Cry.^[11] Saxon quickly reprised his Rock, Pretty Baby role in a sequel, Summer Love (1958). By this time, he was getting about 3,000 fan letters a week.^[12] He then made Teach Me How to Cry with Sandra Dee, which was retitled The Restless Years (1958).^[13]

John Saxon, Shelley Fabares, John Wilder and Jill St. John in Summer Love (1958)

Universal put him in an "A" film, This Happy Feeling (1958), directed by Blake Edwards, where Saxon romanced Debbie Reynolds in support of Curt Jurgens.^[14] MGM borrowed him to appear opposite Sandra Dee in The Reluctant Debutante (1958), for director Vincente Minnelli, which was widely seen. Saxon was billed third, beneath Rex Harrison and Kay Kendall.^[15] He had a support role in a large-budget Biblical drama about Simon Peter, The Big Fisherman (1959) for director Frank Borzage, starring Howard Keel. Released by Buena Vista instead of Universal-International, it was a financial disappointment.^[16]

In August 1958, Saxon signed a three-picture deal with Hecht-Hill-Lancaster, the first of which was to be the main role in Cry Tough (1959), a film about juvenile delinquents.^[17] He was meant to follow it with The Ballad of Cat Ballou (not made until years later, with Jane Fonda).^[18] Instead, for HHL, he worked with another major director, John Huston, in the Western The Unforgiven (1960), playing an Indian in support of Burt Lancaster and Audrey Hepburn.^[19] Back at Universal, he remained in a supporting role for Portrait in Black (1960), reunited with Dee, with Lana Turner and Anthony Quinn.

He appeared in the Western Posse from Hell (1961) with Audie Murphy and guest-starred in television series, including General Electric Theater and The Dick Powell Theatre.^[20] "I want to do all sorts of character parts," he said in 1960.^[21]

Saxon played a serial-killer soldier in War Hunt (1962)^[22] and had a small role in the comedy success Mr. Hobbs Takes a Vacation (1962).^[23]

Europe

Saxon traveled to Italy to make Agostino (1962).^[24]

In 1963, Saxon co-starred with Letícia Román in Mario Bava's Italian giallo film The Girl Who Knew Too Much.^[25]

He returned to Hollywood to perform in Otto Preminger's The Cardinal (1963)^[26] and an episode of Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre, then was back to Europe for The Cavern (1964).^[27]

The Ravagers (1965) was shot in the Philippines; Night Caller from Outer Space (1965) was a science-fiction film shot in Britain.^[28]

In 1966, he starred in Curtis Harrington's science-fiction/horror classic Queen of Blood with Basil Rathbone and Dennis Hopper,^[29] then appeared opposite Marlon Brando in The Appaloosa (1966), winning a Golden Globe Best Supporting Actor nomination for his portrayal of a Mexican bandit.^[30] Saxon recalls, "This was to me a terrific role and something I was ready for, but he [Brando] was despondent. He said he had lent a whole bunch of money to his father, and what he was saying to me was that his father ruined his life by losing all of his money. He was kind of bored in the picture."^[7]

The Doomsday Flight (1966) was a made-for-television film. In an interview in 1966, he said, "I never felt comfortable being a teenage dreamboat... I regard myself as a craftsman."^[31]

He portrayed Marco Polo in episode 26 of The Time Tunnel ("Attack of the Barbarians"),^[32] originally broadcast on March 10, 1967, and was a guest actor on Bonanza in 1967 ("The Conquistadores").^[33] In episode 19, season 5 of The Virginian ("The Modoc Kid") Saxon appeared in the title role alongside Harrison Ford, who was appearing in one of his first speaking roles.^[34] And in 1969 he appeared in Bonanza again ("My Friend, My Enemy").^[35]

Saxon was in a sex comedy for Sam Katzman, For Singles Only (1968),^[36] and appeared in some Westerns, One Dollar Too Many (1968), Death of a Gunfighter (1969),^[37] The Men from Shiloh (rebranded name for The Virginian, 1971), and Joe Kidd (1972) (again playing a Mexican, this time a revolutionary named Luis Chama).^[38] I Kiss the Hand (1973) was a thriller made in Italy.^[39]

He spent three years playing Dr. Theodore Stuart for the television series The Bold Ones: The New Doctors (1969–1972).^[40]

