Ian Raymond Ogilvy (born 30 September 1943) is an English actor, playwright and novelist.
Early life Ogilvy was born in Woking, Surrey, England, to Francis Fairfield Ogilvy, brother of advertising executive David Ogilvy, and actress Aileen Raymond. 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. He was educated at Sunningdale School, Eton College, and the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art.
Career Return of the Saint Ogilvy 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).
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.
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.
Other notable roles 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.
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 BBC television comedy series Ripping Yarns as The School Bully in "Tomkinson’s Schooldays"; 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). The series' star, Bruce Boxleitner, is the former husband of Ogilvy's second wife, actress Kathryn Holcomb. In 2000 he guest starred in Dharma & Greg, season 3 episode 15, "The Trouble with Troubadours", as the sarcastic British hotel night manager.
He appeared in an episode of Call My Bluff on 13 May 1977, the panel game of word definitions and deceptions.
He was the subject of This Is Your Life in 1979 when he was surprised by Eamonn Andrews.
Writing career 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. 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.
His book of film reviews, Withering Slights, based on his Facebook page, was published by Spiteful Puppet in 2020.
Personal life Ogilvy was married to Diane Hart from 1968 to 1983; they had one child. He married Kathryn Holcomb in 1992.
Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 1966 The She Beast Philip 1967 Stranger in the House Desmond Flower 1967 The Sorcerers Mike Roscoe1967 The Day the Fish Came Out Peter1968 Witchfinder General Richard Marshall1970 Wuthering Heights Edgar Linton1970 The Invincible Six Ronald1970 Waterloo William Howe De Lancey1973 No Sex Please, We're British David Hunter1973 And Now the Screaming Starts! Charles Fengriffen1974 From Beyond the Grave William Seaton1988Maigret Daniel Portman1992Invasion of PrivacyBrian1992Eddie PresleyCaptain Starch1992Death Becomes Her Chagall1994Puppet Master 5: The Final Chapter Jennings1996The Disappearance of Kevin JohnsonGary1999Fugitive Mind Dr. Grace2007After MidnightDennis2009My Life in Ruins Stewart Tullen2014We Still Kill the Old Way Richie Archer2016We Still Steal the Old Way Richie Archer2017The Saint Xander, The Fixer2018MistrustIanCameo2022Renegades Major Frederick Peck2026KnightfallCharles Knight
Television Year Title Role Notes1964ITV Play of the WeekTom OlliphantEpisode: "Celebration Dinner" 1964 The Hidden Truth David Easton Episode: "Sweets to the Sweet"1965Theatre 625FranzEpisode: "Ironhand" 1965 The Man in Room 17 Pedro Da Silva Episode: "Safe Conduct"1966The LiarsRupertAll 13 episodes1966The Wednesday PlayViscount BallantyneEpisode: "The Connoisseur"1966OrlandoMoz5 episodes1967Half Hour StoryEdEpisode: "What Will You Do About Christmas?"1967Boy Meets GirlAndréEpisode: "Goodnight Pelican"1967ITV PlayhouseLord WindermereEpisode: "Lady Windermere's Fan"1968Thirty-Minute TheatrePeterEpisode: "Child's Play"1968DetectiveInspector ApplebyEpisode: "Lesson in Anatomy" 1968 The AvengersBaron Von Curt Episode: "They Keep Killing Steed"1969Out of the UnknownHerbieEpisode: "Liar!"1969Armchair TheatreDavid Baurmarez-SmithEpisode: "The Brophy Story" 1969 Strange Report Toby Episode: "Report 2493: Kidnap - Whose Pretty Girl Are You?"1970The Wednesday PlaySamEpisode: "Wine of India" 1970 The Spoils of Poynton Owen Gereth All 4 