Ian Raymond Ogilvy (born 30 September 1943) is an English actor, playwright and novelist.[1]

Ian Ogilvy
Ogilvy in 2007
Born
Ian Raymond Ogilvy

(1943-09-30) 30 September 1943 (age 81)
Woking, Surrey, England, United Kingdom
Occupation(s)Actor, playwright, novelist
Years active1958–present
Spouses
Diane Hart
(m. 1968; div. 1983)
Kathryn Holcomb
(m. 1992)
Children1
Parent(s)Francis Fairfield Ogilvy
Aileen Raymond
RelativesDavid Ogilvy (uncle)
Websiteianogilvy.com

Early life

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Ogilvy was born in Woking, Surrey, England, to Francis Fairfield Ogilvy, brother of advertising executive David Ogilvy,[2] and actress Aileen Raymond (who had previously been married to actor John Mills). His grandfather, Francis John Longley Ogilvy, was born in Argentina and a self-taught Gaelic-speaker who was a classics scholar and a failed financial broker.[3] He was educated at Sunningdale School, Eton College, and the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art.[4]

Career

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Return of the Saint

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He is best known as the star of the television series Return of the Saint (1978–79), in which he assumed the role of Simon Templar from Roger Moore (1962–69).[5]

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's 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.[6]

He recorded a series of readings of Ian Fleming's James Bond novels in the early 1980s, which were released on audio cassette by the Listen for Pleasure label.[citation needed]

Other notable roles

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Ogilvy 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 Millionairess by Shaw, The Waltz of the Toreadors, and others. He has also worked widely in the American theatre. Among his films, Ogilvy had a major part in the 1970 epic film Waterloo.

He co-starred with Boris Karloff in The Sorcerers (1967); with James Mason, Bobby Darin, and Geraldine Chaplin in Stranger in the House (also 1967); with Vincent Price in Witchfinder General (also known as The Conqueror Worm, 1968); with Tom Courtenay and Candice Bergen in The Day the Fish Came Out (1967): with Meryl Streep and Goldie Hawn in Death Becomes Her (1992); with Peter Cushing in two films for horror specialists Amicus and with Richard Dreyfuss and Nia Vardalos in My Life in Ruins (2009) – among others.[7]

He was a friend of the film-maker Michael Reeves and starred in all three of Reeves's films: Revenge of the Blood Beast (1966), The Sorcerers and Witchfinder General. He also had a role in the short-lived 1990s American soap opera, Malibu Shores. He has had roles in over one hundred television shows, often appearing as a guest star. He appeared in the television series Upstairs, Downstairs (as Lawrence Kirbridge).

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.

In 1976, he featured in the pilot episode of the television comedy series Ripping Yarns, co-produced by former Monty Python members Michael Palin and Terry Jones. 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 dramatisation of The Spoils of Poynton (also 1970).

In the 1990s, he guest-starred in the American television series Babylon 5, in the episode "In the Kingdom of the Blind" (1998).[8] The series' star, Bruce Boxleitner, is the former husband of Ogilvy's second wife, actress Kathryn Holcomb. A couple of years after Kathryn's divorce from Bruce Boxleitner, she introduced actress Melissa Gilbert to him, and they were married from 1995 to 2011. In 2000 he guest starred in Dharma and Greg series, Season 3 Episode 15, "The trouble with troubadours", as the sarcastic British hotel night manager.

He was the subject of This Is Your Life in 1979 when he was surprised by Eamonn Andrews.[citation needed]

Writing career

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Ogilvy is also 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.[9] The books have been translated into at least 15 languages.

He has written and published two novels – Loose Chippings and The Polkerton Giant – and two plays: A Slight Hangover and Swap!, which ran in Poland in its third successful year. His memoir, Once a Saint, was published by Little Brown/Constable, in May 2016.[10]

His book of film reviews, Withering Slights, based on his Facebook page, was published by Spiteful Puppet in 2020.[11]

