Born as Carmine Orrico on the 5th August in 1935 in Brooklyn, New York City, USA, John Saxon is a Golden Globe Award- winning actor, best known for his roles in such films as “Enter the Dragon” (1973) playing Roper, then “A Nightmare on Elm Street” (1984) as Lt. Donald Thompson, and “From Dusk Till Dawn” (1996) as FBI Agent Stanley Chase, among other differing roles. His career has been active since the mid-1950s.
Have you ever wondered how rich John Saxon is, as of early 2017? According to authoritative sources, it has been estimated that Saxon’s net worth is as high as $1.5 million, earned through his long career in the entertainment industry, during which he has featured in almost 200 film and TV titles.
John Saxon Net Worth $1.5 Million
John has Italian roots, and is the son of Anna and Antonio Orrico, who worked as a dock worker. He went to Utrecht High School, from which he matriculated in 1953. After that, he started taking acting lessons from famous acting coach Stella Adler, and was soon spotted by Henry Wilson, talent manager, and ‘John Saxon’ was born. His career progressed slowly, so in the mid- ‘50s he appeared in a couple of films – “It Should Happen to You” (1954), and “A Star Is Born” (1954) – although his roles were left uncredited. Nevertheless, the following year he portrayed Vince Pomeroy in the film “Running Wild” starring William Campbell, Mamie Van Doren and Keenan Wynn, and immediately following in 1956, he was selected for one of the starring roles in the comedy “Rock, Pretty Baby” (1956), continuing with lead roles in such films as the Golden Globe Award- winning “This Happy Feeling” (1958), with Debbie Reynolds and Curd Jürgens, among others. Before the decade ended, John featured in “The Restless Years”, sharing the screen with Sandra Dee and Teresa Wright, and the Academy Award- nominated historical drama “The Big Fisherman” (1959), with Howard Keel. His net worth was rising steadily.
John started the ‘60s with a role in the Golden Globe Award- nominated western “The Plunderers” (1960), and then in 1962 starred in the war drama “War Hunt, with Charles Aidman and Sydney Pollack. The following year he appeared in Otto Preminger’s Academy Award- nominated “The Cardinal”, starring Tom Tryon and John Huston, but two years later he had his breakout role, as Chuy in the western “The Appaloosa” (1966), next to Marlon Brando and Anjanette Comer, for which he won the Golden Globe Award in the most promising newcomer- male, category, and finished the decade with an appearance in the western “Death of a Gunfighter”.
His next big role was in the film “Enter the Dragon” (1973), next to the one and only Bruce Lee and Jim Kelly. He then bagged the lead role in the sci-fi film “Planet Earth” (1974), and again in sci-fi “Strange New World” (1975), with Kathleen Miller and Keene Curtis. The rest of the ‘70s weren’t too good to John, since he only had roles in low-budget films, and until the mid- ‘80s when he was cast as Lt. Donald Thompson in the Wes Craven horror “A Nightmare on Elm Street”, the role he repeated in “A Nightmare on Elm Street 3” in 1987.
After that, John’s career returned to continual slump, and all he could score were small roles in trash films, until 1994 when he featured in the action comedy “Beverly Hills Cop III”, starring Eddie Murphy, Jon Tenney and Joey Travolta. Two years later he had a role in Robert Rodriguez’ action horror “From Dusk Till Dawn”, with Harvey Keitel, George Clooney and Juliette Lewis as stars of the film. Before the ‘90s ended, he starred in the action crime film “Criminal Minds” (1998).
John started the new millennium with a role in the action film “Final Payback” (2001), but then until 2006 didn’t have any role worth mentioning, until he featured in the drama “The Craving Heart”, appearing next to Stan Harrington who also wrote and directed the film. Two years later he had a supporting role in another drama, “God’s Ears”, and then in 2010 made an appearance in the film “Genghis Khan: The Story of a Lifetime”.
He then left the acting world, but returned in early 2017 to appear in the films “The Extra”, and “After the Thunderstorm”, which will be released later in the year.
Regarding his personal life, John has been married to Gloria Martel since 2008. Previously, he was married to Mary Ann Saxon, from 1967 until 1979; the couple had one child. Also, he was married to Elizabeth from 1987 until 1992.
As a hobby, he has earned a black belt in karate.
