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.
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Movies (48)
Knightfall
2025 · Charles Knight
Renegados
2022 · Peck
The Young General: Reflections on Michael Reeves
2022 · Self
Boris Karloff: The Man Behind the Monster
2021 · Self
Woodlands Dark and Days Bewitched: A History of Folk Horror
2021 · Self / Poem Reader (voice)
The Magnificent Obsession of Michael Reeves
2019 · Himself
Mistrust
2018 · Ian
El Santo
2017 · The Fixer
We Still Steal the Old Way
2017 · Richie Archer
We Still Kill the Old Way
2014 · Richie Archer
Mi vida en ruinas
2009 · Mr. Stewart Tullen
The Saint Steps In... To Television
2008 · Himself
After Midnight
2007 · Dennis
Tigon Tales of Terror
2005 · Himself
The Blood Beast: The Films of Michael Reeves
1999 · himself
Horse Sense
1999 · Miles
Fugitive Mind
1999 · Dr. Grace
The Disappearance of Kevin Johnson
1997 · Gary
Puppet Master 5
1994 · Dr. Jennings
Eddie Presley
1993 · Captain Starch
Invasion of Privacy
1992 · Brian
Carol Leifer: Gaudy, Bawdy & Blue
1992 · Interviewer
Death Becomes Her
1992 · Chagall
Maigret
1988 · Daniel Portman
Maggie
1986 · Denholm Sinclair
Anna Karenina
1985 · Stiva
The Saint and the Brave Goose
1979 · Simon Templar
Tomkinson's Schooldays
1976 · Grayson
Moll Flanders
1975 · Humphrey Oliver
The Little Minister
1975 · Rev. Gavin Dishart
A Man in the Zoo
1975 · John Cromartie
The Gathering Storm
1974 · Edward VIII
From Beyond the Grave
1974 · William Seaton
No Sex Please - We're British
1973 · David Hunter
And Now the Screaming Starts!
1973 · Charles Fengriffen
Waterloo
1970 · De Lancey
The Invincible Six
1970 · Ronald
Wuthering Heights
1970 · Edgar Linton
Wine of India
1970 · Sam
Liar!
1969 · Herbie, RB34
Witchfinder General
1968 · Richard Marshall
The Day the Fish Came Out
1967 · Peter
The Sorcerers
1967 · Mike Roscoe
Stranger in the House
1967 · Desmond Flower
The She Beast
1966 · Philip
The Connoisseur
1966 · Viscount Ballantyne
Intrusion
1961
The Athena Syndrome
· Sir Peter William Bromville GCMG
TV shows (48)
Eurotika!
1999 · Self
The Parkers
1999
Dharma & Greg
1997 · Geoffrey
Early Edition
1996 · Clive Harbison
The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest
1996 · Dr. Smallwood (voice)
Malibu Shores
1996 · Marc Delacourt
JAG
1995 · Jeffrey Mason
Caroline in the City
1995 · Mr. Spencer
Hope and Gloria
1995 · David Kirkwood
One West Waikiki
1994
Babylon 5
1994 · Lord Jano
Burke's Law
1994 · Romeo
Diagnosis: Murder
1993 · Lyle Fairbanks, Larry Duggin, Jerry Lane
The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr.
1993 · Furlong
Walker, Texas Ranger
1993 · Shredder Stonham
Kung Fu: The Legend Continues
1993 · Sterling
Melrose Place
1992
P.S. I Luv U
1991
Baywatch
1989
Campion
1989 · Jimmy Sutane
Menace Unseen
1988 · Duncan Free
Time for Murder
1985 · Max Donaldson
Murder, She Wrote
1984 · Harold Baines, Peter Templeton, Lawson Childress, Wade Foster
Robin of Sherwood
1984 · Lord Edgar
Tom, Dick and Harriet
1982
Q.E.D.
1982 · Lord Sidney Sarandon
Return of the Saint
1978 · Simon Templar
I, Claudius
1976 · Drusus
Ripping Yarns
1976
Affairs of the Heart
1974 · Dr Morris Townsend
Zodiac
1974 · Martin Seacombe
Armchair 30
1973 · A Man
Upstairs, Downstairs
1971 · self
The Spoils of Poynton
1970 · Owen Gereth
W. Somerset Maugham
1969 · Alban Torel
ITV Playhouse
1967 · Lord Windermere
Boy Meets Girl
1967 · André
Half Hour Story
1967 · Ed
The Liars
1966 · Rupert
BBC Play of the Month
1965 · Candide, Rev. Gavin Dishart, Arthur Gower, Thomas Aimwell
Thirty-Minute Theatre
1965 · Peter
Out of the Unknown
1965 · Herbie, RB34
The Man in Room 17
1965 · Pedro Da Silva
Theatre 625
1964 · Franz
Detective
1964 · Inspector Appleby
The Avengers
1961 · Baron Von Curt
Armchair Theatre
1956 · David Baurmarez-Smith
Hallmark Hall of Fame
1951 · Edward VIII