John Savage (actor)

John Savage (born John Smeallie Youngs; August 25, 1949) is an American actor, best known for his roles in the films The Deer Hunter (1978), The Onion Field (1979), Hair (1979) and Salvador (1986). He is also known for his role as Donald Lydecker in the TV series Dark Angel.[1][2]

John Savage
Born	John Smeallie Youngs August 25, 1949 Old Bethpage, New York, U.S.
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1969–present
Relatives	Robin Young (sister) Gail Youngs (sister) Jim Youngs (brother)

Early life

Savage was born in Old Bethpage, New York, to Muriel (née Smeallie), a housewife, and Floyd-Jones Youngs, an insurance salesman who served on Guadalcanal during World War II with the Marine Corps.[3] His sisters are Boston-based radio and television personality Robin Young and actress Gail Youngs. His brother is actor Jim Youngs.[4]

Career

Savage has appeared in more than 200 feature films, short films, recurring roles in television series and guest appearances in episodes of television series. One of Savage's first notable roles is as Claude Bukowski in the 1979 film Hair.[5][6] His first major film role was as Steven Pushkov in the multiple Oscar-winning 1978 film The Deer Hunter.[7] He also had a lead role in the 1979 film The Onion Field.[8]

Savage discussing Hair at Sofia International Film Festival, March 2017

In the late 1970s, he performed in the Broadway production of David Mamet's play American Buffalo.[9]

In 1991, he starred in Italian director Lucio Fulci's final film Door to Silence.[10] He then had a brief role in the 1998 war film The Thin Red Line,[11] portrayed Captain Ransom in the two part episode Equinox of the television series Star Trek: Voyager in 1999,[12] and appeared in the recurring role of Donald Lydecker in the first and second seasons of the 2000 television series Dark Angel.[13]

Savage appeared in the recurring role of Henry Scudder in the HBO television series Carnivàle between 2003 and 2005.[14] He appeared in unrelated roles in two of the series in the Law & Order franchise: the 2004 episode "Conscience" of Law & Order: Criminal Intent, and the 2005 episode "Quarry" of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.[15]

Savage starred in the 2015 horror film Tales of Halloween,[16] the 2017 film In Dubious Battle,[17] and on the 2017 continuation of the television show Twin Peaks.[18] In 2018, he appeared on the television show Goliath.[19]

In 2018, Savage lent his voice to a monologue on the title track of the album This Town by Steve Smith of Dirty Vegas.[20]

In 2019 Savage played the role of The Narrator in upcoming fantasy crime drama Karma from award-winning filmmaker Bizhan Tong, having collaborated with him earlier that year.

In 2017, Savage spoke at a tribute honoring director Richard Donner, held by The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.[21]