Enter the Dragon and 1970s

Saxon in Petrocelli, 1975,

Saxon, who had done martial arts since 1957,^[41] appeared as the martial artist Roper in 1973's Enter the Dragon. It was Bruce Lee's first major role in a Hollywood feature.^[7] He almost backed out of Enter the Dragon, on account of the script being too light. "It was a 60-page treatment", said Saxon in a 2002 interview. "I thought: there’s not enough to act here. A stunt man could play it. But they talked me into it, saying they would work in my suggestions. Some things they shot and kept in the film, but most of it they discarded."^[1] After Enter the Dragon, Saxon had no further interest in appearing in martial-arts films.^[1]

He was in such action films as Mitchell (1975), The Swiss Conspiracy (1975), Strange Shadows in an Empty Room (1976),^[42] Napoli violenta (1976), Mark Strikes Again (1976),^[43] A Special Cop in Action (1976), Cross Shot (1976), and The Cynic, the Rat and the Fist (1977).

In 1974, he appeared as police Lieutenant Fuller in the slasher horror film Black Christmas.^[44] From 1974 to 1976, he appeared in The Six Million Dollar Man, first as Major Frederick Sloan and then as Nedlick. This role also extended into The Bionic Woman. The actor's likeness was later used for the Kenner action-figure doll called "Maskatron" that was based on the series.^{[citation needed]}

Saxon starred as Dylan Hunt in the 1974 Gene Roddenberry television pilot Planet Earth, replacing Alex Cord from Genesis II. A 20th-century scientist unfrozen in the postnuclear world of 2133, he leads a team of explorers and encounters a matriarchal society. Although ABC declined the series, Saxon played a nearly identical character in the 1975 television film Strange New World.^{[citation needed]}

In 1976, Saxon portrayed a homicidal vampire-like strangler in the season-two Starsky & Hutch episode "Vampire". He played Captain Radl in the two-part Wonder Woman episode "The Feminum Mystique" (1976).^[45] Also in 1976, he appeared in an episode of The Rockford Files titled "A Portrait of Elizabeth", in which he played a crooked corporate lawyer and painter named Dave Delaroux, who was involved in a securities rip-off and with whom Rockford's attorney Beth Davenport was smitten. In this episode, Saxon was able to display his considerable martial-arts abilities in two fight scenes. Raid on Entebbe (1977) was a prestige television movie for him. Moonshine County Express was a big success for Roger Corman's New World Pictures; Saxon made another film for that company, The Bees (1978). He appeared in a Bollywood movie, Shalimar (1978), then it was back to exploitation: Fast Company (1979) and The Glove (1979).

Saxon played Hunt Sears, chief of a breakfast-cereal conglomerate, opposite Robert Redford and Jane Fonda in the 1979, Oscar-nominated film The Electric Horseman.^[46]

1980s–1990s

He appeared in the 1982 television movie Rooster,^[47] and he was an occasional celebrity guest on the short-lived game show Whew!, including during the series' final week. His extensive television credits include two years as Tony Cumson on Falcon Crest (1982, 1986–1988)^[26] and the recurring role of Rashid Ahmed on Dynasty (1982–84). He appeared twice (in different roles) on The A-Team, in 1983 and 1985.^{[citation needed]}

Saxon at the 2014 Fan Expo Canada.

Saxon played in Dario Argento's Tenebrae (1982) as the writer hero's shifty agent;^[48] in Battle Beyond the Stars (1980) as Sador; in Cannibal Apocalypse (1980) where he played a Vietnam veteran tormented because his worthless pal bit him and years later, he is starting to get the urge to do the same;^[49] in Prisoners of the Lost Universe as an alternate-universe warlord, and in Wes Craven's A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) as the heroine's (Nancy Thompson's) father.^[50] He reprised his role in A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors (1987)^[51] and Wes Craven's New Nightmare (1994) as he played himself in a dual role.^[52]

He made his directorial debut in 1987 with the horror film Zombie Death House, which starred Dennis Cole and Anthony Franciosa. Filmink wrote, "Few other actors of his generation have as fine a track record in" horror movies. "Why did he appear in so many? I guess for starters he was willing – he wasn’t snobby. He made a good on-screen cop and there’s always roles for a cop actor in a slasher film. He could also seem scary so made an excellent red herring/villain."^[10]

He starred in Blood Salvage (1990) as Clifford Evans, Maximum Force (1992) as Captain Fuller, and also appeared in From Dusk till Dawn (1996).^[53]

Later career

In his later years, Saxon continued to appear mostly in independent films and appeared in several television series. He had a notable guest part in "Grave Danger", the fifth-season finale of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, which was directed by From Dusk till Dawn screenwriter and star Quentin Tarantino.^[54] Saxon starred in the episode opposite fellow cult film luminary Andrew Prine. He also appeared in an episode ("Pelts") of the anthology horror series Masters of Horror, which reunited him with Tenebrae director Dario Argento.

