A handsome lead and character player with a strong, muscular build, dark hair and eyes, John Saxon debuted in "Running Wild" (1955) and established himself for a number of years as a juvenile lead with his next two films. "Rock, Pretty Baby" (1956) was typical of many early Saxon credits: a rock musical aimed at teenagers, it led to a sequel "Summer Love" (1958) and prefigured his three films with sunshiny ingenue Sandra Dee. The other film, though, was more in line with later Saxon work: in "The Unguarded Moment" (1956), swimming star Esther Williams unsuccessfully tried a switch to drama, but Saxon gave a good account of himself as a student dangerously obsessed with his teacher. With his strong, dark brows, firm jaw and intense stare, Saxon would later specialize in grim dramas. With his swarthy complexion he also played a wide range of ethnic types and "Cry Tough" (1956), with Saxon as a Puerto Rican ex-con, would also prove to be a typical credit.
By the early 60s, a pattern for Saxon's roles over the next three decades was also pretty much set: sizable supporting roles in big studio releases, and leads in independently produced items or modestly budgeted genre fodder. Saxon supported Burt Lancaster in "The Unforgiven" (1960), Marlon Brando in "The Appaloosa" (1966), Clint Eastwood in "Joe Kidd" (1972), Robert Redford and Jane Fonda in "The Electric Horseman" (1979) and Eddie Murphy in "Beverly Hills Cop III" (1994). His extremely prolific career, though, is primarily filled out with the likes of "Blood Beast from Outer Space" (1966), "Blood Beach" (1980), "Blood Salvage" (1990), and "My Mother's a Werewolf" (1989). To his credit, Saxon's focused, simmering performance style often added a trace of dignity to farfetched fare.
Indeed, several of Saxon's credits have become bona fide cult items. "Sotto gli occhi dell'Assassino/Tenebrae" (1982) was typically stylish Dario Argento horror, and "A Nightmare on Elm Street" (1984), with Saxon as the heroine's disbelieving cop father, solidly launched a terror dynasty. A staple of action fare, Saxon is widely remembered for his role in the martial arts classic "Enter the Dragon" (1973) opposite Bruce Lee. TV work, too, has yielded some entertaining credits for the ever-in-demand actor. Saxon was suitably authoritative in producer Gene Roddenberry's likable TV-movie "Planet Earth" (1974), did well in sober miniseries such as "Once an Eagle" (1976) and "The Immigrants" (1978) and did his professional best by routine crime dramas from "Linda" (1973) to "Payoff" (1991). Saxon has also ventured into series, appealingly sensitive as one of "The Doctors" (NBC, 1969-73) and making a good father-son match with Lorenzo Lamas on several seasons of "Falcon Crest" (CBS, 1986-88).