Saxon

A former silver screen star who once held residence in Brentwood has died. 

John Saxon, a prolific Hollywood actor with more than 200 credits to his name, died of pneumonia in Murfreesboro, per The Hollywood Reporter. He was 83 at the time of his passing. 

In 2017, Saxon was a resident The Heritage at Brentwood, where he was celebrated with a film festival of his work, which ranges from iconic horror to golden era Western. 

Per a Home Page story on Saxon, he and his wife, Gloria, moved to Tennessee to retire rather than Los Angeles due to the lack of active programs in the area. 

“I didn’t want him standing outside in the backyard looking at the ocean all day,” said Gloria in 2017 to the Home Page.

“I searched for a long time to find a place we liked. At the Heritage, they really have an understanding of care that you don’t get in other places. They have more activities. We have 24/7 access to everything, and we can keep our dog.”

The facility's film screening series for Saxon lasted five days, and incorporated some of his most notable films. 

He started out his career as an uncredited usher in the Judy Garland A Star is Born and spent a good deal of his career playing it straight as a law enforcement official or member of the military. 

Though, perhaps his most notable film role came when he went toe-to-toe with martial arts legend Bruce Lee in the seminal kung fu movie Enter the Dragon as its co-lead, Roper. 

Two of those enforcing roles came in two of the most lauded horror films from their respective eras, 1974's Black Christmas and 1984's A Nightmare on Elm Street.

Other on-screen credits include Joe Kidd, From Dusk till Dawn, Beverly Hills Cop III, the original Running Scared and The Appaloosa, just to name a few.