John Saxon
Acting
Born August 5, 1935 · Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA
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.
Directed (1)
Acting (147)
Black Christmas Legacy
2015
The Dentros
2015
Eurocrime! The Italian Cop and Gangster Films That Ruled the '70s
2012
Never Sleep Again: The Elm Street Legacy
2010
Bring Me the Head of Lance Henriksen
2010
Clarkworld
2009
The Mercy Man
2009
How Bruce Lee Changed the World
2009
War Wolves
2009
God's Ears
2008
The 12 Days of Black Christmas
2006
Pelts
2006
Trapped Ashes
2006
The Craving Heart
2006
Stanley's Girlfriend
2006
Blood and Steel: The Making of Enter the Dragon
2004
Edgar G. Ulmer: The Man Off-Screen
2004
Pitcher and the Pin-Up
2003
Black Christmas Revisited
2002
Outta Time
2002
'Cannibal Apocalypse' Redux
2002
Night Class
2001
Final Payback
2001
Living in Fear
2000
Mario Bava: Maestro of the Macabre
2000
Welcome to Primetime
1999
Joseph's Gift
1999
The GREATEST : Bruce Lee
1998
The Party Crashers
1998
Bottom Feeders
1998
The Path of the Dragon
1998
Lancelot: Guardian of Time
1997
From Dusk Till Dawn
1996
Encyclopedia of Martial Arts: Hollywood Celebrities
1995
Jonathan of the Bears
1995
The Killers Within
1995
Frame-Up II: The Cover-Up
1994
Wes Craven's New Nightmare
1994
Killing Obsession
1994
Beverly Hills Cop III
1994
Bruce Lee: The Immortal Dragon
1994
No Escape, No Return
1993
The Baby Doll Murders
1993
Hellmaster
1992
Animal Instincts
1992
Maximum Force
1992
Lucky Luke 2
1992
Preminger: Anatomy of a Filmmaker
1991
Blackmail
1991
Solomon Northup's Odyssey
1991
Payoff
1991
The Arrival
1991
Aftershock
1990
Blood Salvage
1990
Crossing the Line
1990
The Final Alliance
1990
The Last Samurai
1990
The Best of the Martial Arts Films
1990
Criminal Act
1989
Nightmare Beach
1989
My Mom's a Werewolf
1989
Zombie Death House
1988
Stephen King's Monster Stories
1988
A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors
1987
Hands of Steel
1986
Fever Pitch
1985
Brothers-in-Law
1985
A Nightmare on Elm Street
1984
Prisoners of the Lost Universe
1983
The Big Score
1983
Desire
1982
Tenebre
1982
Scorpion with Two Tails
1982
Rooster
1982
One Too Many
1982
Wrong Is Right
1982
Lo Scorpione a Due Code
1982
Golden Gate
1981
Running Scared
1980
Battle Beyond the Stars
1980
Blood Beach
1980
Cannibal Apocalypse
1980
Beyond Evil
1980
The Electric Horseman
1979
The Glove
1979
Fast Company
1979
Shalimar
1978
The Immigrants
1978
The Bees
1978
Moonshine County Express
1977
The Cynic, the Rat & the Fist
1977
Cross Shot
1976
Raid on Entebbe
1976
A Special Cop in Action
1976
Mark Strikes Again
1976
Violent Naples
1976
Shadows in an Empty Room
1976
The Swiss Conspiracy
1976
Mitchell
1975
Strange New World
1975
Crossfire
1975
Fight to the Death
1975
Black Christmas
1974
Planet Earth
1974
Can Ellen Be Saved?
1974
Linda
1973
Enter the Dragon
1973
Location: Hong Kong with Enter the Dragon
1973
Mr. Kingstreet's War
1973
Family Killer
1973
Snatched
1973
Joe Kidd
1972
House Made of Dawn
1972
The Intruders
1970
Company of Killers
1970
Death of a Gunfighter
1969
Istanbul Express
1969
One Dollar Too Many
1968
For Singles Only
1968
Western, Italian Style
1968
Winchester '73
1967
The Doomsday Flight
1966
The Appaloosa
1966
Queen of Blood
1966
The Night Caller
1965
The Ravagers
1965
The Cavern
1964
The Cardinal
1963
The Girl Who Knew Too Much
1963
Agostino
1962
Mr. Hobbs Takes a Vacation
1962
War Hunt
1962
Posse from Hell
1961
The Plunderers
1960
Portrait in Black
1960
The Unforgiven
1960
The Big Fisherman
1959
Cry Tough
1959
The Restless Years
1958
The Reluctant Debutante
1958
This Happy Feeling
1958
Summer Love
1958
The Unguarded Moment
1956
Rock, Pretty Baby
1956
Running Wild
1955
A Star Is Born
1954
It Should Happen to You
1954