Vero - Wikipedia - User contributions [en]

George P. Putnam

2025-09-11T11:22:11Z

2001:D08:E4:5084:8AF:6837:B6FC:9D9:

{{short description|American publisher, writer, promoter, and explorer (1887–1950)}}
{{About|the 20th century author|his 19th century grandfather|George Palmer Putnam}}
{{Infobox person
| name = George P. Putnam
| image = George Putnam 1931.jpg
| caption = Putnam in 1931
| birth_name = George Palmer Putnam
| birth_date = {{birth date|1887|9|7|mf=y}}
| birth_place = [[Rye (town), New York|Rye, New York]], U.S.
| death_date = {{death date and age|1950|1|4|1887|9|7|mf=y}}
| death_place = [[Trona, San Bernardino County, California|Trona, California]], U.S.
| occupation = {{flatlist|
* Publisher
* author
* promoter
}}
| spouse = {{unbulleted list
|{{marriage|[[Dorothy Binney]]|1911|1929|reason=divorced}}
|{{marriage|[[Amelia Earhart]]|1931|reason=disappeared 1937}}
|{{marriage|Jean-Marie Cosigny James|May 21, 1939|1945|reason=divorced}}
|{{marriage|Margaret Havilland|1945}}
}}
| father = [[John Bishop Putnam]]
| children = 2
}}
'''George Palmer Putnam''' (September 7, 1887 – January 4, 1950) was an American publisher, writer, and explorer. Known for his marriage to (and being the [[widow]]er of) [[Amelia Earhart]], he also achieved fame as one of the most successful promoters in the United States during the 1930s.
{{TOC limit|limit=2}}

==Early life==
George Palmer Putnam was born in [[Rye (town), New York|Rye, New York]] on September 7, 1887, the son of [[John Bishop Putnam]] and the grandson of his namesake, [[George Palmer Putnam]], founder of the prominent publishing firm that became [[G. P. Putnam's Sons]]. He studied at [[Harvard University]] and the [[University of California, Berkeley]].

In 1911, Putnam married [[Dorothy Binney Palmer|Dorothy Binney]] (1888–1982), the daughter of [[Edwin Binney]], inventor and co-owner, with cousin [[C. Harold Smith]], of [[Binney & Smith Inc.]], the company that made [[Crayola]] crayons. They had two sons, David Binney Putnam (1913–1992) and George Palmer Putnam Jr. (1921–2013), and for a time lived in [[Bend, Oregon]], where Putnam was the publisher and editor of the local newspaper, the ''[[Bend Bulletin]]''. He was mayor of Bend from 1912 to 1913. Putnam left Bend in 1915 to become the private secretary to Oregon Governor [[James Withycombe]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://earhartresearch.blogspot.com/2009/01/background-info-gp-and-fred-noonan.html |title=Background info: George Putnam |work=Earhart Research|date=January 18, 2009 |access-date=July 13, 2017}}</ref>

Within a few years, George and Dorothy moved to the [[East Coast of the United States|East Coast]], where Putnam entered the family publishing business in New York City.

During [[World War I]], Putnam served with the [[United States Army]] field artillery. In 1926, under the sponsorship of the [[American Museum of Natural History]], he led an expedition to the [[Arctic]], up the west coast of [[Greenland]]. The following year he headed another expedition for the [[American Geographical Society]] to collect wildlife specimens on [[Baffin Island]].

==1920s and 1930s business interests==
In July 1927 Putnam was responsible for the blockbuster publication of [["WE" (1927 book)|''"WE"'']], [[Charles Lindbergh]]'s autobiographical account of his early life and his [[Orteig Prize]] winning non-stop transatlantic solo flight from New York to Paris in May of that year. The book was one of the most successful non-fiction titles of all time, selling more than 650,000 copies in less than a year and earning its author over $250,000<ref>Berg, A. Scott ''Lindbergh'' New York: [[Berkley Books]] 1998</ref> ({{Inflation|US|250,000|1927|fmt=eq|r=-5}}{{Inflation/fn|US}}).

In 1927, Putnam's wife, [[Dorothy Binney]], traveled to South America and began a long, well-chronicled affair with George Weymouth, a man 19 years her junior; Putnam would leave Binney two years later.<ref>Cheever, Susan. [https://www.nytimes.com/books/97/09/07/reviews/970907.07cheevet.html "Husbands and Wife: A review of 'Whistled Like a Bird: The Untold Story of Dorothy Putnam, George Putnam, and Amelia Earhart'."] ''The New York Times,'' September 7, 1997. Retrieved: September 27, 2012.</ref> Many thought that Putnam had left his first wife for [[Amelia Earhart]], although for Binney, it was her own ticket out of an unhappy marriage.<ref>Werne, Jo. [http://www.spokesman.com/stories/1997/aug/08/unlocking-the-past-diaries-reveal-dorothy-binney/ "Unlocking The Past Diaries Reveal Dorothy Binney Putnam's Secret Loves And Passions."] Originally published in ''The Miami Herald,'' August 8, 1997. Retrieved: September 27, 2012.</ref>

In 1930, the various Putnam heirs voted to merge the family's publishing firm with Minton, Balch & Co., which became the majority stockholders. Putnam resigned from his position as secretary of G. P. Putnam's Sons and joined New York publishers Brewer & Warren as vice president.

A significant event in Putnam's personal and business life occurred in 1928, before the merger. Because of his reputation for working with Lindbergh, he was contacted by [[Freddie Guest#Family and private life|Amy Phipps Guest]], a wealthy American living in [[London]], who wanted to sponsor the first-ever flight by a woman across the [[Atlantic Ocean]].

Guest asked Putnam to find a suitable candidate, and he eventually came up with the then-unknown aviator, Amelia Earhart.<ref>Herrmann, Anne [http://quod.lib.umich.edu/cgi/t/text/text-idx?cc=mqr;c=mqr;c=mqrarchive;idno=act2080.0039.110;rgn=main;view=text;xc=1;g=mqrg "On Amelia Earhart: The Aviatrix as American Dandy"] Ann Arnbor, MI:''The Michigan Quarterly Review'' Volume XXXIX, Issue 1, Winter 2000</ref> As it turned out, they shared many common interests: hiking, swimming, camping, riding, tennis and golf. When Putnam first met Earhart he was still married to Binney. After she completed her flight across the Atlantic, Putnam offered to help Earhart write a book about it, following the formula he had established with Lindbergh in the writing of ''"WE"''. The resulting Earhart book was ''[[20 Hrs. 40 Min.]]'' (1928).<ref>Wohl 2005, p. 35.</ref>

When they began writing, Putnam invited Earhart to live in his home, because he felt it would make the process easier. Shortly after, Binney left for South America. Putnam and Binney divorced in 1929. Putnam had undertaken to promote Earhart in a campaign that included lecture tours and mass-market endorsements for luggage, [[Lucky Strike]] cigarettes (this caused image problems for her, and ''[[McCall's]]'' magazine retracted an offer) and other products.<ref name="Pearce p. 76">Pearce 1988, p. 76.</ref>

[[File:GP Putnam and AE.jpg|thumb|left|Putnam with his wife Amelia Earhart, {{circa}} 1935]]
Putnam and Earhart made their relationship official shortly after his divorce was finalized, but they didn't marry until 1931. Earhart's ideas on marriage were liberal for the time, as she believed in equal responsibilities for both "breadwinners" and pointedly kept her own surname. GP, as she called him, soon learned that he would be called "Mr. Earhart".<ref name="Pearce p. 82"/>{{#tag:ref|When ''[[The New York Times]]'', per the rules of its stylebook, insisted on referring to her as Mrs. Putnam, she laughed it off."<ref name="Pearce p. 82">Pearce 1988, p. 82.</ref>|group=Note}}

There was no honeymoon for the newlyweds because Earhart was involved in a nine-day cross-country tour promoting autogyros and the tour sponsor, [[Beech-Nut]] chewing gum. Although the couple had no children, he had two sons by his first marriage,<ref>[http://www.rootsweb.com/~flslchs/EdwinBinney.htm "Edwin Binney 1866–1934."] ''St. Lucie Historical Society, Inc.'' Retrieved: June 3, 2012.</ref> explorer and writer David Binney Putnam (1913–1992) and businessman George Palmer Putnam Jr. (1921–2013). Earhart was especially fond of David, who frequently visited his father at their family home in [[Rye (city), New York|Rye, New York]]. George had contracted [[polio]] shortly after his parents' separation and was unable to visit as often.<ref>Lovell 1989, pp. 154, 174.</ref>

