American actor John Saxon, best known for his work in the martial arts classic Enter the Dragon and the iconic horror franchise A Nightmare on Elm Street, has passed away of pneumonia aged 83, his wife Gloria has revealed to The Hollywood Reporter.
Saxon began his career as a contract player at Universal in the 1950s, becoming a teen idol through his roles in 1956’s Rock, Pretty Baby and its sequel Summer Love, and worked with a number of notable directors during the next decade including Blake Edwards (This Happy Feeling), John Huston (The Unforgiven), Mario Bava (The Girl Who Knew Too Much), and Otto Premiger (The Cardinal).
Receiving a Golden Globe nomination for his work alongside Marlon Brando in 1966’s The Appaloosa, Saxon has a three year stint on the TV series The Bold Ones: The New Doctors before starring alongside Bruce Lee in the martial arts icon’s first and only mainstream Hollywood movie, 1973’s Enter the Dragon.
After roles in the likes of Black Christmas and Dario Argento’s Tenebrae, Saxon portrayed Donald Thompson, father of Heather Langenkamp’s Nancy, in 1984’s A Nightmare on Elm Street, returning to the franchise for 1987’s A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors and 1994’s Wes Craven’s New Nightmare. He also appeared in Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino’s 1996 action horror From Dusk Till Dawn.
