John Saxon is a prolific American actor who has appeared in more than 200 movies and television series in his over 60-year-long career that began in 1954 when he debuted on the big screen in uncredited small roles in two films – It Should Happen to You and A Star Is Born by George Cukor. He is most popular for appearing in western and horror films where he usually plays the roles of a police officer and detective. Also a martial artist, John Saxon is skilled in Judo and Shotokan Karate.
Who is John Saxon and How Old is He?
Born as Carmine Orrico on August 5, 1935, in Brooklyn, New York City, U.S, where he was also raised, the actor is an Italian-American mothered by Anna Protettore and fathered by a dock worker named Antonio Orrico. He graduated from New Utrecht High School in 1953 and went on to study acting with celebrity acting coach Stella Adler, founder of the Stella Adler Studio of Acting in New York City.
In the mid-1950s, John Saxon launched his film-making career, appearing in teenage roles. He was eventually discovered by an agent named Henry Willson, who saw his picture on the cover of True Romances, a detective magazine, and got in touch with his family in Brooklyn without wasting time. Having obtained the blessing of his parents, the then-17-year-old Carmine Orrico signed with Willson and had his name changed to John Saxon.
Afterwards, he signed a $150 per week contract with Universal Studios in April 1954 but was not used in a film until one year and six months later. He was cast in films such as Running Wild (1955), The Unguarded Moment (1956), and Portrait in Black (1961). John Saxon was also cast in a lead role as Jimmy Daley in the low budget teen comedy musical film Rock, Pretty Baby (1956), which turned out to be a hit, establishing him as a teen idol. Two years later, he reprised his role in the film in a sequel titled Summer Love and at this point, he was already receiving 3,000 letters from his fans on a weekly basis.
John Saxon remained active in the acting business, establishing himself as a character actor in the 1970s and 1980s. He regularly played the role of a law enforcement agent in horror films some of which are the 1974 Canadian psychological slasher movie Black Christmas, the 1982 Italian Giallo film Tenebrae, and the 1984 American slasher film A Nightmare on Elm Street.
Apart from his roles in horror films, John Saxon’s experience in martial arts paved way for him to land a role in the 1973 martial arts film Enter the Dragon, where he starred alongside Bruce Lee. He also played supporting roles in Death of a Gunfighter, Joe Kidd, and Raid on Entebbe, all westerns. The actor’s appearance in films began to dwindle in the 1990s as he was only featured occasionally.
John Saxon’s Net Worth
The award-winning actor has really stuck around in the acting industry for a very long time and has earned a good amount of money from his career. He began with a weekly salary of $150 which later increased to $225 and although the amount of money he was paid for the various movies he appeared in after his career breakthrough is not known, it was good enough to keep him glued to acting. Today, John Saxon is said to have an estimated net worth of $1.5 million.
Who Is The Actor‘s Wife?
The actor is currently married to actress Gloria Martel, who is well known for her role in the film Bring Me The Head Of Lance Henriksen. In addition to being an actress, Gloria is also a licensed cosmetician/esthetician. The couple tied the knot on the 29th of August 2008 after John’s two failed marriages.
John Saxon was first married to Mary Ann Saxon from 1967 to 1979 when their union crashed and the marriage produced a son named Antonio Saxon, who followed in his father’s footsteps to become an actor. About 8 years after he parted ways with Mary Ann, the actor remarried to Elizabeth Saxon in 1987. Sadly, they also got divorced in 1992.
Where Is John Saxon Now?
The celebrated actor has been in a handful of independent films in recent years and has made appearances in several TV series such as Masters of Horror and CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. On the 21st of May 2010, he was present as a special guest at that year’s Creation Entertainment – Weekend of Horrors which took place in Los Angeles.
Towards the end of 2016, John Saxon and his wife, Gloria, relocated to The Heritage at Brentwood Retirement Community, Brentwood, Tennessee. According to Gloria, they decided to live the remaining days of their lives there because the retirement homes for actors in Los Angeles lacked active programs.
How Tall is He?
The veteran actor used to stand at 5 feet 10 inches (179 cm) back in the day but old age has taken its toll on his once erect body, causing his entire torso to collapse on itself. Consequently, John Saxon has lost some height as his upper torso appears to be very much shorter than it used to be. His once dark hair is not also left out in the age-related physical changes as it has turned grey.
