Rolf Saxon
Rolf Saxon | |
|---|---|
| Born | July 7, 1955 |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1980–present |
| Website | www |
Rolf Saxon (born July 7, 1955) is an American stage, film, and television actor. He is known for his role as William Donloe in Mission: Impossible and Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, as well as for his voice-over work in numerous video games, movies and TV shows, including as the narrator for the US dub of the BBC children's series Teletubbies.
Life and career
[edit]Rolf Saxon was born at Fort Belvoir in Alexandria, Virginia on 7 July 1955.[1] He has worked with the American Conservatory Theater, Cal Shakes, Berkeley Mime Troupe, and Omphalos Street Theatre Company.[1] After training as an actor, Saxon immediately began appearing on the stage and on television; he made his film debut as Dick Tipton in a BBC adaptation of Frances Hodgson Burnett's novel Little Lord Fauntleroy (1980). Initially known as a television actor, he appeared as attorney Hudson J. Talbot III in the ITV drama Capital City (1989–1990).[2] Saxon is best known for his role of CIA analyst William Donloe in Mission: Impossible (1996), a role he would later reprise in Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning (2025).[3] Saxon has also appeared as the US narrator of the iconic British children's series Teletubbies (1997–2001).
Awards and nominations
[edit]Upon his graduation at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, Saxon was awarded the Gold Medal.[4] While performing with the Omphalos Street Theatre Company at the Edinburgh Festival, he was nominated for the prestigious Fringe First Award.[1] Critics praised Saxon's performance as Victor Franz in The Price (2005), earning him the Best Actor in A Leading Role Award at the Manchester Evening News Theatre Awards. He has appeared in films such as Tomorrow Never Dies (1997) and Saving Private Ryan (1998), the TV series Agatha Christie's Poirot (1993), and video games the Broken Sword series (1996–2013) and The Witcher (2007) which have received several awards and nominations.[5]
Filmography
[edit]Film
[edit]| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | The Lords of Discipline | Rowland | |
| Curse of the Pink Panther | 2nd speedboat man | ||
| Invitation to the Wedding | Peter | ||
| 1984 | Nineteen Eighty-Four | Patrolman | |
| 1985 | The Dirty Dozen: Next Mission | Robert E. Wright | |
| D.P. | Soldier | ||
| 1988 | A Time of Destiny | Kentucky | |
| Joyriders | First American Sailor | ||
| 1992 | Wild West | Yuhudi | |
| 1996 | Mission: Impossible | William Donloe | |
| 1997 | Tomorrow Never Dies | Philip Jones | |
| Coronation Street Viva Las Vegas | Stephano Delaney | Video | |
| 1998 | Saving Private Ryan | Lieutenant Briggs | |
| 1999 | Entrapment | Director | |
| Teletubbies: Merry Christmas, Teletubbies! | Narrator (US voice) | Video | |
| 2000 | Honest | Alden Wheaton | |
| Eisenstein | Hollywood Producer | ||
| Obedience | Herbie Clayton | Short | |
| Teletubbies: Christmas in the Snow | Narrator (US voice) | Video | |
| 2002 | Teletubbies: Silly Songs and Funny Dances | ||
| 2011 | Creature | (loop group) | |
| 2012 | All I Think of is You | Wilkins | Short |
| 2013 | Being Us | Madrone | |
| The Book of Daniel | Nebuchadnezzar | ||
| 2014 | Alien Strain | Sheriff Espinosa | |
| 2015 | Woman in Gold | Stan Gould | |
| 2016 | A Hologram for the King | Joe Trivoli | Uncredited |
| 2017 | August Falls | Mikey | |
| 2018 | After Ever After | Himself | Creative director and co-director |
| 2025 | Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning | William Donloe |
Television
[edit]| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | Little Lord Fauntleroy | Dick | TV movie |
| 1981 | The Gentle Touch | Doctor | 1 episode |
| 1982 | Q.E.D. | American Associate | |
| Starting Out | Mr Moran | 1 episode | |
| 1983 | Play for Today | Chemist | |
| Shades of Darkness | Robert Elwell | ||
| Chessgame | Mike Klobucki | ||
| 1984 | The First Olympics: Athens 1896 | Tim Coldfelt | Unknown |
| The Tripods | Black Guard | 1 episode | |
| 1985 | American Playhouse | Soldier | |
| Tender is the Night | American in Bar | Unknown | |
| Lace II | Hollywood Director | TV movie | |
| 1986 | The Deadly Recruits | Mike Klobucki | |
| 1987 | Pulaski | Jerome Summers | 8 episodes |
| 1989 | Boon | Luke Hennessey | 1 episode |
| Birds of a Feather | Rodney Kauffman | ||
| Tailspin: Behind the Korean Airliner Tragedy | Frank | TV movie | |
| 1989–1990 | Capital City | Hudson J. Talbot / Hudson J. Talbot III | 22 episodes |
| 1990 | She-Wolf of London | Charlie Bodine | 2 episodes |
| 1991 | The Upper Hand | Brian Thomas | Episode: "Old Flames" |
| The Trials of Oz | Professor Ronald Dworkin | 1 Episode | |
| 1992 | Hostages | Plaskett | TV movie |
| 1993 | Agatha Christie's Poirot | Dr. Ames | Episode: "The Adventure of the Egyptian Tomb" |
| Runaway Bay | Daniel Vincent | 1 episode | |
