Universal Pictures 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. His first significant role was a juvenile delinquent in
Running Wild (1955), co-starring
Mamie Van Doren. According to
Filmink, "young Saxon had a scowling, broody teen quality that was in fashion in mid-'50s Hollywood." He was then given a good role in
The Unguarded Moment (1956), playing a youth who seemingly stalks
Esther Williams. During February 1956, Universal exercised its option on Saxon and he was paid $225 a week. Saxon quickly reprised his
Rock, Pretty Baby role in a sequel,
Summer Love (1958). By this time, he was getting about 3,000 fan letters a week. He then made
Teach Me How to Cry with
Sandra Dee, which was retitled
The Restless Years (1958). ,
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.
MGM borrowed him to appear opposite
Sandra Dee in
The Reluctant Debutante (1958), for director
Vincente Minnelli, which was widely seen. Saxon was billed third, beneath
Rex Harrison and
Kay Kendall. 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. 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. He was meant to follow it with
The Ballad of Cat Ballou (not made until years later, with Jane Fonda). 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. 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. "I want to do all sorts of character parts," he said in 1960. Saxon played a
serial-killer soldier in
War Hunt (1962) and had a small role in the comedy success
Mr. Hobbs Takes a Vacation (1962).
Europe Saxon traveled to Italy to make
Agostino (1962). In 1963, Saxon co-starred with
Letícia Román in
Mario Bava's
Italian giallo film The Girl Who Knew Too Much. He returned to Hollywood to perform in
Otto Preminger's
The Cardinal (1963) and an episode of
Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre, then was back to Europe for
The Cavern (1964).
The Ravagers (1965) was shot in the Philippines;
Night Caller from Outer Space (1965) was a science-fiction film shot in Britain. In 1966, he starred in
Curtis Harrington's science-fiction/horror classic
Queen of Blood with
Basil Rathbone and
Dennis Hopper, then appeared opposite
Marlon Brando in
The Appaloosa (1966), winning a
Golden Globe Best Supporting Actor nomination for his portrayal of a Mexican bandit. 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." He portrayed
Marco Polo in episode 26 of
The Time Tunnel ("Attack of the Barbarians"), originally broadcast on March 10, 1967, and was a guest actor on
Bonanza in 1967 ("The Conquistadores"). In episode 19, season 5 of
The Virginian ("The Modoc Kid") Saxon appeared in the title role alongside
Harrison Ford, who was appearing in one of his first speaking roles. And in 1969 he appeared in Bonanza again ("My Friend, My Enemy"). Saxon was in a sex comedy for
Sam Katzman,
For Singles Only (1968), and appeared in some Westerns,
One Dollar Too Many (1968),
Death of a Gunfighter (1969),
The Men from Shiloh (rebranded name for
The Virginian, 1971), and
Joe Kidd (1972) (again playing a Mexican, this time a revolutionary named Luis Chama).
I Kiss the Hand (1973) was a thriller made in Italy. He spent three years playing Dr. Theodore Stuart for the television series
The Bold Ones: The New Doctors (1969–1972).
Enter the Dragon and 1970s '' (1973) Saxon, who had done martial arts since 1957, appeared as the martial artist Roper in 1973's
Enter the Dragon. It was
Bruce Lee's first major role in a Hollywood feature. After
Enter the Dragon, Saxon had no further interest in appearing in martial-arts films.
Violent Naples (1976),
Mark Strikes Again (1976),
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. 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. Saxon starred as Dylan Hunt in the 1974
Gene Roddenberry television pilot
Planet Earth, replacing
Alex Cord from
Genesis II. A 20th-century scientist unfrozen in the postnuclear world of 2133, he leads a team of explorers and encounters a matriarchal society. Although ABC declined the series, Saxon played a nearly identical character in the 1975 television film
Strange New World. In 1976, Saxon portrayed a homicidal vampire-like strangler in the season-two
Starsky & Hutch episode "Vampire". He played Captain Radl in the two-part
Wonder Woman episode "The Feminum Mystique" (1976). Also in 1976, he appeared in an episode of
The Rockford Files titled "A Portrait of Elizabeth", in which he played a crooked corporate lawyer and painter named Dave Delaroux, who was involved in a securities rip-off and with whom Rockford's attorney Beth Davenport was smitten. In this episode, Saxon was able to display his considerable martial-arts abilities in two fight scenes.
Raid on Entebbe (1977) was a prestige television movie for him.
Moonshine County Express was a big success for
Roger Corman's
New World Pictures; Saxon made another film for that company,
The Bees (1978). He appeared in a Bollywood movie,
Shalimar (1978), then it was back to exploitation:
Fast Company (1979) and
The Glove (1979). Saxon played Hunt Sears, chief of a breakfast-cereal conglomerate, opposite Robert Redford and Jane Fonda in the 1979, Oscar-nominated film
The Electric Horseman.
1980s–1990s He appeared in the 1982 television movie
Rooster, 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) 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; 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 reprised his role in
A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors (1987) and ''
Wes Craven's New Nightmare'' (1994) as he played himself in a dual role. 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."
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. Saxon starred in the episode opposite fellow cult film luminary
Andrew Prine. He also appeared in an episode ("
Pelts") of the anthology horror series
Masters of Horror, which reunited him with
Tenebrae director
Dario Argento. Saxon was a regular guest at horror- and cult-film conventions, including the Creation Entertainment – Weekend of Horrors 2010 on May 21, 2010, in Los Angeles. His last acting role was in the film
Bring Me the Head of Lance Henriksen, which as of his death was in postproduction. ==Personal life==