Saxon was a regular guest at horror- and cult-film conventions, including the Creation Entertainment – Weekend of Horrors 2010 on May 21, 2010, in Los Angeles.^[55] His last acting role was in the film Bring Me the Head of Lance Henriksen, which as of his death was in postproduction.^[56]

Personal life

John Saxon was married three times. His first marriage was to Mary Ann Saxon, a screenwriter and television director of development. His second wife was Elizabeth (Phillips) Saxon, a former investment banker, airline union negotiator, and psychologist. John Saxon's third and last wife was Gloria (Potts) Martel Saxon, a model and esthetician.^[57] He and Mary Ann had a son, Antonio.^[58] He was a Democrat.

Saxon held a black belt in Shotokan karate, having studied under Hidetaka Nishiyama,^[59] and was also proficient in Judo.^[60]

Death

Saxon's gravesite in Lake View Cemetery, Seattle

Saxon died of complications from pneumonia, on July 25, 2020, aged 83, in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, a city about 35 miles southeast of Nashville, where he had resided for several years.^{[61][62][63][64]} He was interred at Lake View Cemetery in Seattle, Washington,^[65] near his former co-star Bruce Lee.

Filmography

Film

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1954	It Should Happen to You	Boy Watching Argument in Park	Uncredited
	A Star Is Born	Movie Premiere Usher
1955	Running Wild	Vince Pomeroy
1956	The Unguarded Moment	Leonard Bennett
	Rock, Pretty Baby	Jimmy Daley
1957	Summer Love	Jimmy Daley
1958	This Happy Feeling	Bill Tremaine
	The Reluctant Debutante	David Parkson
	The Restless Years	Will Henderson
1959	Cry Tough	Miguel Antonio Enrico Francisco Estrada
	The Big Fisherman	Prince Voldi
1960	The Unforgiven	Johnny Portugal
	Portrait in Black	Blake Richards
	The Plunderers	Rondo
1961	Posse from Hell	Seymour Kern
1962	War Hunt	Private Raymond Endore
	Mr. Hobbs Takes a Vacation	Byron Grant
	Agostino	Renzo
1963	The Girl Who Knew Too Much	Dr. Marcello Bassi
	The Cardinal	Benny Rampell
1964	The Cavern	Private Joe Cramer
1965	The Ravagers	Captain Kermit Dowling
	The Night Caller	Dr. Jack Costain
1966	Queen of Blood	Allan Brenner
	The Appaloosa	Chuy Medina
1968	For Singles Only	Bret Hendley
	One Dollar Too Many	Clay Watson
1969	Death of a Gunfighter	Lou Trinidad
1971	Mr Kingstreet's War	Jim Kingstreet
1972	Joe Kidd	Luis Chama
	I Kiss the Hand	Gaspare Ardizzone
1973	Enter the Dragon	Roper
1974	Black Christmas	Lieutenant Ken Fuller
	Planet Earth	Dylan Hunt
1975	Metralleta 'Stein'	Mariano Beltrán
	Mitchell	Walter Deaney
1976	The Swiss Conspiracy	Robert Hayes
	Strange Shadows in an Empty Room	Sergeant Ned Matthews
	Violent Naples	Francesco Capuano
	Mark Strikes Again	Inspector Altman
	A Special Cop in Action	Jean Albertelli
	Cross Shot	Commissioner Jacovella
1977	The Cynic, the Rat and the Fist	Frank Di Maggio
	Moonshine County Express	J.B. Johnson
	Tre soldi e la donna di classe	Unknown	Unfinished
1978	The Bees	John Norman
	Shalimar	Colonel Columbus
1979	Fast Company	Phil Adamson
	The Glove	Sam Kellog
	The Electric Horseman	Hunt Sears
1980	Beyond Evil	Larry Andrews
	Cannibal Apocalypse	Norman Hopper
	Battle Beyond the Stars	Sador
	Running Scared	Captain Munoz
1981	Blood Beach	Captain Pearson
1982	Wrong Is Right	Homer Hubbard
	Una di troppo	Sergio Puccini, The Notary
	The Scorpion with Two Tails	Arthur Barnard
	Tenebrae	Peter Bullmer
	Desire	Joe Hale
1983	Prisoners of the Lost Universe	Kleel
	The Big Score	Davis
1984	A Nightmare on Elm Street	Lieutenant Donald Thompson
1985	Fever Pitch	The Sports Editor
1986	Hands of Steel	Francis Turner
1987	A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors	Donald Thompson
	House Made of Dawn	Tosamah
	Death House	Colonel Gordon Burgess	Also director
1988	Nightmare Beach	Strycher
1989	My Mom's a Werewolf	Harry Thropen
	Criminal Act	Herb Tamplin
1990	Aftershock	Oliver Quinn
	The Last Samurai	Haroun Al-Hakim
	The Final Alliance	Ghost
	Crossing the Line	Jack Kagan
	Blood Salvage	Clifford Evans
1991	The Arrival	Agent Mills
1992	Maximum Force	Captain Fuller
	Hellmaster	Professor Jones
	Genghis Khan	Chiledu	Unfinished
1993	The Baby Doll Murders	John Maglia
	No Escape No Return	James Mitchell
	Jonathan of the Bears	Fred Goodwin
1994	Beverly Hills Cop III	Orrin Sanderson
	Killing Obsession	Dr. Sachs
	Wes Craven's New Nightmare	Himself / Donald Thompson
	Frame-Up II: The Cover-Up	Charles Searage
1996	From Dusk till Dawn	FBI Agent Stanley Chase	Cameo appearance
1997	The Killers Within	Detective Lewis
	Lancelot: Guardian of Time	Wolvencroft
1998	The Party Crashers	Mr. Foster
	Joseph's Gift	Jacob Keller
1999	Criminal Minds	Antonio DiPaolo Jr.
2001	Final Payback	Police Chief George Moreno
	Night Class	Murphy
2002	Outta Time	James Darabont
2003	The Road Home	Michael Curtis
2006	The Craving Heart	Richard Tom
	Trapped Ashes	Leo	Segment: "Stanley's Girlfriend"
2008	God's Ears	Lee Robinson
2009	Old Dogs	Paul
	The Mercy Man	Father McMurray
2010	Genghis Khan: The Story of a Lifetime	Chiledu
2010	Bring Me the Head of Lance Henriksen	John
2014	Roger	Unknown	Short
2015	The Dentros	George Dentros
2017	The Extra	Victor Vallient