Following Earhart's successful 1932 solo transatlantic flight, Putnam again organized her public engagements and speaking tour across the United States. Earhart joined the faculty of [[Purdue University|Purdue University College of Technology]] in 1935 as a visiting faculty member to counsel women on careers and as a technical advisor to the Department of Aeronautics.<ref>Goldstein and Dillon 1997, p. 150.</ref>

Earhart disappeared in 1937 while on her second attempt to complete a [[circumnavigation]]al flight of the globe. In addition to her first work, Putnam published two other books Earhart wrote about flying, ''[[The Fun of It]]'' (1932), a memoir of her flying experiences and an essay on women in aviation and ''[[Last Flight (book)|Last Flight]]'' (1937), consisting of letters and memorandum compiled by Putnam after her disappearance.<ref>Butler 1997, p. 263.</ref> Putnam also published her biography in 1939 under the title ''Soaring Wings: A Biography of Amelia Earhart''. Although a major blaze at the Putnam residence in Rye destroyed many family treasures and Earhart's personal mementos, Putnam later donated some of Earhart's belongings, including photographs, private letters, and a flight jacket, to Purdue University, where she had worked as a career counselor. Other personal effects were sent to the Women's Archives in New York.<ref>Lovell 1989, p. 209.</ref>

Putnam had Earhart declared dead on January 5, 1939, and remarried on May 21 of that year to Jean-Marie Cosigny James.<ref>Lovell 1997, pp. 310, 314.</ref>

==Later years==
In 1938, Putnam set up a new publishing company in California, George Palmer Putnam Inc.<ref>Greenspan 2000, p. 479.</ref> With America's entry into [[World War II]] in 1941, Putnam resumed active service, joining an intelligence unit as a captain and rising to the rank of major by 1942. In 1945, he and "Jeannie" divorced; she had initiated the action, citing incompatibility. Shortly after, he remarried again, to Margaret Havilland. They operated the Stove Pipe Wells resort in Death Valley, California.<ref name="Death Valley">Ridgecrest, Barbara. [http://boards.ancestry.com/localities.northam.usa.states.california.counties.kern/9393/mb.ashx "Death: Putnam, George Palmer."] ''ancestry.com''. Retrieved: March 15, 2015.</ref>

In the book ''Death Valley Handbook'' (1947), Putnam was the binomial author of the plant taxon ''Gilia mohavensis'' (H.Mason) Putnam.<ref name=ipni>[http://www.ipni.org/ipni/idPlantNameSearch.do?id=110280-2 "Plant Name Details for 'Gilia mohavensis'."] ''[[International Plant Names Index|IPNI]]'', March 17, 2013.</ref> The name has since slipped into [[synonym (taxonomy)|synonymy]] with ''Linanthus mohavensis'' H.Mason, its [[basionym]] (or original species name).

George Putnam authored a number of books, including:
* ''Death Valley and Its Country'' (1946)
* ''Death Valley Handbook'' (1947)
* ''Hickory Shirt'' (1948)
* ''Hot Oil'' (1935)
* ''In the Oregon Country: Out-doors in Oregon, Washington, and California, Together with some Legendary Lore, and Glimpses of the Modern West in the Making'' (1915)
* ''Smiting the Rock: A tale of Oregon'' (1918){{#tag:ref|Written under the pseudonym "Palmer Bend". |group=Note}}
* ''Soaring Wings: A Biography of Amelia Earhart'' (1939)
* ''Wide Margins'' (1942 autobiography)
* ''Up In Our Country'' (1950)

==Death==
In late 1949, Putnam fell ill at his home in the [[Stove Pipe Wells, California]] resort in Death Valley, suffering from kidney failure. He died in [[Trona, San Bernardino County, California|Trona, California]] on January 4, 1950, aged 62. His body was cremated and the ashes interred in the [[Chapel of the Pines Crematory]] in [[Los Angeles]].<ref name="Death Valley"/>

==Honors==
Amelia Earhart, Putnam's second wife, was the first president of The [[Ninety-Nines]], an organization of (originally) 99 female pilots formed in 1929 for the support and advancement of aviation. Putnam had proposed an award as a means of honoring anyone who supports an individual member of the group (known as a "49½"), a Chapter or Section, or the organization as a whole. The "George Palmer Putnam 49½ Award" was originated to recognize such exceptional support of The Ninety-Nines.<ref>[http://rarebooksclub.com/sw2.cfm?q=George_P._Putnam "George P. Putnam."] ''rarebooksclub.com''. Retrieved: March 15, 2015.</ref>

In 1927, the [[Boy Scouts of America]] made Putnam an "Honorary Scout", a new category of Scout created that same year. This distinction was given to "American citizens whose achievements in outdoor activity, exploration and worthwhile adventure are of such an exceptional character as to capture the imagination of boys...".<ref name="time29aug1927">[https://web.archive.org/web/20080220054952/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,723029,00.html "Around the World."] ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]],'' August 29, 1927. Retrieved: October 24, 2007.</ref> {{#tag:ref|The other 18 who were awarded this distinction were: [[Roy Chapman Andrews]], [[Robert Bartlett (explorer)|Robert Bartlett]], [[Frederick Russell Burnham]], [[Richard E. Byrd]], [[George Kruck Cherrie]], [[James L. Clark]], [[Merian C. Cooper]]; [[Lincoln Ellsworth]], [[Louis Agassiz Fuertes]], [[George Bird Grinnell]], [[Charles A. Lindbergh]], [[Donald Baxter MacMillan]], [[Clifford H. Pope]], [[Kermit Roosevelt]], [[Carl Rungius]], [[Stewart Edward White]] and [[Orville Wright]].<ref name="time29aug1927"/>|group=Note}}

Due to his relationship with Amelia Earhart, Putnam has been the subject of numerous feature and documentary films including: ''[[Amelia Earhart (1976 film)|Amelia Earhart]]'' (1976) with [[John Forsythe]] portraying Putnam. In ''Amelia Earhart: The Final Flight'' (1994), [[Bruce Dern]] played him. The documentary ''[[American Experience|Amelia Earhart: The Price of Courage]]'' (1993) from ''American Experience'' also featured the Putnam-Earhart marriage.<ref>[https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/earhart/ "Amelia Earhart: The Price of Courage (1993)."] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100222072821/http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/earhart/ |date=2010-02-22 }} ''American Experience''. Retrieved: May 2, 2012.</ref> [[Laurie Gwen Shapiro]]'s 2025 book "The Aviator and the Showman: Amelia Earhart, George Putnam, and the Marriage That Made an American Icon" covered their relationship in detail.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Kendall |first1=Joshua |title='The Aviator and the Showman' Review: A Marriage in the Clouds |url=https://www.wsj.com/arts-culture/books/the-aviator-and-the-showman-review-a-marriage-in-the-clouds-e718fac1 |access-date=14 July 2025 |issue=Wall Street Journal |publisher=Dow Jones |date=14 July 2025}}</ref> [[Richard Gere]] portrayed Putnam in the 2009 movie, ''[[Amelia (film)|Amelia]]''.<ref>Ebert, Roger. [http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20091021/REVIEWS/910219989 Amelia] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130104023413/http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20091021/REVIEWS/910219989 |date=2013-01-04 }} ''[[Chicago Sun-Times]]'', October 21, 2009. Retrieved: July 13, 2017.</ref>

==Popular culture==
{{unsourced|section|date=May 2025}}
In [[Flying Blind (novel)|''Flying Blind'']], a "Nathan Heller" novel by [[Max Allan Collins]], George Putnam is a major character, but is portrayed as a villain using Earhart for his own purposes.

In the 2009 film ''[[Amelia (film)|Amelia]]'', Putnam is portrayed by the actor [[Richard Gere]].

Recordings of Putnam's voice is used throughout 2008 album [[Fight Like Apes and the Mystery of the Golden Medallion]].

