John Saxon

Biography

John Saxon was an American actor and martial artist whose career included more than 200 film and television projects over 60 years. Born in Brooklyn, he studied acting with Stella Adler and began as a contract player for Universal Pictures. He won a Golden Globe for New Star of the Year for This Happy Feeling (1958) and became a teen idol with films like Rock, Pretty Baby (1956) and Portrait in Black (1960). In the 1970s and 1980s he was known for playing police officers and detectives in horror films such as Black Christmas (1974) and A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984). He co-starred with Bruce Lee in Enter the Dragon (1973) and was nominated for a Golden Globe for his supporting role in The Appaloosa (1966). His other films included Joe Kidd (1972), Tenebre (1982), and From Dusk Till Dawn (1996). He made his directorial debut with Zombie Death House in 1987.

83years old at death

Born August 5, 1936Brooklyn
Died July 25, 2020Murfreesboro
Star sign: LeoThe sign runs July 23 to August 22
Carmine Orrico (birth name)

Movie Career

Films: 44
Career span: 60 years1958 to 2018

Genres

Drama34%, 15 films
Horror34%, 15 films
Action27%, 12 films
Sci-Fi23%, 10 films
Comedy18%, 8 films

First and latest

Photos

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Early training
Saxon went to New Utrecht High School in Bensonhurst and also studied acting under the well known acting coach Stella Adler.
Own stunts
In 1973's Enter the Dragon, Saxon took the part of Roper, a martial artist, drawing on training he had begun in 1957. The film gave Bruce Lee his first major role in a Hollywood feature.
A role that slipped away
Saxon almost backed out of Enter the Dragon because he felt the 60-page treatment did not give him enough to act, but was talked into staying after being promised his suggestions would be worked in.
Behind the camera
Saxon directed his first film in 1987, the horror movie Zombie Death House. Dennis Cole and Anthony Franciosa appeared in it.

John Saxon movies on Netflix

The Green Fog2018IMDb rating 6.9as Himself
Never Sleep Again: The Elm Street Legacy2010IMDb rating 8.5as Himself
Trapped Ashes2006IMDb rating 4.7as Leo (story segments "Stanley's Girlfriend")
Lancelot: Guardian of Time1997IMDb rating 3.5as Wolvencroft
From Dusk Till Dawn1996IMDb rating 7.2as FBI Agent Stanley Chase
Beverly Hills Cop III1994IMDb rating 5.5as Orrin Sanderson
Hellmaster1992IMDb rating 4.0as Professor Jones
The Best of the Martial Arts Films1990IMDb rating 6.9as Self - Host
My Mom's a Werewolf1989IMDb rating 4.5as Harry Thropen
Nightmare Beach1989IMDb rating 5.4as Strycher
A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors1987IMDb rating 6.7as Thompson
Hands of Steel1986IMDb rating 5.3as Francis Turner
A Nightmare on Elm Street1984IMDb rating 7.4as Lt. Donald Thompson
Prisoners of the Lost Universe1983IMDb rating 3.8as Kleel
Tenebre1982IMDb rating 7.0as Bullmer
Wrong Is Right1982IMDb rating 5.6as Homer Hubbard
Battle Beyond the Stars1980IMDb rating 5.5as Sador
Beyond Evil1980IMDb rating 4.2as Larry Andrews
Blood Beach1980IMDb rating 4.5as Capt. Pearson
Fast Company1979IMDb rating 5.4as Phil Adamson
The Electric Horseman1979IMDb rating 6.5as Hunt Sears
The Bees1978IMDb rating 4.1as John Norman
Raid on Entebbe1976IMDb rating 6.7as Gen. Benny Peled
Shadows in an Empty Room1976IMDb rating 6.3as Sgt. Ned Matthews
The Swiss Conspiracy1976IMDb rating 5.1as Robert Hayes
"Mitchell"!1975IMDb rating 2.8as Walter Deaney
Strange New World1975IMDb rating 5.1as Captain Anthony Vico
Black Christmas1974IMDb rating 7.1as Lt. Ken Fuller
Planet Earth1974IMDb rating 5.7as Dylan Hunt
Enter the Dragon1973IMDb rating 7.6as Roper
Joe Kidd1972IMDb rating 6.4as Luis Chama
Death of a Gunfighter1969IMDb rating 6.3as Lou Trinidad
One Dollar Too Many1968IMDb rating 5.5as Clay Watson
Queen of Blood1966IMDb rating 5.3as Allan Brenner
The Appaloosa1966IMDb rating 6.3as Chuy Medena
The Doomsday Flight1966IMDb rating 6.5as George Ducette
Blood Beast from Outer Space1965IMDb rating 5.5as Dr. Jack Costain
The Cardinal1963IMDb rating 6.8as Benny Rampell
Mr. Hobbs Takes a Vacation1962IMDb rating 6.8as Byron Grant
War Hunt1962IMDb rating 6.3as Pvt. Raymond Endore
Posse from Hell1961IMDb rating 6.6as Seymour Kern
Portrait in Black1960IMDb rating 6.3as Blake Richards
The Unforgiven1960IMDb rating 6.5as Johnny Portugal
The Reluctant Debutante1958IMDb rating 6.7as David Parkson

Best known for

The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.