Television

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1955	Medic	Danny Ortega	— "Walk with Lions"
1961	General Electric Theater	Martin Glass	— "Cate in the Cradle"
1962	The Dick Powell Theatre	Nick Giller	— "A Time to Die"
1963–1964	Burke's Law	Gil Lynch / Bud Charney	2 episodes — "Who Killed Cable Roberts" (1963) — "Who Killed the Horne of Plenty?" (1964)
1964	Another World	Edward Gerard #1	(8/30/1985–2/26/1986)
1964–1966	Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre	Mario Silvetti / Augie	2 episodes — "Echo of Evil" (1964) — "After the Lion, Jackals" (1966)
1965–1975	Gunsmoke	Gristy Calhoun / Pedro Manez / Virgil Stanley / Cal Strom Jr. / Dingo	5 episodes — "Dry Road to Nowhere" (1965) — "The Avengers" (1965) — "The Whispering Tree" (1966) — "The Pillagers" (1967) — "The Squaw" (1975)
1966	Dr. Kildare	Richard Ross	2 episodes — "The Art of Taking a Powder" — "Read the Book and Then See the Picture"
	The Doomsday Flight	George Ducette	Television film
1967	The Time Tunnel	Marco Polo	— "Attack of the Barbarians"
	Winchester 73	Dakin McAdam	Television film
	Cimarron Strip	Screamer	— "Journey to a Hanging"
	Garrison's Gorillas	Janus	— "20 Gallons to Kill"
1967–1969	Bonanza	Chief Jocova / Blas / Steven Friday	3 episodes — "Black Friday" (1967) — "The Conquistadores" (1967) — "My Friend, My Enemy" (1969)
1967–1970	Ironside	Eric Saginor / Carter	2 episodes — "An Inside Job" (1967) — "Ransom" (1970)
1967–1971	The Virginian	Sergeant Terence Mulcahy / Ben Oakes / Dell Stetler	3 episodes — "The Modoc Kid" (1967) — "Vision of Blindness" (1968) — "The Regimental Line" (1971)
1968	It Takes a Thief	Dead Man	— "A Thief Is a Thief"
	The Name of the Game	Peter Max	— "Collector's Edition"
	Istanbul Express	Cheval	Television film
1969	The Bold Ones: The New Doctors	Dr. Theodore Stuart	recurring role (29 episodes)
1970	Company of Killers	Dave Poohler	Television film
	The Intruders	Billy Pye	Television film shot in 1967
1972	The Sixth Sense	Dr. Harry Auden	— "Lady, Lady, Take My Life"
	Night Gallery	Ianto (segment "I'll Never Leave You – Ever")	— "I'll Never Leave You – Ever / There Aren't Any More MacBanes"
	Kung Fu	Raven	— "King of the Mountain"
	Banyon	Johnny Clay	— "The Clay Clarinet"
	Norman Corwin Presents	Unknown	— "The Better It Looks, the Worse It Is"
1973	Snatched	Paul Maxvill	Television film
	The Streets of San Francisco	Vince Hagopian Jr.	— "A Collection of Eagles"
	The Rookies	Farley	— "Cauldron"
	Linda	Jeff Braden	Television film
	Police Story	Rick Calvelli	— "Death on Credit"
1974	Banacek	Harry Harland	— "The Vanishing Chalice"
	Can Ellen Be Saved?	James Hallbeck	Television film
	Planet Earth	Dylan Hunt	Television film
	The Mary Tyler Moore Show	Mike Tedesco	— "Menage-a-Phyllis"
1974–1976	The Six Million Dollar Man	Nedlick / Major Frederick Sloan	2 episodes — "Day of the Robot" (1974) — "The Return of Bigfoot: Part 1" (1976)
1975	Crossfire	Dave Ambrose	Television film
	Strange New World	Captain Anthony Vico	Television film
	Petrocelli	Richie Martin	— "Mark of Cain"