episodes 1970 W. Somerset Maugham Alban Torel Episode: "The Door of Opportunity"1970Thirty-Minute TheatrePrince of EgyptEpisode: "Helen" 1971 Seasons of the YearHector Robinson Episode: "English Family Robinson" 1972 Man of Straw Wolfgang Buck 3 episodes 1972 Upstairs, DownstairsLawrence Kirbridge 6 episodes1972BBC Play of the MonthArthur GowerEpisode: "Trelawny of the Wells"1973BBC Play of the MonthCandideEpisode: "Candide"1973Armchair 30The ManEpisode: "Alfred Potter's Story" 1974 ZodiacMartin Seacombe Episode: "Saturn's Rewards" 1974 The Haggard Falcon Dominic Allardyce All 4 episodes 1974 Affairs of the HeartMorris Townsend Episode: "Catherine" 1974 The Gathering Storm Edward VIII TV film1975A Man in the ZooJohn CromartieTV film1975Comedy PremiereNigel BensonEpisode: "For Richer for Poorer"1975BBC Play of the MonthRev. Gavin DishartEpisode: "The Little Minister" 1975 Moll Flanders Humphrey Oliver TV film 1976 Ripping Yarns Grayson Episode: "Tomkinson's Schooldays" 1976 I, Claudius Drusus 2 episodes1978BBC Play of the MonthThomas AimwellEpisode: "The Beaux Stratagem"1978–1979 Return of the Saint Simon Templar 24 episodes1982Q.E.D.Lord Sidney SarandonEpisode: "Infernal Device"1982–1983 Tom, Dick and HarrietRichard Maddison 12 episodes1985Anna KareninaStivaTV film1985Time for MurderMax DonaldsonEpisode: "Mister Clay, Mister Clay" 1986 The Two Ronnies James Pommfrit Episode: #12.5 1986Robin of SherwoodLord EdgarEpisode: "Rutterkin"1986MaggieDenholm SinclairTV film1988Menace UnseenDuncan FreeAll 3 episodes1988MaigretDaniel PortmanTV film 1989 Murder, She Wrote Harold Baines Episode: "Appointment in Athens" 1990 Campion Jimmy Sutane 2 episodes1990B.L. StrykerJason StoneEpisode: "Grand Theft Hotel" 1990–1991 Generations Reginald Hewitt 52 episodes1990Murder, She WrotePeter BainesEpisode: "The Sicilian Encounter"1990Over My Dead BodyInspector Miles CottrellEpisode: "A Passing Inspection"1991P.S. I Luv UArchibald BondEpisode: "Smile, You're Dead"1992Murder, She WrotePeter TempletonEpisode: "The Monte Carlo Murders"1992Carol Leifer: Gaudy, Bawdy & BlueInterviewerTV film1993It Had to Be YouColinEpisode: "London Calling"1993Murder, She WroteLawson ChildressEpisode: "Murder in White"1994The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr.FurlongEpisode: "Bounty Hunters' Convention"1994Burke's LawRomeoEpisode: "Who Killed Romeo?"1994Walker, Texas RangerShredder StonhamEpisode: "Rampage"1994PhenomPoindexter BondEpisode: "Just a Family of Doolans Sittin' Around Talkin'"1994Kung Fu: The Legend ContinuesSterlingEpisode: "Dragonswing II"1994Murder, She WroteWade FosterEpisode: "Murder of the Month Club"1996Hope & GloriaDavid KirkwoodEpisode: "A Sentimental Education"1996The FacultyMarionEpisode: "Opportunity Knockers" 1996 Malibu Shores Marc Delacourt 7 episodes1996The Real Adventures of Jonny QuestDr. SmallwoodEpisode: "Village of the Doomed" 1997 Murphy Brown Duncan Briggs Episode: "How to Marry a Billionaire" 1997 Caroline in the City Lionel Spencer 2 episodes1997JAGJeffrey MasonEpisode: "The Good of the Service"1998Babylon 5Lord JanoEpisode: "In the Kingdom of the Blind"1998Early EditionClive HarbisonEpisode: "Show Me the Monet"1999Love Boat: The Next WaveJack CampbellEpisode: "Other People's Business"1999Melrose PlaceLeo TurnlowEpisode: "Saving Ryan's Privates"1999BaywatchMiles ClaytonEpisode: "Water Dance"1999Diagnosis MurderJerry Lane2 episodes1999Horse SenseMilesTV film2000Dharma & GregGeoffreyEpisode: "The Trouble with Troubador"2002The ParkersSeymourEpisode: "And the Winner Is..."2010Agatha Christie's Marple Johnny Restarick Episode: "They Do It with Mirrors"
References
External links
Official website (archived) Measle books website (archived)