==References==
'''Notes'''
{{Reflist|group=Note}}

'''Citations'''
{{Reflist|30em}}

'''Bibliography'''
{{Refbegin}}
* [[Susan Butler (American writer)|Butler, Susan]]. ''East to the Dawn: The Life of Amelia Earhart''. Reading, Massachusetts: Addison-Wesley, 1997. {{ISBN|0-306-80887-0}}.
* Chapman, Sally Putnam, with Stephanie Mansfield. ''Whistled Like a Bird: The Untold Story of Dorothy Putnam, George Putnam, and Amelia Earhart''. New York: Warner Books, 1997. {{ISBN|0-446-52055-1}}.
* Goldstein, Donald M. and Katherine V. Dillon. ''Amelia: The Centennial Biography of an Aviation Pioneer''. Washington, D.C.: Brassey's, 1997. {{ISBN|1-57488-134-5}}.
* Greenspan, Ezra. ''George Palmer Putnam: Representative American Publisher''. University Park, Pennsylvania: Pennsylvania State University Press, 2000. {{ISBN|0-271-02805-X}}.
* Lovell, Mary S. ''The Sound of Wings''. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1989. {{ISBN|0-312-03431-8}}.
* Pearce, Carol Ann. ''Amelia Earhart''. New York: Facts on File, 1988. {{ISBN|0-8160-1520-1}}.
* Wohl, Robert. ''The Spectacle of Flight: Aviation and the Western Imagination, 1920–1950''. New Haven, Connecticut: Yale University Press, 2005. {{ISBN|0-300-10692-0}}.
{{Refend}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|George P. Putnam (1887-1950)}}
* {{Gutenberg author |id=35696| name=George Palmer Putnam}}
* {{Internet Archive author |sname=George Palmer Putnam |sopt=t}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070412080210/http://publicshelter.com/flygirls/prologue/george.html George Palmer Putnam]
* {{Librivox author |id=15022}}
* {{Find a Grave|8279482}}
* [https://www.jstor.org/stable/2081626 Amelia Earhart (subscription required)]
* [http://web.b.ebscohost.com.nhcproxy.mnpals.net/ehost/detail/detail?vid=35&sid=4a374621-70fa-4324-8a5f-a7535378823f%40sessionmgr111&hid=116&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=aph&AN=9707280006 Earhart's Life and Marriage]

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Putnam, George P.}}
[[Category:American book publishers (people)]]
[[Category:20th-century American biographers]]
[[Category:20th-century American explorers]]
[[Category:American travel writers]]
[[Category:1887 births]]
[[Category:1950 deaths]]
[[Category:Amelia Earhart]]
[[Category:Editors of Oregon newspapers]]
[[Category:United States Army personnel of World War I]]
[[Category:United States Army personnel of World War II]]
[[Category:Death Valley]]
[[Category:Mayors of places in Oregon]]
[[Category:Harvard University alumni]]
[[Category:University of California, Berkeley alumni]]
[[Category:People from Bend, Oregon]]
[[Category:People from Inyo County, California]]
[[Category:People from Rye, New York]]
[[Category:Deaths from kidney failure in California]]
[[Category:Burials at Chapel of the Pines Crematory]]
[[Category:Writers from California]]
[[Category:Writers from New York (state)]]
[[Category:Writers from Salem, Oregon]]
[[Category:20th-century American businesspeople]]
[[Category:20th-century American non-fiction writers]]
[[Category:20th-century American publishers (people)]]
[[Category:United States Army officers]]

John Saxon

2025-09-11T11:14:19Z

2001:D08:E4:5084:8AF:6837:B6FC:9D9:

{{short description|American actor (1936–2020)}}
{{Other people|John Saxon}}
{{Use American English|date=September 2021}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2022}}
{{Infobox person
| name = John Saxon
| image = John Saxon 1975.jpg
| caption = Saxon in ''[[Petrocelli]]'' (1975)
| birth_name = Carmine Orrico
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1936|8|5}}
| birth_place = [[Brooklyn, New York]], U.S.
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2020|7|25|1936|8|5}}
| death_place = [[Murfreesboro, Tennessee]], U.S.
| resting_place = [[Lake View Cemetery (Seattle)|Lake View Cemetery]]
| known_for = {{hlist|''[[Rock, Pretty Baby]]''|''[[This Happy Feeling]]''|''[[Enter the Dragon]]''|''[[The Appaloosa]]''}}
| occupation = Actor
| years_active = 1954–2017
| spouse = {{ubl|{{marriage|Mary Ann Saxon|1967|1979|reason=divorced}} {{marriage|Elizabeth Saxon|1987|1992|reason=divorced}} {{marriage|Gloria Martel Saxon |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 [[Western (genre)|Westerns]] and [[horror film]]s, 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 film)|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."<ref name=":0" /> 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 Award for Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture|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 (film)|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 Americans|Italian]] descent,<ref>{{cite book |last=Bondanella |first=Peter |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HgOl4LWswLQC&pg=PA376 |title=A History of Italian Cinema |date=2009 |publisher=[[Continuum International Publishing Group|Continuum]] |isbn=978-0-826-41785-5 |location=New York and London |page=376 |author-link=Peter Bondanella}}</ref> Saxon was born '''Carmine Orrico''' in [[Brooklyn, New York]] in 1936.<ref name="1957ref">{{cite news |last=Hopper |first=Hedda |date=September 1, 1957 |title=John Saxon's The Brooklyn Italian Type |newspaper=[[The Hartford Courant]] |url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/courant/access/912456952.html?dids=912456952:912456952&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&date=Sep+01%2C+1957&author=Hedda+Hopper&pub=The+Hartford+Courant&desc=John+Saxon's+The+Brooklyn+Italian+Type&pqatl=google |access-date=December 10, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120725034537/https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/courant/access/912456952.html?dids=912456952:912456952&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&date=Sep+01%2C+1957&author=Hedda+Hopper&pub=The+Hartford+Courant&desc=John+Saxon%27s+The+Brooklyn+Italian+Type&pqatl=google |archive-date=July 25, 2012}}</ref> His father, Antonio Orrico, was a New York-born dock worker, and his mother Anna (née Protettore) was an immigrant from [[Calabria]].<ref name="filmr">{{cite web |title=John Saxon Biography (1935-) |url=http://www.filmreference.com/film/25/John-Saxon.html |access-date=December 31, 2010 |website=Filmreference.com}}</ref> [[Italian language|Italian]] was the primary language spoken at home, though Saxon also spoke some [[Spanish language|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.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.rogerebert.com/tributes/john-saxon-1935-2020-tribute | title=John Saxon: 1935-2020 | Tributes | Roger Ebert | date=July 27, 2020 }}</ref> Willson immediately contacted the boy's family in Brooklyn.<ref>{{cite book| first=Robert| last=Hofler| title=The Man Who Invented Rock Hudson: The Pretty Boys and Dirty Deals of Henry Willson| publisher=Carroll & Graf| year=2005| isbn=978-0786716074| url-access=registration| url=https://archive.org/details/manwhoinventedro00hofl}}</ref> With his parents' permission, the 17-year-old Orrico contracted with Willson, and he was given the [[stage name]] John Saxon.<ref name="King latimes">{{cite news |last=King |first=Susan |date=October 21, 2012 |title=John Saxon, Hollywood cool guy, remembers his 'Dragon' days |url=http://www.latimes.com/la-et-classic-hollywood-20121022,0,1354254.story?track=latiphoneapp |newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]] |access-date=January 23, 2015}}</ref> He contracted with [[Universal Pictures|Universal Studios]] in April 1954 at $150 a week.<ref name="rena">{{cite news| title=Contracts of Two Young Film Players Approved: Mutual Congratulations Mark Meeting of Rena Clark and John Saxon in Court| newspaper=Los Angeles Times| date=February 16, 1956| url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/381331008/?terms=Contracts%2Bof%2BTwo%2BYoung%2BFilm%2BPlayers%2BApproved%3A%2BMutual%2BCongratulations%2BMark%2BMeeting%2Bof%2BRena%2BClark%2Band%2BJohn%2BSaxon%2Bin%2BCourt| page=A1|url-access=subscription }}</ref>

==Career==
===Universal Pictures===
[[File:Sal Mineo, Sue George, and John Saxon.jpg|thumb|upright=.9|right|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.<ref>{{cite news| title=Saxon Draws Diverse Roles: Diverse Characters Played by John Saxon| last=Hopper| first= Hedda| newspaper=Los Angeles Times| date=September 1, 1957| page=D1}}</ref> His first significant role was a juvenile delinquent in ''[[Running Wild (1955 film)|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."<ref name="filmink">{{cite magazine|magazine=Filmink|first=Stephen|last=Vagg|title=The Top Twelve Stages of Saxon|date=July 29, 2020}}</ref>

He was then given a good role in ''[[The Unguarded Moment (film)|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.<ref name="rena" />