1976	The Rockford Files	Dave Delaroux	— "A Portrait of Elizabeth"
	The Bionic Woman	Nedlick	— "The Return of Bigfoot: Part 2"
	Starsky and Hutch	Rene Nadasy	— "The Vampire"
	Wonder Woman	Captain Horst Radl	2 episodes
	Once an Eagle	Captain Townshend	Miniseries (4 episodes)
	Raid on Entebbe	General Benny Peled	Television film
1977	Most Wanted	Randall Mason	— "The Insider"
	The Fantastic Journey	Consul Tarant	— "A Dream of Conquest"
	Westside Medical	Bob Farrow	— "Intensive Care"
	Quincy M.E.	Charles Desskasa, Publisher	— "Sullied By Thy Name"
	79 Park Avenue	Harry Vito	Miniseries (3 episodes)
1978	The Immigrants	Alan Brocker	Television film
	Greatest Heroes of the Bible	Adonijah	— "The Judgement of Solomon"
1978–1984	Fantasy Island	Michael Anderson / Cyrano de Bergerac / Monsieur Berandt Sabatier / Evan Watkins / Professor Harold DeHaven / Colin McArthur / Dr. Roger Sullivan	6 episodes
1979	Hawaii Five-O	Harry Clive	— "The Bark and the Bite"
1980	Vega$	Michael Jennings	— "Aloha, You're Dead"
1981	Golden Gate	Monty Sager	Television film
1982	Rooster	Jerome Brademan	Television film
1982–1984	Dynasty	Rashid Ahmed	Recurring role (6 episodes)
1982–1988	Falcon Crest	Tony Cumson	Recurring role (32 episodes)
1983	Savage in the Orient	Nick Costa	Television film
	Hardcastle and McCormick	Martin Cody	— "Rolling Thunder"
	Scarecrow and Mrs. King	Dirk Fredericks	2 episodes — "The First Time" — "Saved by the Bells"
1983–1985	The A-Team	Kalem / Martin James	2 episodes — "Children of Jamestown" (1983) — "Moving Targets" (1985)
1984	Magnum P.I.	Ed Russler	— "Jororo Farewell"
	Masquerade	Joey Savane	— "The French Correction"
	Finder of Lost Loves	Commander Zach Donahue	— "White Lies"
	American Playhouse Presents	Epps	— "Solomon Northup's Odyssey"
1984–1994	Murder, She Wrote	Bernardo Bonelli / Marco Gambini / Jerry Lydecker	3 episodes — "Hooray for Homicide" (1984) — "A Very Good Year for Murder" (1988) — "Proof in the Pudding" (1994)
1985	Half Nelson	Unknown	— "Diplomatic Immunity"
	Brothers in Law	Royal Cane	Television film
	Glitter	The Author	— "The Matriarch"
1987	Alfred Hitchcock Presents	Garth December	— "The Specialty of the House"
	Hotel	Jack Curtis	— "Fallen Angel"
1989	The Ray Bradbury Theatre	Dudley Stone	— "The Wonderful Death of Dudley Stone"
1991	Monsters	Benjamin O'Connell	— "The Waiting Room"
	Matlock	John Franklin	— "The Parents"
	Payoff	Rafael Concion	Television film
	Blackmail	Gene	Television film
	In the Heat of the Night	Dalton Sykes	— "Liar's Poker"
1992	Lucky Luke	The Man In Black	— "Magia Indiana"
1994–1995	Melrose Place	Henry Waxman	recurring role (4 episodes)
1995	Liz: The Elizabeth Taylor Story	Richard Brooks	Television film
1996	Kung Fu: The Legend Continues	Straker	— "Escape"
1997	California	Don Rafael Guevara	— "Episode #1.1"
2001	Living in Fear	Reverend Leo Hausman	Television film
2005	CSI: Crime Scene Investigation	Walter Gordon	— "Grave Danger: Part 1"
2006	Masters of Horror	Jeb "Pa" Jameson	— "Pelts"
2009	War Wolves	Tony Ford	Television film