Personal life

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Ogilvy was married to Diane Hart from 1968 to 1983; they had one child. He married Kathryn Holcomb in 1992, and later became a naturalised United States citizen.[12]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
1966 The She Beast Philip
1967 Stranger in the House Desmond Flower
1967 The Sorcerers Mike Roscoe
1967 The Day the Fish Came Out Peter
1968 Witchfinder General Richard Marshall
1970 Wuthering Heights Edgar Linton
1970 The Invincible Six Ronald
1970 Waterloo William Howe De Lancey
1973 No Sex Please, We're British David Hunter
1973 And Now the Screaming Starts! Charles Fengriffen
1974 From Beyond the Grave William Seaton
1988 Maigret Daniel Portman
1992 Invasion of Privacy Brian
1992 Eddie Presley Captain Starch
1992 Death Becomes Her Chagall
1994 Puppet Master 5: The Final Chapter Jennings
1996 The Disappearance of Kevin Johnson Gary
1999 Fugitive Mind Dr. Grace
2007 After Midnight Dennis
2009 My Life in Ruins Stewart Tullen
2014 We Still Kill the Old Way Richie Archer
2016 We Still Steal the Old Way Richie Archer
2017 The Saint Xander, The Fixer
2018 Mistrust Ian Cameo
2022 Renegades Major Frederick Peck
TBA Cold Sun Sir Peter Bromville Pre-production

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
1964 ITV Play of the Week Tom Olliphant Episode: "Celebration Dinner"
1964 The Hidden Truth David Easton Episode: "Sweets to the Sweet"
1965 Theatre 625 Franz Episode: "Ironhand"
1965 The Man in Room 17 Pedro Da Silva Episode: "Safe Conduct"
1966 The Liars Rupert All 13 episodes
1966 The Wednesday Play Viscount Ballantyne Episode: "The Connoisseur"
1966 Orlando Moz 5 episodes
1967 Half Hour Story Ed Episode: "What Will You Do About Christmas?"
1967 Boy Meets Girl André Episode: "Goodnight Pelican"
1967 ITV Playhouse Lord Windermere Episode: "Lady Windermere's Fan"
1968 Thirty-Minute Theatre Peter Episode: "Child's Play"
1968 Detective Inspector Appleby Episode: "Lesson in Anatomy"
1968 The Avengers Baron Von Curt Episode: "They Keep Killing Steed"
1969 Out of the Unknown Herbie Episode: "Liar!"
1969 Armchair Theatre David Baurmarez-Smith Episode: "The Brophy Story"
1969 Strange Report Toby Episode: "Report 2493: Kidnap - Whose Pretty Girl Are You?"
1970 The Wednesday Play Sam Episode: "Wine of India"
1970 The Spoils of Poynton Owen Gereth All 4 episodes
1970 W. Somerset Maugham Alban Torel Episode: "The Door of Opportunity"
1970 Thirty-Minute Theatre Prince of Egypt Episode: "Helen"
1971 Seasons of the Year Hector Robinson Episode: "English Family Robinson"
1972 Man of Straw Wolfgang Buck 3 episodes
1972 Upstairs, Downstairs Lawrence Kirbridge 6 episodes
1972 BBC Play of the Month Arthur Gower Episode: "Trelawny of the Wells"
1973 BBC Play of the Month Candide Episode: "Candide"
1973 Armchair 30 The Man Episode: "Alfred Potter's Story"
1974 Zodiac Martin Seacombe Episode: "Saturn's Rewards"
1974 The Haggard Falcon Dominic Allardyce All 4 episodes
1974 Affairs of the Heart Morris Townsend Episode: "Catherine"
1974 The Gathering Storm Edward VIII TV film
1975 A Man in the Zoo John Cromartie TV film
1975 Comedy Premiere Nigel Benson Episode: "For Richer for Poorer"
1975 BBC Play of the Month Rev. Gavin Dishart Episode: "The Little Minister"
1975 Moll Flanders Humphrey Oliver TV film
1976 Ripping Yarns Grayson Episode: "Tomkinson's Schooldays"
1976 I, Claudius Drusus 2 episodes
1978 BBC Play of the Month Thomas Aimwell Episode: "The Beaux Stratagem"
1978–1979 Return of the Saint Simon Templar 24 episodes
1982 Q.E.D. Lord Sidney Sarandon Episode: "Infernal Device"
1982–1983 Tom, Dick and Harriet Richard Maddison 12 episodes
1985 Anna Karenina Stiva TV film
1985 Time for Murder Max Donaldson Episode: "Mister Clay, Mister Clay"
1986 The Two Ronnies James Pommfrit Episode: #12.5
1986 Robin of Sherwood Lord Edgar Episode: "Rutterkin"
1986 Maggie Denholm Sinclair TV film
1988 Menace Unseen Duncan Free All 3 episodes
1988 Maigret Daniel Portman TV film
1989 Murder, She Wrote Harold Baines Episode: "Appointment in Athens"
1990 Campion Jimmy Sutane 2 episodes
1990 B.L. Stryker Jason Stone Episode: "Grand Theft Hotel"
1990–1991 Generations Reginald Hewitt 52 episodes
1990 Murder, She Wrote Peter Baines Episode: "The Sicilian Encounter"
1990 Over My Dead Body Inspector Miles Cottrell Episode: "A Passing Inspection"
1991 P.S. I Luv U Archibald Bond Episode: "Smile, You're Dead"
1992 Murder, She Wrote Peter Templeton Episode: "The Monte Carlo Murders"
1992 Carol Leifer: Gaudy, Bawdy & Blue Interviewer TV film
1993 It Had to Be You Colin Episode: "London Calling"
1993 Murder, She Wrote Lawson Childress Episode: "Murder in White"
1994 The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr. Furlong Episode: "Bounty Hunters' Convention"
1994 Burke's Law Romeo Episode: "Who Killed Romeo?"
1994 Walker, Texas Ranger Shredder Stonham Episode: "Rampage"
1994 Phenom Poindexter Bond Episode: "Just a Family of Doolans Sittin' Around Talkin'"
1994 Kung Fu: The Legend Continues Sterling Episode: "Dragonswing II"
1994 Murder, She Wrote Wade Foster Episode: "Murder of the Month Club"
1996 Hope & Gloria David Kirkwood Episode: "A Sentimental Education"
1996 The Faculty Marion Episode: "Opportunity Knockers"
1996 Malibu Shores Marc Delacourt 7 episodes
1996 The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest Dr. Smallwood Episode: "Village of the Doomed"
1997 Murphy Brown Duncan Briggs Episode: "How to Marry a Billionaire"
1997 Caroline in the City Lionel Spencer 2 episodes
1997 JAG Jeffrey Mason Episode: "The Good of the Service"
1998 Babylon 5 Lord Jano Episode: "In the Kingdom of the Blind"
1998 Early Edition Clive Harbison Episode: "Show Me the Monet"
1999 Love Boat: The Next Wave Jack Campbell Episode: "Other People's Business"
1999 Melrose Place Leo Turnlow Episode: "Saving Ryan's Privates"
1999 Baywatch Miles Clayton Episode: "Water Dance"
1999 Diagnosis Murder Jerry Lane 2 episodes
1999 Horse Sense Miles TV film
2000 Dharma & Greg Geoffrey Episode: "The Trouble with Troubador"
2002 The Parkers Seymour Episode: "And the Winner Is..."
2010 Agatha Christie's Marple Johnny Restarick Episode: "They Do It with Mirrors"