===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''.<ref>Parsons, Louella. "Bobo Rockefeller Invests in a Movie." ''Washington Post and Times-Herald'', December 22, 1956: B13.</ref> Saxon quickly reprised his ''Rock, Pretty Baby'' role in a sequel, ''[[Summer Love (1958 film)|Summer Love]]'' (1958). By this time, he was getting about 3,000 fan letters a week.<ref>{{cite news| title=John Saxon, Handsome, Moody Teen-Age Idol|url=https://chicagotribune.newspapers.com/image/374700050/?terms=John%2BSaxon%2C%2BHandsome%2C%2BMoody%2BTeen-Age%2BIdol| last=Beck| first= Joan|newspaper=[[Chicago Tribune|Chicago Daily Tribune]] |date=July 4, 1960|page=A1|url-access=subscription }}</ref> He then made ''Teach Me How to Cry'' with [[Sandra Dee]], which was retitled ''[[The Restless Years (film)|The Restless Years]]'' (1958).<ref>{{cite news |title=The Restless Years |url=https://variety.com/1957/film/reviews/the-restless-years-1200418987/ |work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] |date=December 31, 1957 |access-date=March 1, 2017}}</ref>

[[File:Saxon Summer Love.jpg|thumb|left|John Saxon, [[Shelley Fabares]], [[John Wilder (producer)|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]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Crowther |first=Bosley |author-link=Bosley Crowther |date=June 19, 1958 |title=Screen: 'Happy Feeling'; Debbie Reynolds Plays a Pursued Lass |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1958/06/19/archives/screen-happy-feeling-debbie-reynolds-plays-a-pursued-lass.html |work=The New York Times |access-date=March 1, 2017}}</ref> [[MGM]] borrowed him to appear opposite [[Sandra Dee]] in ''[[The Reluctant Debutante (film)|The Reluctant Debutante]]'' (1958), for director [[Vincente Minnelli]], which was widely seen. Saxon was billed third, beneath [[Rex Harrison]] and [[Kay Kendall]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Weiler |first=A. H. |author-link=A. H. Weiler |date=August 15, 1958 |title=Screen: 'The Reluctant Debutante'; Rex Harrison Stars With Kay Kendall Film Has Its Premiere at the Music Hall |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1958/08/15/archives/screen-the-reluctant-debutante-rex-harrison-stars-with-kay-kendall.html |work=The New York Times |access-date=March 1, 2017}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite news |title=BIG FISHERMAN' TO BOW AT RIVOLI; Premiere of Movie Based on Lloyd Douglas Novel to Be Set -- 'Sisters' Here Today |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1959/05/23/archives/big-fisherman-to-bow-at-rivoli-premiere-of-movie-based-on-lloyd.html |work=The New York Times |date=May 23, 1959 |access-date=March 1, 2017}}</ref>

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 (film)|Cry Tough]]'' (1959), a film about juvenile delinquents.<ref>{{cite news |last=Crowther |first=Bosley |date=September 17, 1959 |title='Cry Tough"; Puerto Rican Story Bows at Palace |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1959/09/17/archives/cry-tough-puerto-rican-story-bows-at-palace.html |work=The New York Times |access-date=March 1, 2017}}</ref> He was meant to follow it with ''The Ballad of Cat Ballou'' (not made until years later, with Jane Fonda).<ref>Looking at Hollywood: Liz Is Offered Record Price for Film Role Hopper, Hedda. Chicago Daily Tribune August 28, 1958: pg C8.</ref> Instead, for HHL, he worked with another major director, [[John Huston]], in the Western ''[[The Unforgiven (1960 film)|The Unforgiven]]'' (1960), playing an Indian in support of [[Burt Lancaster]] and [[Audrey Hepburn]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Crowther |first=Bosley |date=April 7, 1960 |title=Screen: "The Unforgiven':Huston Film Stars Miss Hepburn, Lancaster |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1960/04/07/archives/screen-the-unforgivenhuston-film-stars-miss-hepburn-lancaster.html |work=The New York Times |access-date=March 1, 2017}}</ref> 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]]''.<ref>Scott, John L. Los Angeles Times December 11, 1960: pg. B6.</ref> "I want to do all sorts of character parts," he said in 1960.<ref>John Saxon, Handsome, Moody Teen-Age Idol. Beck, Joan. ''Chicago Daily Tribune'', July 4, 1960: pg. A1.</ref>

Saxon played a [[serial-killer]] soldier in ''[[War Hunt]]'' (1962)<ref>{{cite news |last=Crowther |first=Bosley |date=August 8, 1962 |title=Screen: 'Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm':George Pal Production at Loew's Cinerama Laurence Harvey Heads a Cast of Stars |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1962/08/08/archives/screen-wonderful-world-of-the-brothers-grimmgeorge-pal-production-a.html |work=The New York Times |access-date=March 1, 2017}}</ref> and had a small role in the comedy success ''[[Mr. Hobbs Takes a Vacation]]'' (1962).<ref>{{cite news |last=Crowther |first=Bosley |date=June 16, 1962 |title=Screen: 'Mr. Hobbs Takes a Vacation':Edward Streeter Book Twits Family Life |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1962/06/16/archives/screen-mr-hobbs-takes-a-vacationedward-streeter-book-twits-family.html |work=The New York Times |access-date=March 1, 2017}}</ref>

===Europe===
Saxon traveled to Italy to make ''[[Agostino (film)|Agostino]]'' (1962).<ref>{{cite book |last=Healey |first=Robin |date=1998 |title=Twentieth-century Italian Literature in English Translation: An Annotated Bibliography, 1929-1997 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=t7WVhymRPZEC&pg=PA39 |location=Toronto, Canada |publisher=[[University of Toronto Press]] |page=39 |isbn=0-8020-0800-3}}</ref>

In 1963, Saxon co-starred with [[Letícia Román]] in [[Mario Bava]]'s [[Italy|Italian]] [[giallo film|''giallo'' film]] ''[[The Girl Who Knew Too Much (1963 film)|The Girl Who Knew Too Much]]''.<ref>{{cite book |last=Paul |first=Louis |date=2007 |title=Tales from the Cult Film Trenches: Interviews with 36 Actors from Horror, Science Fiction and Exploitation Cinema |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZiKfBQAAQBAJ&pg=PA204 |location=Jefferson, North Carolina |publisher=McFarland & Company |page=204 |isbn=978-0-7864-2994-3}}</ref>

He returned to Hollywood to perform in [[Otto Preminger]]'s ''[[The Cardinal]]'' (1963)<ref name="Kishi upi">{{cite news |last=Kishi |first=Russell |date=January 8, 1988 |title=John Saxon: The 'poor man's Brando' is neither |url=https://www.upi.com/Archives/1988/01/08/John-Saxon-The-poor-mans-Brando-is-neither/1311568616400/ |work=[[United Press International]] |access-date=March 1, 2017}}</ref> and an episode of ''[[Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre]]'', then was back to Europe for ''[[The Cavern (1964 film)|The Cavern]]'' (1964).<ref>{{cite news |last=Thompson |first=Howard |author-link=Howard Thompson (film critic) |date=December 25, 1965 |title=The Cavern' Bows on Local Screens |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1965/12/25/archives/the-cavern-bows-on-local-screens.html |work=The New York Times |access-date=March 1, 2017}}</ref>

''[[The Ravagers (1965 film)|The Ravagers]]'' (1965) was shot in the Philippines; ''[[Night Caller from Outer Space]]'' (1965) was a science-fiction film shot in Britain.{{sfn|Paul|2007|p=207}}

In 1966, he starred in [[Curtis Harrington]]'s science-fiction/horror classic ''[[Queen of Blood]]'' with [[Basil Rathbone]] and [[Dennis Hopper]],<ref>{{cite news |last=Adler |first=Renata |author-link=Renata Adler |date=February 27, 1969 |title=Screen: '3 in the Attic':'Queen of Blood' Also Makes Local Bow |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1969/02/27/archives/screen-3-in-the-atticqueen-of-blood-also-makes-local-bow.html |work=The New York Times |access-date=March 1, 2017}}</ref> then appeared opposite [[Marlon Brando]] in ''[[The Appaloosa]]'' (1966), winning a [[Golden Globe]] Best Supporting Actor nomination for his portrayal of a Mexican bandit.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.goldenglobes.com/winners-nominees/1967/all |title=Winners & Nominees 1967 |website=[[Golden Globe Awards]] |access-date=May 9, 2018 |archive-date=December 3, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171203080244/https://www.goldenglobes.com/winners-nominees/1967/all |url-status=dead }}</ref> 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."<ref name="King latimes" />

''[[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."<ref>{{cite news| title=John Saxon—Teen Dreamboat on Calmer Seas| url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/382299006/?terms=John%2BSaxon%E2%80%94Teen%2BDreamboat%2Bon%2BCalmer%2BSeas| last=Alpert| first=Don| newspaper=Los Angeles Times| date=March 27, 1966| page=B4|url-access=subscription }}</ref>