Awards and nominations

Golden Globe Awards

• 1958 New Star of the Year – Actor: This Happy Feeling (won)
• 1967 Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture: The Appaloosa (nominated)

Action On Film International Film Festival

• 2006 Best Supporting Actor: The Craving Heart (won)

Beverly Hills Shorts Festival

• 2009 Best Actor: Old Dogs (won)

FAIF International Film Festival

• 2006 Judge Choice Award for Best Supporting Actor: The Craving Heart (nominated)

Method Fest Independent Film Festival

• 2008 Best Supporting Actor: God's Ears (nominated)

New Media Film Festival

• 2010 Best Feature: God's Ears (won)
• 2010 Grand Prize Festival Award: God's Ears (won)

Western Heritage Awards

• 1967 Bronze Wrangler: The Appaloosa (won)

References

1. "John Saxon interview". THE FLASHBACK FILES. Retrieved February 24, 2021.
2. Bondanella, Peter (2009). A History of Italian Cinema. New York and London: Continuum. p. 376. ISBN 978-0-826-41785-5.
3. Hopper, Hedda (September 1, 1957). "John Saxon's The Brooklyn Italian Type". The Hartford Courant. Archived from the original on July 25, 2012. Retrieved December 10, 2007.
4. "John Saxon Biography (1935-)". Filmreference.com. Retrieved December 31, 2010.
5. "John Saxon: 1935-2020 | Tributes | Roger Ebert". July 27, 2020.
6. Hofler, Robert (2005). The Man Who Invented Rock Hudson: The Pretty Boys and Dirty Deals of Henry Willson. Carroll & Graf. ISBN 978-0786716074.
7. King, Susan (October 21, 2012). "John Saxon, Hollywood cool guy, remembers his 'Dragon' days". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved January 23, 2015.
8. "Contracts of Two Young Film Players Approved: Mutual Congratulations Mark Meeting of Rena Clark and John Saxon in Court". Los Angeles Times. February 16, 1956. p. A1.
9. Hopper, Hedda (September 1, 1957). "Saxon Draws Diverse Roles: Diverse Characters Played by John Saxon". Los Angeles Times. p. D1.
10. Vagg, Stephen (July 29, 2020). "The Top Twelve Stages of Saxon". Filmink.
11. Louella Parsons: Bobo Rockefeller Invests in a Movie The Washington Post and Times-Herald December 22, 1956: B13.
12. Beck, Joan (July 4, 1960). "John Saxon, Handsome, Moody Teen-Age Idol". Chicago Daily Tribune. p. A1.
13. "The Restless Years". Variety. December 31, 1957. Retrieved March 1, 2017.
14. Crowther, Bosley (June 19, 1958). "Screen: 'Happy Feeling'; Debbie Reynolds Plays a Pursued Lass". The New York Times. Retrieved March 1, 2017.
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External links

• John Saxon at IMDb
• John Saxon at the TCM Movie Database
• John Saxon discography at Discogs