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.
as Sir Peter William Bromville GCMG
as Charles Knight
as Peck
as Self / Poem Reader (voice)
as Ian
as The Fixer
as Richie Archer
as Richie Archer
as Mr. Stewart Tullen
as Himself
as Dennis
as Himself
as Miles
as Self(1 ep)
as Dr. Grace
as Geoffrey(1 ep)
as Clive Harbison(1 ep)
as Dr. Smallwood (voice)(1 ep)
as Marc Delacourt(10 eps)
as Jeffrey Mason(1 ep)
as Mr. Spencer(2 eps)
as David Kirkwood(1 ep)
as Dr. Jennings
as Lord Jano(1 ep)
as Romeo(1 ep)
as Lyle Fairbanks(1 ep)
as Larry Duggin(1 ep)
as Jerry Lane(2 eps)
as Furlong(1 ep)
as Captain Starch
as Shredder Stonham(1 ep)
as Sterling(1 ep)
as Brian
as Interviewer
as Chagall
as Jimmy Sutane(2 eps)
as Duncan Free(3 eps)
as Daniel Portman
as Denholm Sinclair
as Max Donaldson(1 ep)
as Stiva
as Harold Baines(2 eps)
as Peter Templeton(1 ep)
as Lawson Childress(1 ep)
as Wade Foster(1 ep)
as Lord Edgar(1 ep)
as Lord Sidney Sarandon(1 ep)
as Simon Templar
as Simon Templar(24 eps)
as Drusus(1 ep)
as Grayson
as Humphrey Oliver
as Rev. Gavin Dishart
as John Cromartie
as Edward VIII
as Dr Morris Townsend(1 ep)
as Martin Seacombe(1 ep)
as William Seaton
as David Hunter
as Charles Fengriffen
as A Man(1 ep)
as self(6 eps)
as De Lancey
as Ronald
as Edgar Linton
as Owen Gereth(4 eps)
as Sam
as Alban Torel(1 ep)
as Herbie, RB34
as Richard Marshall
as Peter
as Lord Windermere(1 ep)
as André(1 ep)
as Mike Roscoe
as Desmond Flower
as Ed(1 ep)
as Philip
as Viscount Ballantyne
as Rupert(13 eps)
as Candide(1 ep)
as Rev. Gavin Dishart(1 ep)
as Arthur Gower(1 ep)
as Thomas Aimwell(1 ep)
as Peter(1 ep)
as Herbie, RB34(1 ep)
as Pedro Da Silva(1 ep)
as Franz(1 ep)
as Inspector Appleby(1 ep)
as Baron Von Curt(1 ep)
as David Baurmarez-Smith(1 ep)
as Edward VIII(1 ep)
