'Nightmare on Elm Street' star John Saxon dies at 83, heartbroken fans bid goodbye to 'horror icon'
Hollywood actor John Saxon has died from pneumonia at the age of 83 in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. His wife Gloria confirmed the news of his death to The Hollywood Reporter. Saxon was known for films such as 'Enter The Dragon' with Bruce Lee and three 'Nightmare on Elm Street' films. He had played several diverse roles of various ethnicities throughout his career spanning six decades.
It was back in the 1950s when Saxon was noticed for his performance as a football star who bullies Esther Williams in 'The Unguarded Moment' (1956). In the film's credits, he's listed as "the exciting new personality John Saxon". In 1966, he played the role of a Mexican Bandit opposite Marlon Brando in 'The Appaloosa' (1966), for which he won a Golden Globe. In 1969-72, he played Theodore Stuart on 'The New Doctors' rotating segment of the NBC drama series 'The Bold Ones'. He had a recurring role in the drama 'Dynasty', where he played Rashid Ahmed. His other notable films included 'Joe Kidd' with Clint Eastwood and 'Mitchell'.
He was married three times, first to screenwriter Mary Ann Murphy, then airline-attendant turned actress Elizabeth Saxon and, since 2008, cosmetician Gloria Martel. He is survived by sons, Antonio and Lance, grandson Mitchell, great-grandson John and sister Dolores. Fans were heartbroken about his death and took to social media to express their grief. "John Saxon died too?!?! This might be the worst f**king day of my life," a fan tweeted.
"RIP to one of the great presences to grace the screen. John Saxon, you are still a legend," another wrote. "Oh man. This is a tough one. Rest In Peace John Saxon. You were the reason I would never Defund the Springwood Police. #HorrorFamily #MutantFam #SpreadTheHorror #JohnSaxon," a fan wrote. "RIP to the legendary actor John Saxon. Here is a CustoMego version of his character Dylan Hunt from the TV pilot "Planet Earth". #Mego #CustoMego #JohnSaxon." tweeted one.
"Another great horror icon gone," a fan wrote. "Saddened to hear of the passing of the legendary John Saxon. My thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends. Thank you John. Rest in peace. #JohnSaxon," another tweeted.
"Damn, I loved John Saxon. A true international star. Worked with some of the great horror legends like Bava, Argento and Craven to name a couple. Thank you for the great catalog you’ve given us. Rest in peace, good sir," another tweeted. "Damn, super sad news of John Saxon passing away. I strangle enough just finished going through the entire Elm Street series this week... Great talent lost in the horror film family today," a fan added.