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.

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).

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).

[13] 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.

[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.

[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.

[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.

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.

[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).

[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).

[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.

"[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").

[citation needed] Saxon starred as Dylan Hunt in the 1974 Gene Roddenberry television pilot Planet Earth, replacing Alex Cord from Genesis II.

Moonshine County Express was a big success for Roger Corman's New World Pictures; Saxon made another film for that company, The Bees (1978).

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] 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).

[citation needed] 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.

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.

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.

[60] 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.