He portrayed [[Marco Polo]] in episode 26 of ''[[The Time Tunnel]]'' ("Attack of the Barbarians"),<ref>{{cite book |last=Abbott |first=Jon |date=2015 |title=Irwin Allen Television Productions, 1964-1970: A Critical History of Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, Lost in Space, The Time Tunnel and Land of the Giants |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Gq-uf3wB-TcC&pg=PA259 |location=Jefferson, North Carolina |publisher=[[McFarland & Company]] |page=259 |isbn=978-0-7864-4491-5}}</ref> originally broadcast on March 10, 1967, and was a guest actor on ''[[Bonanza]]'' in 1967 ("The Conquistadores").<ref>{{cite book |last1=Leiby |first1=Bruce R. |last2=Leiby |first2=Linda F. |date=2015 |title=A Reference Guide to Television's Bonanza: Episodes, Personnel and Broadcast History |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=IzOSCgAAQBAJ&pg=PA126 |location=Jefferson, North Carolina |publisher=McFarland & Company |page=126 |isbn=978-0-7864-2268-5}}</ref> In episode 19, season 5 of ''[[The Virginian (TV series)|The Virginian]]'' ("The Modoc Kid") Saxon appeared in the title role alongside [[Harrison Ford]], who was appearing in one of his first speaking roles.<ref>{{cite book |last=Green |first=Paul |date=2014 |title=A History of Television's The Virginian, 1962-1971 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OvPH-sYo_O8C&pg=PA57 |location=Jefferson, North Carolina |publisher=McFarland & Company |page=57 |isbn=978-0-7864-4680-3}}</ref> And in 1969 he appeared in Bonanza again ("My Friend, My Enemy").{{sfn|Leiby|Leiby|2015|p=144}}

Saxon was in a sex comedy for [[Sam Katzman]], ''[[For Singles Only]]'' (1968),<ref>{{cite news |last=Canby |first=Vincent |author-link=Vincent Canby |date=June 6, 1968 |title=Singular California |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1968/06/06/archives/singular-california.html |work=The New York Times |access-date=March 1, 2017}}</ref> and appeared in some Westerns, ''[[One Dollar Too Many]]'' (1968), ''[[Death of a Gunfighter]]'' (1969),<ref>{{cite news |title=Death of a Gunfighter |url=https://variety.com/1968/film/reviews/death-of-a-gunfighter-1200421934/ |work=Variety |date=December 31, 1968 |access-date=March 1, 2017}}</ref> ''The Men from Shiloh'' (rebranded name for ''[[The Virginian (TV series)|The Virginian]]'', 1971), and ''[[Joe Kidd]]'' (1972) (again playing a Mexican, this time a revolutionary named Luis Chama).<ref>{{cite news |last=Greenspun |first=Roger |author-link=Roger Greenspun |date=July 20, 1972 |title=Film: Eastwood Western |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1972/07/20/archives/film-eastwood-western.html |work=The New York Times |access-date=March 1, 2017}}</ref> ''[[I Kiss the Hand]]'' (1973) was a thriller made in Italy.{{sfn|Paul|2007|p=209}}

He spent three years playing Dr. Theodore Stuart for the television series ''[[The Bold Ones: The New Doctors]]'' (1969–1972).<ref>{{cite news |last=Hicks |first=Chris |date=March 4, 2016 |title=Chris Hicks: 'The Bold Ones: The New Doctors,' 'The Americans' on DVD this week |url=https://www.deseret.com/2016/3/4/20583965/chris-hicks-the-bold-ones-the-new-doctors-the-americans-on-dvd-this-week#gillian-anderson-stars-in-the-fall-a-british-police-procedural-the-second-season-is-on-dvd-and-blu-ray-this-week |work=[[Deseret News]] |access-date=March 1, 2017}}</ref>

===''Enter the Dragon'' and 1970s===
[[File:John Saxon 1973.jpg|thumb|Saxon in ''[[Enter the Dragon]]'' (1973)]]
Saxon, who had done martial arts since 1957,<ref>{{cite web| url=http://bruceleelives.co.uk/saxon.html | title=Bruce Lee Lives! Interviews }}</ref> appeared as the martial artist Roper in 1973's ''[[Enter the Dragon]]''. It was [[Bruce Lee]]'s first major role in a Hollywood feature.<ref name="King latimes" /> 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."<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=John Saxon interview|url=https://www.flashbackfiles.com/john-saxon-interview|access-date=February 24, 2021|website=THE FLASHBACK FILES|language=en-US}}</ref> After ''Enter the Dragon'', Saxon had no further interest in appearing in martial-arts films.<ref name=":0" />

He was in such action films as ''[[Mitchell (film)|Mitchell]]'' (1975), ''[[The Swiss Conspiracy]]'' (1975), ''[[Strange Shadows in an Empty Room]]'' (1976),<ref>{{cite news |title='Strange Shadows in Empty Room' Sheds Little Light |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1977/02/12/archives/strange-shadows-in-empty-room-sheds-little-light.html |work=The New York Times |date=February 12, 1977 |access-date=March 1, 2017}}</ref> ''[[Violent Naples]]'' (1976), ''[[Mark Strikes Again]]'' (1976),<ref>{{cite book |last=Curti |first=Roberto |date=2013 |title=Italian Crime Filmography, 1968-1980 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4VxOAQAAQBAJ&pg=PA183 |location=Jefferson, North Carolina |publisher=McFarland & Company |page=183 |isbn=978-0-7864-6976-5}}</ref> ''[[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 (1974 film)|Black Christmas]]''.<ref>{{cite news |title=Screen: Murky Whodunit:'Black Christmas' Is at Local Theaters |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1975/10/20/archives/screen-murky-whodunitblack-christmas-is-at-local-theaters.html |work=The New York Times |date=October 20, 1975 |access-date=March 1, 2017}}</ref> 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|date=November 2022}}

Saxon starred as Dylan Hunt in the 1974 [[Gene Roddenberry]] television pilot ''[[Planet Earth (film)|Planet Earth]]'', replacing [[Alex Cord]] from ''[[Genesis II (film)|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 (film)|Strange New World]]''.{{citation needed|date=November 2022}}

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 (TV series)|Wonder Woman]]'' episode "The Feminum Mystique" (1976).<ref>{{cite news |last=Hicks |first=Chris |date=July 1, 2004 |title=Chris Hicks: Wonder Woman fans will want to lasso DVDs |url=https://www.deseret.com/2004/7/1/19837648/chris-hicks-wonder-woman-fans-will-want-to-lasso-dvds#lynda-carter-is-perfectly-cast-in-the-campy-wonder-woman |work=Deseret News |access-date=March 1, 2017}}</ref> 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 (film)|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 (film)|The Bees]]'' (1978). He appeared in a Bollywood movie, ''[[Shalimar (1978 film)|Shalimar]]'' (1978), then it was back to exploitation: ''[[Fast Company (1979 film)|Fast Company]]'' (1979) and ''[[The Glove (film)|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]]''.<ref>{{cite news |last=Canby |first=Vincent |date=December 21, 1979 |title=Screen: Redford-Jane Fonda Comedy:Cowboy and the Lady |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1979/12/21/archives/screen-redfordjane-fonda-comedycowboy-and-the-lady.html |work=The New York Times |access-date=March 1, 2017}}</ref>

