Ian Ogilvy
Ian Raymond Ogilvy (born 30 September 1943) is an English film and television actor. He is best known as the star of the TV series Return of the Saint (1978–79), in which he assumed the role of Simon Templar from Roger Moore (1962–69). The role led to his being considered a leading contender for the role of James Bond in the early 1980s, when Moore announced his intention to leave the role. He never played the part (in part due to Moore reconsidering his resignation on several occasions), although he did play a Bond-like character in a series of North American TV commercials broadcast in the early 1990s. At least once, in an episode of Kung Fu: The Legend Continues, "Dragon's Wing II", he played a Bond-like British agent, complete with white dinner jacket. He was a friend of film-maker Michael Reeves and starred in all three of Reeves's films: Revenge of the Blood Beast (1966), The Sorcerers (1967), and Witchfinder General (also known as The Conqueror Worm, 1968). He guest-starred in The Avengers in the 1968 episode "They Keep Killing Steed" as Baron Von Curt, and on the BBC in Somerset Maugham's The Door of Opportunity, opposite Marianne Faithfull. He appeared in the films Stranger in the House (1967), and The Day the Fish Came Out (1967), and had a major role in the epic film Waterloo (1970). In 1976, he featured in the pilot episode of the television comedy series Ripping Yarns. He also appeared in I, Claudius (1976, as Drusus), and guest-starred in 6 episodes of Murder, She Wrote and 4 episodes of Diagnosis Murder. He appeared as Edgar Linton in a film version of Wuthering Heights (1970) and as Owen Gereth in BBC dramatization of The Spoils of Poynton (also 1970). In the 1990s, he guest-starred in the TV series Babylon 5 (1998). The series' star, Bruce Boxleitner, is the former husband of Ogilvy's second wife, actress Kathryn Holcomb. He also had a role in the short-lived 1990s American soap opera, Malibu Shores. He appeared as Lawrence Kirbridge in the series Upstairs, Downstairs. He's had roles in over 100 TV shows, often appearing as a guest star. He then co-starred with Meryl Streep and Goldie Hawn in Death Becomes Her (1992); and with Richard Dreyfuss and Nia Vardalos in My Life in Ruins (2009), among others. He has had an extensive career in the theatre playing leading roles in many London West End productions, including Design for Living, Happy Family, Three Sisters, Rookery Nook by Ben Travers, Run for Your Wife, The Millionaires by Shaw, The Waltz of the Toreadors, and others. He has also worked widely in the American theatre. He is a playwright and novelist, currently working on a series of children's books: Measle and the Wrathmonk, Measle and the Dragodon, Measle and the Mallockee, Measle and the Slitherghoul, and Measle and the Doompit. He has written and published two novels – Loose Chippings and The Polkerton Giant – and two plays: A Slight Hangover and Swap!. His memoir, Once a Saint, was published in May 2016. His book of film reviews 'Withering Slights', based on his Facebook page, was published in 2020.
Known For
Credits
- 2022 · Renegades as Peck
- 2022 · The Young General: Reflections on Michael Reeves as Self
- 2021 · Boris Karloff: The Man Behind the Monster as Self
- 2021 · Woodlands Dark and Days Bewitched: A History of Folk Horror as Self / Poem Reader (voice)
- 2019 · The Magnificent Obsession of Michael Reeves as Himself
- 2018 · Mistrust as Ian
- 2017 · The Saint as The Fixer
- 2017 · We Still Steal the Old Way as Richie Archer
- 2014 · We Still Kill the Old Way as Richie
- 2009 · My Life in Ruins as Mr. Stewart Tullen
- 2008 · The Saint Steps In... To Television as Himself
- 2005 · Tigon Tales of Terror as Himself
- 1999 · The Blood Beast: The Films of Michael Reeves as himself
- 1999 · Horse Sense as Miles
- 1999 · Eurotika! as Self
- 1999 · Fugitive Mind as Dr. Grace
- 1999 · The Parkers as
- 1997 · Dharma & Greg as Geoffrey
- 1997 · The Disappearance of Kevin Johnson as Gary
- 1996 · Early Edition as
- 1996 · The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest as Dr. Smallwood (voice)
- 1996 · Malibu Shores as Marc Delacourt
- 1995 · JAG as Jeffrey Mason
- 1995 · Caroline in the City as Mr. Spencer
- 1995 · Hope and Gloria as David Kirkwood
- 1994 · Puppet Master 5 as Dr. Jennings
- 1994 · One West Waikiki as
- 1994 · Babylon 5 as Lord Jano
- 1994 · Burke's Law as Romeo
- 1993 · Diagnosis: Murder as Lyle Fairbanks
- 1993 · Diagnosis: Murder as Larry Duggin
- 1993 · Diagnosis: Murder as Jerry Lane
- 1993 · The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr. as Furlong
- 1993 · Walker, Texas Ranger as Shredder Stonham
- 1993 · Kung Fu: The Legend Continues as Sterling
- 1992 · Eddie Presley as Captain Starch
- 1992 · Invasion of Privacy as Brian
- 1992 · Carol Leifer: Gaudy, Bawdy & Blue as Interviewer
- 1992 · Death Becomes Her as Chagall
- 1992 · Melrose Place as
- 1991 · P.S. I Luv U as
- 1989 · Baywatch as
- 1989 · Campion as Jimmy Sutane
- 1988 · Maigret as Daniel Portman
- 1985 · Time for Murder as Max Donaldson
- 1985 · Anna Karenina as Stiva
- 1984 · Murder, She Wrote as Harold Baines
- 1984 · Murder, She Wrote as Peter Templeton
- 1984 · Murder, She Wrote as Lawson Childress
- 1984 · Murder, She Wrote as Wade Foster
- 1984 · Robin of Sherwood as Lord Edgar
- 1983 · Affairs of the Heart as
- 1982 · Tom, Dick and Harriet as
- 1982 · Q.E.D. as
- 1980 · The Morecambe and Wise Show as
- 1979 · The Saint and the Brave Goose as Simon Templar
- 1978 · Return of the Saint as Simon Templar
- 1976 · I, Claudius as
- 1976 · I, Claudius as Drusus
- 1976 · Ripping Yarns as
- 1976 · Tomkinson's Schooldays as Grayson
- 1975 · The Little Minister as Rev. Gavin Dishart
- 1974 · The Gathering Storm as Edward VIII
- 1974 · From Beyond the Grave as William Seaton
- 1973 · No Sex Please: We're British as David Hunter
- 1973 · And Now the Screaming Starts! as Charles Fengriffen
- 1971 · Upstairs, Downstairs as self
- 1970 · Waterloo as De Lancey
- 1970 · The Invincible Six as Ronald
- 1970 · Wuthering Heights as Edgar Linton
- 1970 · The Spoils of Poynton as Owen Gereth
- 1970 · Wine of India as Sam
- 1968 · Witchfinder General as Richard Marshall
- 1967 · The Day the Fish Came Out as Peter
- 1967 · The Sorcerers as Mike Roscoe
- 1967 · Cop-Out as Desmond Flower
- 1966 · The Connoisseur as Viscount Ballantyne
- 1966 · The She Beast as Philip
- 1965 · BBC Play of the Month as Candide
- 1965 · BBC Play of the Month as Thomas Aimwell
- 1965 · BBC Play of the Month as Rev. Gavin Dishart
- 1965 · The Man In Room 17 as Pedro Da Silva
- 1964 · Detective as
- 1961 · The Avengers as Baron Von Curt
- Future · The Athena Syndrome as Sir Peter William Bromville GCMG
- 1961 · Intrusion as
- 1951 · Hallmark Hall of Fame as Edward VIII