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Enter the Dragon1973 Action, Crime, Dramaas Roper
IMDb rating 7.6122K votes
A Nightmare on Elm Street1984 Horroras Lt. Donald Thompson
IMDb rating 7.4295K votes
Beverly Hills Cop III1994as Orrin Sanderson
IMDb rating 5.5101K votes
Black Christmas1974as Lt. Ken Fuller
IMDb rating 7.157K votes
Tenebre1982as Bullmer
IMDb rating 7.032K votes
Joe Kidd1972as Luis Chama
IMDb rating 6.423K votes
From Dusk Till Dawn1996as FBI Agent Stanley Chase
IMDb rating 7.2374K votes
Battle Beyond the Stars1980as Sador
IMDb rating 5.512K votes

Most often with

Three actors appear in three of them each. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.

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Robert Englund

Heather Langenkamp

David Opatoshu

Lin Shaye

Sammo Kam-Bo Hung

Robert Redford

Films together

Robert Englund3 films together, 1984 to 2010
Robert Englund's page
- Never Sleep Again: The Elm Street Legacy2010IMDb rating 8.5Saxon as HimselfEnglund as Himself
- A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors1987IMDb rating 6.7Saxon as ThompsonEnglund as Freddy Krueger
- A Nightmare on Elm Street1984IMDb rating 7.4Saxon as Lt. Donald ThompsonEnglund as Fred Krueger
Heather Langenkamp3 films together, 1984 to 2010
Heather Langenkamp's page
- Never Sleep Again: The Elm Street Legacy2010IMDb rating 8.5Saxon as HimselfLangenkamp as Herself / Narrator
- A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors1987IMDb rating 6.7Saxon as ThompsonLangenkamp as Nancy Thompson
- A Nightmare on Elm Street1984IMDb rating 7.4Saxon as Lt. Donald ThompsonLangenkamp as Nancy Thompson
David Opatoshu3 films together, 1969 to 1980
David Opatoshu's page
- Beyond Evil1980IMDb rating 4.2Saxon as Larry AndrewsOpatoshu as Dr. Solomon
- Raid on Entebbe1976IMDb rating 6.7Saxon as Gen. Benny PeledOpatoshu as Menachem Begin
- Death of a Gunfighter1969IMDb rating 6.3Saxon as Lou TrinidadOpatoshu as Edward Rosenbloom
Lin Shaye2 films together, 1984 to 2010
Lin Shaye's page
- Never Sleep Again: The Elm Street Legacy2010IMDb rating 8.5Saxon as HimselfShaye as Herself
- A Nightmare on Elm Street1984IMDb rating 7.4Saxon as Lt. Donald ThompsonShaye as Teacher
Sammo Kam-Bo Hung2 films together, 1973 to 1990
Sammo Kam-Bo Hung's page
- The Best of the Martial Arts Films1990IMDb rating 6.9Saxon as Self - HostHung as Himself
- Enter the Dragon1973IMDb rating 7.6Saxon as RoperHung as Shaolin Fighter
Robert Redford2 films together, 1962 to 1979
Robert Redford's page
- The Electric Horseman1979IMDb rating 6.5Saxon as Hunt SearsRedford as Sonny
- War Hunt1962IMDb rating 6.3Saxon as Pvt. Raymond EndoreRedford as Pvt. Roy Loomis
Also two films together15 more actors
- Martin BalsamRaid on Entebbe (1976) and "Mitchell"! (1975)
- Royal DanoDeath of a Gunfighter (1969) and Posse from Hell (1961)
- Michael ParksFrom Dusk Till Dawn (1996) and Nightmare Beach (1989)
- Audie MurphyPosse from Hell (1961) and The Unforgiven (1960)
- Virginia GreyThe Green Fog (2018) and Portrait in Black (1960)
- Amanda WyssNever Sleep Again: The Elm Street Legacy (2010) and A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)
- Anthony FranciosaThe Green Fog (2018) and Tenebre (1982)
- Allan ArbusThe Electric Horseman (1979) and Raid on Entebbe (1976)
- Jsu GarciaNever Sleep Again: The Elm Street Legacy (2010) and A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)
- Morgan WoodwardBattle Beyond the Stars (1980) and Death of a Gunfighter (1969)
- Bruce LeeThe Best of the Martial Arts Films (1990) and Enter the Dragon (1973)
- Sandra DeePortrait in Black (1960) and The Reluctant Debutante (1958)
- Joseph WhippA Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) and Wrong Is Right (1982)
- Angela MaoThe Best of the Martial Arts Films (1990) and Enter the Dragon (1973)
- Lynne MartaBlood Beach (1980) and Joe Kidd (1972)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.

Box office

What John Saxon's films earned in cinemas worldwide.

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Combined worldwide box office

$378 million

13 of the 44 films have a worldwide figure.

13Worldwide figure
1US gross only
6Never in cinemas
24Figure not found

Top grosser

Beverly Hills Cop III1994Orrin Sanderson$119 million

Highest grossing

The eight biggest films earned 93% of the total. The bars are drawn to scale.

1
Beverly Hills Cop III1994as Orrin Sanderson
$119M31.6% of the total
2
The Electric Horseman1979as Hunt Sears
$62M16.4% of the total
3
A Nightmare on Elm Street1984as Lt. Donald Thompson
$57M15.1% of the total
4
A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors1987as Thompson
$45M11.9% of the total
5
From Dusk Till Dawn1996as FBI Agent Stanley Chase
$26M6.8% of the total
6
Enter the Dragon1973as Roper
$22M5.7% of the total
7
The Cardinal1963as Benny Rampell
$11M3.0% of the total
8
Battle Beyond the Stars1980as Sador
$11M2.9% of the total