===1980s–1990s===
He appeared in the 1982 television movie ''[[Rooster (TV film)|Rooster]]'',<ref>{{cite news |last=Trebbe |first=Ann L. |date=August 19, 1982 |title='Rooster' Flaps and Cackles Around L.A. |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/1982/08/19/rooster-flaps-and-cackles-around-la/cad63cfa-6133-4eed-8b0c-2e70781efca6/ |newspaper=The Washington Post |access-date=March 1, 2017}}</ref> 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)<ref name="Kishi upi" /> and the recurring role of [[Rashid Ahmed (Dynasty character)|Rashid Ahmed]] on ''[[Dynasty (1981 TV series)|Dynasty]]'' (1982–84). He appeared twice (in different roles) on ''[[The A-Team]]'', in 1983 and 1985.{{citation needed|date=November 2022}}
[[File:John Saxon, Fan Expo Canada 2014 (crop).jpg|thumb|Saxon at the 2014 [[Fan Expo Canada]].]]
Saxon played in [[Dario Argento]]'s ''[[Tenebrae (film)|Tenebrae]]'' (1982) as the writer hero's shifty agent;<ref>{{cite book |last=Muir |first=John Kenneth |author-link=John Kenneth Muir |date=2010 |title=Horror Films of the 1980s |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VJ1vcmaOd7wC&pg=PA629 |location=Jefferson, North Carolina |publisher=McFarland & Company |page=629 |isbn=978-0-7864-2821-2}}</ref> 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;<ref>{{cite book |last=Shipka |first=Danny |date=2011 |title=Perverse Titillation: The Exploitation Cinema of Italy, Spain and France, 1960–1980 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qVutMarqq44C&pg=PA135 |location=Jefferson, North Carolina |publisher=McFarland & Company |page=135 |isbn=978-0-7864-4888-3}}</ref> 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 (A Nightmare on Elm Street)|Nancy Thompson]]'s) father.<ref>{{cite news |last=Canby |first=Vincent |date=November 9, 1984 |title=SCREEN: 'NIGHTMARE' |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1984/11/09/movies/screen-nightmare.html |work=The New York Times |access-date=March 1, 2017}}</ref> He reprised his role in ''[[A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors]]'' (1987)<ref>{{cite news |last=Thomas |first=Kevin |date=February 27, 1987 |title=MOVIE REVIEW : 'ELM STREET 3': HORROR AND HUMOR |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1987-02-27-ca-3955-story.html |work=Los Angeles Times |access-date=March 1, 2017}}</ref> and ''[[Wes Craven's New Nightmare]]'' (1994) as he played himself in a dual role.<ref>{{cite news |last=Rainer |first=Peter |date=October 14, 1994 |title=MOVIE REVIEW : Novel Twists Power Craven's 'Nightmare' |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1994-10-14-ca-50025-story.html |work=Los Angeles Times |access-date=March 1, 2017}}</ref>

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."<ref name="filmink" />

He starred in ''Blood Salvage'' (1990) as Clifford Evans, ''Maximum Force'' (1992) as Captain Fuller, and also appeared in ''[[From Dusk till Dawn]]'' (1996).<ref>{{cite news |last=Johnson |first=Malcolm |date=January 19, 1996 |title=TARANTINO, HOLLYWOOD'S MR. COOL, SEEING DARK DAYS IN 'DUSK TILL DAWN' |url=https://www.courant.com/news/connecticut/hc-xpm-1996-01-19-9601190078-story.html |work=Hartford Courant |access-date=March 1, 2017}}</ref>

===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]].<ref>{{cite news |title='CSI' fan Tarantino gets job |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2005-may-17-et-tarantino17-story.html |work=Los Angeles Times |date=May 17, 2005 |access-date=March 1, 2017}}</ref> Saxon starred in the episode opposite fellow cult film luminary [[Andrew Prine]]. He also appeared in an episode ("[[Pelts (Masters of Horror)|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.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Barton |first=Steve |date=April 22, 2010 |title=Creation Weekend of Horrors - Get Your Tickets Before They're All Gone! |url=https://www.dreadcentral.com/news/16967/creation-weekend-of-horrors-get-your-tickets-before-they-re-all-gone/ |journal=DreadCentral |access-date=May 9, 2018}}</ref> His last acting role was in the film ''Bring Me the Head of Lance Henriksen'', which as of his death was in postproduction.<ref>{{cite journal| url=https://www.dreadcentral.com/news/16967/creation-weekend-of-horrors-get-your-tickets-before-they-re-all-gone/| title=Creation Weekend of Horrors – Get Your Tickets Before They're All Gone!| last=Barton| first=Steve| date=April 22, 2010| journal=DreadCentral| access-date=March 5, 2019}}</ref>

==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.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/actor-john-saxon-and-wife-gloria-martel-attend-the-news-photo/484536203| title=Hollywood Show 2014| first=Albert L.| last=Ortega| work=Getty Images| date=April 13, 2014}}</ref> He and Mary Ann had a son, Antonio.<ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/john-saxon-dead-enter-dragon-nightmare-elm-street-actor-was-83-1095778|title=John Saxon, 'Enter the Dragon,' 'Nightmare on Elm Street' Actor, Dies at 83|website=The Hollywood Reporter|date=July 25, 2020}}</ref> He was a [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrat]].

Saxon held a [[brown belt (martial arts)|brown belt]] in [[Shotokan]] [[karate]], having studied under [[Hidetaka Nishiyama]],<ref>{{Cite web |title=Bruce Lee Lives! Interviews |url=http://bruceleelives.co.uk/saxon.html |access-date=2022-10-19 |website=bruceleelives.co.uk}}</ref> and was also proficient in [[Judo]].<ref>{{cite journal |last=Jacques |first=Steve |date=August 1, 1973 |title=John Saxon's Greatest Challenge |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TNcDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA14 |journal=[[Black Belt (magazine)|Black Belt]] |pages=14–18}}</ref>

== Death ==
[[File:Actor John Saxon grave at Lake View Cemetery in Seattle.jpg|thumb|right|upright|Saxon's gravesite in [[Lake View Cemetery (Seattle)|Lake View Cemetery]], Seattle]]
Saxon died of complications from [[pneumonia]], on July 25, 2020, aged 83, in [[Murfreesboro, Tennessee]], a city about {{convert|35|mi|km}} southeast of [[Nashville, Tennessee|Nashville]], where he had resided for several years.<ref>{{cite web|work=[[WSMV-TV]]|last=Sanders|first=Forrest|date=July 27, 2020|url=https://www.wsmv.com/news/middle-tennessee-remembers-the-films-and-career-of-actor-john-saxon/article_13f67d32-d06b-11ea-a8ea-8fba965a7ea9.html|title=Middle Tennessee remembers the films and career of actor John Saxon|url-status=live|archive-url=https://archive.today/20211227071452/https://www.wsmv.com/news/middle-tennessee-remembers-the-films-and-career-of-actor-john-saxon/article_13f67d32-d06b-11ea-a8ea-8fba965a7ea9.html|archive-date=December 27, 2021|access-date=December 27, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Schulz|first=Troy Albert|date=July 29, 2020|title=Nightmare on Elm Street actor John Saxon fades to black|url=https://www.zenger.news/2020/07/29/one-of-horrors-greatest-dads-actor-john-saxon-dies-at-83/|access-date=August 25, 2021|website=Zenger News|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last1=Barnes|first1=Mike|date=July 25, 2020|title=John Saxon, 'Enter the Dragon,' 'Nightmare on Elm Street' Actor, Dies at 83|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/john-saxon-dead-enter-dragon-nightmare-elm-street-actor-was-83-1095778/|access-date=August 25, 2021|website=The Hollywood Reporter|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Abrams|first=Simon|title=John Saxon: 1935-2020 {{!}} Tributes {{!}} Roger Ebert|url=https://www.rogerebert.com/tributes/john-saxon-1935-2020-tribute|access-date=August 25, 2021|website=www.rogerebert.com/|date=July 27, 2020 |language=en}}</ref> He was interred at [[Lake View Cemetery (Seattle)|Lake View Cemetery]] in [[Seattle, Washington]],<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.wsmv.com/news/john-saxons-widow-remembers-late-husbands-film-career-friendship-with-bruce-lee/article_82cbde7e-d1f5-11ea-a44d-831420c0da7f.html|work=[[WSMV-TV]]|date=July 29, 2020|title=John Saxon's widow remembers late husband's film career, friendship with Bruce Lee|url-status=live|archive-date=December 27, 2021|archive-url=https://archive.today/20211227070847/https://www.wsmv.com/news/john-saxons-widow-remembers-late-husbands-film-career-friendship-with-bruce-lee/article_82cbde7e-d1f5-11ea-a44d-831420c0da7f.html|last=Sanders|first=Forrest|access-date=December 27, 2021}}</ref> near his former co-star [[Bruce Lee]].