References

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  1. ^ "Ian Ogilvy profile". filmreference.com. Retrieved 17 January 2015.
  2. ^ "Ian Ogilvy profile". Ian Ogilvy. Archived from the original on 22 August 2016. Retrieved 4 February 2016.
  3. ^ Roman, Kenneth (8 June 2010). The King of Madison Avenue: David Ogilvy and the Making of Modern Advertising. St. Martin's Press. ISBN 9780230618343.
  4. ^ Saunders, Tim (8 November 2004). "The Saint who has turned scribe". telegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 22 January 2015.
  5. ^ Watkins, Nick (12 November 2014). "Ian Ogilvy: Cars don't impress women as much as men". Retrieved 22 January 2015.
  6. ^ "Dragonswing II". IMDb.com. 7 November 1994. Retrieved 4 February 2016.
  7. ^ "Ian Ogilvy: Saints, Sorcerers and Secret Agents". cinemaretro.com. 15 January 2015. Retrieved 22 January 2015.
  8. ^ "In the Kingdom of the Blind". radiotimes.com. Retrieved 15 December 2017.[permanent dead link]
  9. ^ Hodges, Jodie. "Ian Ogilvy - Children's Author". unitedagents.co.uk. Retrieved 22 January 2015.
  10. ^ Ian Ogilvy (5 May 2016). Once A Saint: An Actor's Memoir eBook: Ian Ogilvy: Kindle Store. Constable. Retrieved 16 December 2016 – via Amazon.com.
  11. ^ "Withering Slights (Paperback)".[permanent dead link]
  12. ^ Ian Ogilvy at IMDb
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