| 1994 | Love Hurts | Sam Levison | 4 episodes |
| 1995 | The Tomorrow People | Mr. Roach | 1 episode |
| Space Precinct | Lieutenant Verro Walker | ||
| Crown Prosecutor | Tom Reid | ||
| One for the Road | Hank | ||
| Night Watch | Ted Fisk | TV movie | |
| The Affair | Capt. Marks | ||
| 1996 | London Suite | Carl Dolby | |
| 1997 | The Canterville Ghost | Hiram Otis | |
| 1997–2001 | Teletubbies | Narrator | Voice, United States/PBS Version |
| 1999 | Goodnight Sweetheart | Murray | Episode: "Grief Encounter" |
| The Great Detectives | Reader | Episode: "The Simple Art of Philip Marlowe" | |
| Hippies | Jerry Gurvitz | Episode: "Protesting Hippies" | |
| RKO 281 | Flunkie #1 | TV movie | |
| 2003 | Ultimate Force | Art Spellman | Episode: "The List" |
| 2005 | The Eagle: A Crime Odyssey | Sam Johnson | 2 episodes |
| 2006 | Little Britain | US President | |
| 2011–2013 | They Live Among Us | Father Buer / Fr. Buer | 4 episodes |
Stage
[edit]| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 1992 | Lost in Yonkers | Eddie |
| 1995 | Oleanna | John |
| Laughter on the 23rd Floor | Milt | |
| 1998 | The Frogs | Dionysos |
| A View from the Bridge | Eddie Carbone | |
| 2000 | The Seven Year Itch | Richard |
| The Graduate | Mr. Robinson | |
| 2001 | Dinner with Friends | Gabe |
| 2002 | The Winter's Tale | Polixenes |
| Pericles, Prince of Tyre | Simonides | |
| Frankie and Johnny in the Clair De Lune | Johnny | |
| 2003 | Chicago | Billy Flynn |
| 2004 | Blues for Mr. Charlie | Parnell James |
| 2005 | The Price | Victor Franz |
| Death and the Maiden | Gerardo | |
| 2006 | Jerry Springer: The Opera | Jerry Springer |
| Hello Dolly | Vandergelder | |
| 2007 | Babes in Arms | Seymour Flemming |
| 2009 | The Floating Light Bulb | Jerry |
| 2011 | Danger: Memory! | Kroll |
| The Chosen | Malter |
Video games
[edit]| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | Broken Sword: The Shadow of the Templars | George Stobbart | Voice |
| 1997 | Broken Sword II: The Smoking Mirror | George Stobbart, The Goat, Robert Foster | |
| 2000 | Play with the Teletubbies | Narrator | |
| 2003 | Broken Sword: The Sleeping Dragon | George Stobbart | |
| 2006 | Broken Sword: The Angel of Death | ||
| 2007 | The Witcher | Leo | |
| 2009 | Broken Sword: The Shadow of the Templars – Director's Cut | George Stobbart | |
| 2010 | Broken Sword II: The Smoking Mirror – Remastered | ||
| 2013 | Broken Sword 5: The Serpent's Curse | George Stobbart, Gehnen, Goat |
References
[edit]- ^ a b c "Rolf Saxon - Actor :: Bio". Official Saxon Website. Retrieved April 21, 2012.
- ^ 'Second Quarter Figures', Director: Paul Seed; Writer: Andrew Maclear. "Capital City", Euston Films, episode 1, series 1. Original air date: 26 September 1989
- ^ McQuarrie, Christopher (May 23, 2025), Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning (Action, Adventure, Thriller), Tom Cruise, Hannah Waddingham, Hayley Atwell, Paramount Pictures, Skydance Media, retrieved November 18, 2024
- ^ "George Stobbart speaks! An interview with Rolf Saxon". The Gaming Liberty. February 28, 2011. Archived from the original on January 14, 2012. Retrieved April 21, 2012.
- ^ Awards and nominations for films, TV series and video games in which Saxon was cast in:
- "Awards Database — The BAFTA site". Bafta.org. Retrieved March 3, 2009.
- "The Edgar Awards Database". Mystery Writers of America (TheEdgars.com). Retrieved May 26, 2009.
- "TEDxYork: Charles Cecil - Revolution Games :: "Broken Sword: The Shadow of the Templars"". TED. July 18, 2011. Archived from the original on December 13, 2021. Retrieved April 18, 2012.
- "1UP: BAFTA Game Awards Nominees". 1UP. 2003. Retrieved April 18, 2012.
- "Revolution Software (Former website "2004," WayBack Machine)". Revolution Software. February 25, 2004. Retrieved April 18, 2012.
- "4th Annual Game Developers Choice Awards". Game Developers Choice Awards. 2004. Retrieved April 18, 2012.
- "Video Games Awards 2010". BAFTA. February 16, 2010. Archived from the original on May 3, 2011. Retrieved February 15, 2012.
- "Adventure Gamers: 2009 Aggie Award nominees". Adventure Gamers. February 5, 2010. Retrieved April 18, 2012.
- "European Games Awards 2011 Winners". European Games Awards. 2010. Retrieved April 18, 2012.
- Sal 'Sluggo' Accardo. "GameSpy's Game of the Year 2007". GameSpy. Archived from the original on 23 July 2008. Retrieved 12 August 2008.
- "IGN Best of 2007". IGN. Retrieved August 12, 2008.
External links
[edit]| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| People | |
- 1955 births
- Living people
- Alumni of the Guildhall School of Music and Drama
- American male film actors
- American male stage actors
- American male television actors
- American male video game actors
- American male voice actors
- Male actors from Alexandria, Virginia
- Male actors from the San Francisco Bay Area
- People from Fort Belvoir, Virginia
- 21st-century American male actors
- 20th-century American male actors