==Filmography==

===Film===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Year
! Title
! Role
! class="unsortable" | Notes
|-
| rowspan="2" | 1954
| ''[[It Should Happen to You]]''
| Boy Watching Argument in Park
| rowspan="2" | Uncredited
|-
| ''[[A Star Is Born (1954 film)|A Star Is Born]]''
| Movie Premiere Usher
|-
| 1955
| ''[[Running Wild (1955 film)|Running Wild]]''
| Vince Pomeroy
|
|-
| rowspan="2" | 1956
| ''[[The Unguarded Moment (film)|The Unguarded Moment]]''
| Leonard Bennett
|
|-
| ''[[Rock, Pretty Baby]]''
| Jimmy Daley
|
|-
| 1957
| ''[[Summer Love (1958 film)|Summer Love]]''
| Jimmy Daley
|
|-
| rowspan="3" | 1958
| ''[[This Happy Feeling]]''
| Bill Tremaine
|
|-
| ''[[The Reluctant Debutante (film)|The Reluctant Debutante]]''
| David Parkson
|
|-
| ''[[The Restless Years (film)|The Restless Years]]''
| Will Henderson
|
|-
| rowspan="2" | 1959
| ''[[Cry Tough (film)|Cry Tough]]''
| Miguel Antonio Enrico Francisco Estrada
|
|-
| ''[[The Big Fisherman]]''
| Prince Voldi
|
|-
| rowspan="3" | 1960
| ''[[The Unforgiven (1960 film)|The Unforgiven]]''
| Johnny Portugal
|
|-
| ''[[Portrait in Black]]''
| Blake Richards
|
|-
| ''[[The Plunderers (1960 film)|The Plunderers]]''
| Rondo
|
|-
| 1961
| ''[[Posse from Hell]]''
| Seymour Kern
|
|-
| rowspan="3" | 1962
| ''[[War Hunt]]''
| Private Raymond Endore
|
|-
| ''[[Mr. Hobbs Takes a Vacation]]''
| Byron Grant
|
|-
| ''[[Agostino (film)|Agostino]]''
| Renzo
|
|-
| rowspan="2" | 1963
| ''[[The Girl Who Knew Too Much (1963 film)|The Girl Who Knew Too Much]]''
| Dr. Marcello Bassi
|
|-
| ''[[The Cardinal]]''
| Benny Rampell
|
|-
| 1964
| ''[[The Cavern (1964 film)|The Cavern]]''
| Private Joe Cramer
|
|-
| rowspan="2" | 1965
| ''[[The Ravagers (1965 film)|The Ravagers]]''
| Captain Kermit Dowling
|
|-
| ''[[The Night Caller (1965 film)|The Night Caller]]''
| Dr. Jack Costain
|
|-
| rowspan="2" | 1966
| ''[[Queen of Blood]]''
| Allan Brenner
|
|-
| ''[[The Appaloosa]]''
| Chuy Medina
|
|-
| rowspan="2" | 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
|
|-
| rowspan="2" | 1972
| ''[[Joe Kidd]]''
| Luis Chama
|
|-
| ''[[I Kiss the Hand]]''
| Gaspare Ardizzone
|
|-
| 1973
| ''[[Enter the Dragon]]''
| Roper
|
|-
| rowspan="2" | 1974
| ''[[Black Christmas (1974 film)|Black Christmas]]''
| Lieutenant Ken Fuller
|
|-
| ''[[Planet Earth (film)|Planet Earth]]''
| Dylan Hunt
|
|-
| rowspan="2" | 1975
| ''Metralleta 'Stein{{'}}''
| Mariano Beltrán
|
|-
| ''[[Mitchell (film)|Mitchell]]''
| Walter Deaney
|
|-
| rowspan="6" | 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
|
|-
| rowspan="3" | 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
|-
| rowspan="2" | 1978
| ''[[The Bees (film)|The Bees]]''
| John Norman
|
|-
| ''[[Shalimar (1978 film)|Shalimar]]''
| Colonel Columbus
|
|-
| rowspan="3" | 1979
| ''[[Fast Company (1979 film)|Fast Company]]''
| Phil Adamson
|
|-
| ''[[The Glove (film)|The Glove]]''
| Sam Kellog
|
|-
| ''[[The Electric Horseman]]''
| Hunt Sears
|
|-
| rowspan="4" | 1980
| ''[[Beyond Evil]]''
| Larry Andrews
|
|-
| ''[[Cannibal Apocalypse]]''
| Norman Hopper
|
|-
| ''[[Battle Beyond the Stars]]''
| Sador
|
|-
| ''[[Running Scared (1980 film)|Running Scared]]''
| Captain Munoz
|
|-
| 1981
| ''[[Blood Beach]]''
| Captain Pearson
|
|-
| rowspan="5" | 1982
| ''[[Wrong Is Right]]''
| Homer Hubbard
|
|-
| ''Una di troppo''
| Sergio Puccini, The Notary
|
|-
| ''[[Scorpion with Two Tails|The Scorpion with Two Tails]]''
| Arthur Barnard
|
|-
| ''[[Tenebrae (film)|Tenebrae]]''
| Peter Bullmer
|
|-
| ''[[Desire (1982 film)|Desire]]''
| Joe Hale
|
|-
| rowspan="2" | 1983
| ''[[Prisoners of the Lost Universe]]''
| Kleel
|
|-
| ''[[The Big Score (1983 film)|The Big Score]]''
| Davis
|
|-
| 1984
| ''[[A Nightmare on Elm Street]]''
| Lieutenant Donald Thompson
|
|-
| 1985
| ''[[Fever Pitch (1985 film)|Fever Pitch]]''
| The Sports Editor
|
|-
| 1986
| ''[[Hands of Steel]]''
| Francis Turner
|
|-
| rowspan="3" | 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
|
|-
| rowspan="2" | 1989
| ''[[My Mom's a Werewolf]]''
| Harry Thropen
|
|-
| ''Criminal Act''
| Herb Tamplin
|
|-
| rowspan="5" | 1990
| ''[[Aftershock (1990 film)|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 (1991 film)|The Arrival]]''
| Agent Mills
|
|-
| rowspan="3" | 1992
| ''Maximum Force''
| Captain Fuller
|
|-
| ''[[Hellmaster]]''
| Professor Jones
|
|-
| ''Genghis Khan''
| Chiledu
| Unfinished
|-
| rowspan="3" | 1993
| ''The Baby Doll Murders''
| John Maglia
|
|-
| ''No Escape No Return''
| James Mitchell
|
|-
| ''[[Jonathan of the Bears]]''
| Fred Goodwin
|
|-
| rowspan="4" | 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
|-
| rowspan="2" | 1997
| ''The Killers Within''
| Detective Lewis
|
|-
| ''Lancelot: Guardian of Time''
| Wolvencroft
|
|-
| rowspan="2" | 1998
| ''The Party Crashers''
| Mr. Foster
|
|-
| ''[[Joseph's Gift]]''
| Jacob Keller
|
|-
| 1999
| ''Criminal Minds''
| Antonio DiPaolo Jr.
|
|-
| rowspan="2" | 2001
| ''Final Payback''
| Police Chief George Moreno
|
|-
| ''Night Class''
| Murphy
|
|-
| 2002
| ''Outta Time''
| James Darabont
|
|-
| 2003
| ''The Road Home''
| Michael Curtis
|
|-
| rowspan="2" | 2006
| ''The Craving Heart''
| Richard Tom
|
|-
| ''[[Trapped Ashes]]''
| Leo
| Segment: "Stanley's Girlfriend"
|-
| 2008
| ''God's Ears''
| Lee Robinson
|
|-
| rowspan="2" | 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
| rowspan="2" | Short
|-
| 2015
| ''The Dentros''
| George Dentros
|-
| 2017
| ''The Extra''
| Victor Vallient
|
|}

===Television===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Year
! Title
! Role
! class="unsortable" | Notes
|-
| 1955
| ''[[Medic (TV series)|Medic]]''
| Danny Ortega
|— "Walk with Lions"
|-
| 1961
| ''[[General Electric Theater]]''
| Martin Glass
|— "Cate in the Cradle"
|-
| 1962
| ''[[The Dick Powell Show|The Dick Powell Theatre]]''
| Nick Giller
|— "A Time to Die"
|-
| 1963–1964
| ''[[Burke's Law (1963 TV series)|Burke's Law]]''
| Gil Lynch / Bud Charney
| 2 episodes
— "Who Killed Cable Roberts" (1963)

— "Who Killed the Horne of Plenty?" (1964)
|-
| 1964
| ''[[Another World (TV series)|Another World]]''
| Edward Gerard #1
| (8/30/1985–2/26/1986)
|-http://www.anotherworldhomepage.com/1edward.html

| 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)
|-
| rowspan="2" | 1966
| ''[[Dr. Kildare (TV series)|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
|-
| rowspan="4" | 1967
| ''[[The Time Tunnel]]''
| Marco Polo
|— "Attack of the Barbarians"
|-
| ''[[Winchester '73|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 (1967 TV series)|Ironside]]''
| Eric Saginor / Carter
| 2 episodes
— "An Inside Job" (1967)

— "Ransom" (1970)
|-
| 1967–1971
| ''[[The Virginian (TV series)|The Virginian]]''
| Sergeant Terence Mulcahy / Ben Oakes / Dell Stetler
| 3 episodes
— "The Modoc Kid" (1967)

— "Vision of Blindness" (1968)

— "The Regimental Line" (1971)
|-
| rowspan="3" | 1968
| ''[[It Takes a Thief (1968 TV series)|It Takes a Thief]]''
| Dead Man
|— "A Thief Is a Thief"
|-
| ''[[The Name of the Game (TV series)|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 ([[List of The Bold Ones: The New Doctors episodes|29 episodes]])
|-
| rowspan="2" | 1970
| ''Company of Killers''
| Dave Poohler
| Television film
|-
| ''[[The Intruders (1970 film)|The Intruders]]''
| Billy Pye
| Television film shot in 1967
|-
| rowspan="5" | 1972
| ''[[The Sixth Sense (American TV series)|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 (1972 TV series)|Kung Fu]]''
| Raven
|— "[[List of Kung Fu episodes|King of the Mountain]]"
|-
| ''[[Banyon]]''
| Johnny Clay
|— "The Clay Clarinet"
|-
| ''[[Norman Corwin Presents]]''
| Unknown
|— "The Better It Looks, the Worse It Is"
|-
| rowspan="5" | 1973
| ''[[Snatched (1973 film)|Snatched]]''
| Paul Maxvill
| Television film
|-
| ''[[The Streets of San Francisco]]''
| Vince Hagopian Jr.
|— "[[List of The Streets of San Francisco episodes|A Collection of Eagles]]"
|-
| ''[[The Rookies]]''
| Farley
|— "[[List of The Rookies episodes|Cauldron]]"
|-
| ''[[Linda (1973 film)|Linda]]''
| Jeff Braden
| Television film
|-
| ''[[Police Story (1973 TV series)|Police Story]]''
| Rick Calvelli
|— "[[List of Police Story episodes|Death on Credit]]"
|-
| rowspan="4" | 1974
| ''[[Banacek]]''
| Harry Harland
|— "The Vanishing Chalice"
|-
| ''[[Can Ellen Be Saved|Can Ellen Be Saved?]]''
| James Hallbeck
| Television film
|-
| ''[[Planet Earth (film)|Planet Earth]]''
| Dylan Hunt
| Television film
|-
| ''[[The Mary Tyler Moore Show]]''
| Mike Tedesco
|— "[[List of The Mary Tyler Moore Show episodes|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)
|-
| rowspan="3" | 1975
| ''Crossfire''
| Dave Ambrose
| Television film
|-
| ''[[Strange New World (film)|Strange New World]]''
| Captain Anthony Vico
| Television film
|-
| ''[[Petrocelli]]''
| Richie Martin
|— "Mark of Cain"
|-
| rowspan="6" | 1976
| ''[[The Rockford Files]]''
| Dave Delaroux
|— "[[List of The Rockford Files episodes|A Portrait of Elizabeth]]"
|-
| ''[[The Bionic Woman]]''
| Nedlick
|— "[[List of The Bionic Woman episodes|The Return of Bigfoot: Part 2]]"
|-
| ''[[Starsky & Hutch|Starsky and Hutch]]''
| Rene Nadasy
|— "[[List of Starsky & Hutch episodes|The Vampire]]"
|-
| ''[[Wonder Woman (TV series)|Wonder Woman]]''
| Captain Horst Radl
| 2 episodes
|-
| ''[[Once an Eagle (miniseries)|Once an Eagle]]''
| Captain Townshend
| Miniseries (4 episodes)
|-
| ''[[Raid on Entebbe (film)|Raid on Entebbe]]''
| General [[Benny Peled]]
| Television film
|-
| rowspan="5" | 1977
| ''[[Most Wanted (1976 TV series)|Most Wanted]]''
| Randall Mason
|— "The Insider"
|-
| ''[[The Fantastic Journey]]''
| Consul Tarant
|— "A Dream of Conquest"
|-
| ''[[Westside Medical]]''
| Bob Farrow
|— "Intensive Care"
|-
| ''[[Quincy, M.E.|Quincy M.E.]]''
| Charles Desskasa, Publisher
|— "Sullied By Thy Name"
|-
| ''[[79 Park Avenue]]''
| Harry Vito
| Miniseries (3 episodes)
|-
| rowspan="2" | 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 (1968 TV series)|Hawaii Five-O]]''
| Harry Clive
|— "The Bark and the Bite"
|-
| 1980
| ''[[Vegas (1978 TV series)|Vega$]]''
| Michael Jennings
|— "[[List of Vegas (1978 TV series) episodes|Aloha, You're Dead]]"
|-
| 1980
| ''Masters Of The Martial Arts''
| Host / Narrator
| a syndicated series of 26 shows
|-
| 1981
| ''Golden Gate''
| Monty Sager
| Television film
|-
| 1982
| ''Rooster''
| Jerome Brademan
| Television film
|-
| 1982–1984
| ''[[Dynasty (1981 TV series)|Dynasty]]''
| [[Rashid Ahmed (Dynasty character)|Rashid Ahmed]]
| Recurring role (6 episodes)
|-
| 1982–1988
| ''[[Falcon Crest]]''
| [[Tony Cumson]]
| Recurring role (32 episodes)
|-
| rowspan="3" | 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)
|-
| rowspan="4" | 1984
| ''[[Magnum, P.I.|Magnum P.I.]]''
| Ed Russler
|— "[[List of Magnum, P.I. episodes|Jororo Farewell]]"
|-
| ''[[Masquerade (TV series)|Masquerade]]''
| Joey Savane
|— "The French Correction"
|-
| ''[[Finder of Lost Loves]]''
| Commander Zach Donahue
|— "White Lies"
|-
| ''[[American Playhouse|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)
|-
| rowspan="3" | 1985
| ''[[Half Nelson (TV series)|Half Nelson]]''
| Unknown
|— "Diplomatic Immunity"
|-
| ''Brothers in Law''
| Royal Cane
| Television film
|-
| ''[[Glitter (American TV series)|Glitter]]''
| The Author
|— "The Matriarch"
|-
| rowspan="2" | 1987
| ''[[Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1985 TV series)|Alfred Hitchcock Presents]]''
| Garth December
|— "The Specialty of the House"
|-
| ''[[Hotel_(American_TV_series)|Hotel]]''
| Jack Curtis
|— "Fallen Angel"
|-
| 1989
| ''[[The Ray Bradbury Theater|The Ray Bradbury Theatre]]''
| Dudley Stone
|— "The Wonderful Death of Dudley Stone"
|-
| rowspan="5" | 1991
| ''[[Monsters (American TV series)|Monsters]]''
| Benjamin O'Connell
|— "The Waiting Room"
|-
| ''[[Matlock (1986 TV series)|Matlock]]''
| John Franklin
|— "[[List of Matlock episodes|The Parents]]"
|-
| ''Payoff''
| Rafael Concion
| Television film
|-
| ''Blackmail''
| Gene
| Television film
|-
| ''[[In the Heat of the Night (TV series)|In the Heat of the Night]]''
| Dalton Sykes
|— "Liar's Poker"
|-
| 1992
| ''[[Lucky Luke (1992 TV series)|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|Grave Danger: Part 1]]"
|-
| 2006
| ''[[Masters of Horror]]''
| Jeb "Pa" Jameson
|— "[[Pelts (Masters of Horror)|Pelts]]"
|-
| 2009
| ''[[War Wolves]]''
| Tony Ford
| Television film
|}

==Awards and nominations==
'''[[Golden Globe Awards]]'''
* 1958 [[Golden Globe Award for New Star of the Year – Actor|New Star of the Year – Actor]]: ''[[This Happy Feeling]]'' (won)
* 1967 [[Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture|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==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons}}
* {{IMDb name|0768334|John Saxon}}
* {{TCMDb name|170784%7C86816|John Saxon}}
* {{Discogs artist|John Saxon}}

{{Golden Globe Award for New Star of the Year Actor}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Saxon, John}}
[[Category:1936 births]]
[[Category:2020 deaths]]
[[Category:20th-century American male actors]]
[[Category:21st-century American male actors]]
[[Category:American male film actors]]
[[Category:American male television actors]]
[[Category:American people of Italian descent]]
[[Category:Deaths from pneumonia in Tennessee]]
[[Category:Male actors from Brooklyn]]
[[Category:Male Spaghetti Western actors]]
[[Category:People from Borough Park, Brooklyn]]
[[Category:American male judoka]]
[[Category:American male karateka]]
[[Category:New Utrecht High School alumni]]
[[Category:New Star of the Year (Actor) Golden Globe winners]]
[[Category:Shotokan practitioners]]
[[Category:Burials at Lake View Cemetery (Seattle)]]
[[Category:20th-century American sportsmen]]