Filmography

• The Master Beater (1969) as Rocco
• Love Is a Carousel (1971) as Boy Friend
• Bad Company (1972) as Loney
• Steelyard Blues (1973) as Kid
• The Killing Kind (1973) as Terry Lambert
• All the Kind Strangers (1974) as Peter
• The Sister-in-Law (1974) as Robert Strong
• Eric (1975) as Eric Swensen
• John O'Hara's Gibbsville (1975, TV Movie) as Jim Malloy
• Gibbsville (1976, TV Series) as Jim Malloy
• The Deer Hunter (1978) as Steven Pushkov
• Hair (1979) as Claude Hooper Bukowski
• The Onion Field (1979) as Det. Karl Francis Hettinger
• Inside Moves (1980) as Roary
• Cattle Annie and Little Britches (1981) as Bittercreek Newcomb
• The Amateur (1981) as Charles Heller
• Coming Out of the Ice (1982) as Victor Herman
• Brady's Escape (1983) as J.W. Brady
• Maria's Lovers (1984) as Ivan Bibic
• Silent Witness (1984) as Kevin Dunne
• Vengeance of a Soldier (1986) as Frank Morgan
• Salvador (1986) as John Cassady
• The Little Sister (1986) as Tim Donovan
• Hotel Colonial (1987) as Marco Venieri
• Beauty and the Beast (1987) as Beast / Prince
• Caribe (1987) as Jeff Richardson
• The Beat (1988) as Frank Ellsworth
• Point of View (1989)
• Do the Right Thing (1989) as Clifton
• Any Man's Death (1990) as Leon Abrahams
• Voice in the Dark (1990) as Dan Montgomery
• The Godfather Part III (1990) as Father Andrew Hagen
• Ottobre rosa all'Arbat (1990) as Boris
• Dark Tale (1991) as Roy Kramer
• Hunting (1991) as Michael Bergman
• Mountain of Diamonds (1991) as Blaine
• Door to Silence (1991) as Melvin Devereux
• Buck ai confini del cielo (1991) as Wintrop
• Primary Motive (1992) as Wallace Roberts
• Flynn (1993) as Joe Stromberg
• Daybreak (1993) as President
• Berlin '39 (1993) as Wieland
• CIA II: Target Alexa (1993) as Franz Kluge
• Killing Obsession (1994) as Albert
• Red Scorpion 2 (1994) as Andrew Kendrick
• Deadly Weapon (1994) as Sanders
• Tales from the Crypt' (1994) [(early made-for-cable series) T.V. episode) as Benny [episode "Revenge is the Nuts" (Season 6, Episode 5)]
• The Dangerous (1995) as Emile Lautrec
• Carnosaur 2 (1995) as Jack Reed
• OP Center (1995) as Bob Herbert
• Død Kalm (The X-Files) (1995) (TV episode) as Henry Trondheim
• The Conversion (The Outer Limits) (1995) as Lucas
• The Crossing Guard (1995) as Bobby
• The Takeover (1995) as Greg
• Fatal Choice (1995) as Drury
• White Squall (1996) as McCrea
• One Good Turn (1996) as Santapietro
• Where Truth Lies (1996) as Dr. Ian Lazarre
• American Strays (1996) as Dwayne
• Walker Texas Ranger (1996) as Sergeant Major Tom Hawkins
• The Mouse (1996) as Bruce 'The Mouse' Strauss
• Little Boy Blue (1997) as Ray West
• Firestorm (1997) as Brinkman
• Amnesia (1997) as Tim Bishop
• Hollywood Safari (1997) as Deputy Rogers
• Hostile Intent (1997) as Bear
• Et hjørne af Paradis (1997) as Padre Louis
• Managua (1997) as Dennis
• Before Women Had Wings (1997) as Billy Jackson
• Ultimo taglio (1997) as Leo
• Notti di paura (1997) as Paola
• Club Vampire (1998) as Zero
• Lost Souls (1998) as Victor Robinson
• The Thin Red Line (1998) as Sgt. McCron
• Centurion Force (1998)
• Frontline (1999) as Captain Wolfgang Mueller
• Message in a Bottle (1999) as Johnny Land
• The Jack Bull (1999) as Slater
• Summer of Sam (1999) as Simon
• Equinox (Star Trek: Voyager) (1999) (TV - 2 part episode) as Captain Rudy Ransom
• Ghost Soldier (1999)
• The Virginian (2000) as Steve
• Christina's House (2000) as James Tarling
• They Nest (2000) as Jack Wald
• Dead Man's Run (2001) as Carver
• Burning Down the House (2001) as Jake Seiling
• Dark Angel (2000–2001, TV Series) as Donald Lydecker
• Redemption of the Ghost (2002) as Sheriff Rollie Burns
• The Anarchist Cookbook (2002) as Johnny Red
• Intoxicating (2003) as William Shanley
• Easy Sex (2003) as Frank Iverson
• Carnivàle (2003–2005, TV Series) as Henry 'Hack' Scudder
• Shortcut to Happiness (2003) as Johnny (uncredited)
• Law and Order: Criminal Intent (2004, TV Series) as Mark Farrell
• Alien Lockdown (2004) as Dr. Woodman
• Fallacy (2004) as Heathcliff
• Sucker Free City (2004) as Anderson Wade
• Admissions (2004) as Harry Brighton
• Downtown: A Street Tale (2004) as H2O
• Iowa (2005) as Irv Huffman
• Confessions of a Pit Fighter (2005) as McGee
• Love's Long Journey (2005) as Trent
• The New World (2005) as Savage
• Fringe (TV) Night of Desirable Objects (2009) as Andre Hughes
• Kill Your Darlings (2006) as Rock
• The Drop (2006) as Mr. Zero
• Shut Up and Shoot! (2006) as Marty Pearlheimer
• The Attic (2007) as Graham Callan
• The Grift (2008) as William Bender
• From a Place of Darkness (2008) as Vic
• Boiler Maker (2008) as JJ
• The Coverup (2008) as Thomas Thacker
• The Golden Boys (2008) as Web Saunders
• The Violent Kind (2008) as George Malloy
• Anytown (2009) as News Producer
• Handsome Harry (2009) as Peter Rheems
• Qi chuan xu xu (2009) as Frank Dreibelbis
• Buffalo Bushido (2009) as Vendetti
• Remembering Nigel (2009) as Himself
• The Red Canvas (2009)
• Dreamkiller (2010) as Agent Barnes
• Bereavement (2010) as Ted
• A Small Town Called Descent (2010) as Father Scully
• Bed & Breakfast (2010) as Mr. Harvey
• The Right to Bear Arms (2010) as Brutal Magnus
• Colombian Interviews (2011) as James
• The Last Gamble (2011) as John
• Nichirin no isan (2011) as Douglas MacArthur
• The Orphan Killer (2011) as Detective Walker
• Hit List (2011) as Walter Murphy
• Assassins' Code (2011) as Arlo
• Sweetwater (2012) as Calvin Kabral
• The Black Dove (2012) as Jake Williams
• Sins Expiation (2012) as Father Karl
• Art Of Submission (2012) as Harbin Rask
• Open Road (2013) as Carl
• The Sorrow Man (2013) as Father Bill
• Real Gangsters (2013) as Ted Roberts
• Gemini Rising (2013) as Manning
• Awakened (2013) as Jack Winston
• A Star for Rose (2013) as Mort
• Defending Santa (2013) as Judge Willis
• 7E (2013) as Paul
• Discarded (2013) as Jay
• Bullet (2014) as Governor Johnson
• Bermuda Tentacles (2014) as President DeSteno
• Fort Bliss (2014) as Mike Swann
• See How They Run (2014) as The Codger
• The Lookalike (2014) as William Spinks
• Cry of the Butterfly (2014) as William Berman
• Cleaners (2014, TV Series) as Marcus Walker
• The Big Fat Stone (2014) as Robert Tanninger
• Nephilim (2014) as Father Samuel (voice)
• The Sparrows: Nesting (2015) as Marvin
• We Will Be the World Champions (2015) as William Jones
• Tales of Halloween (2015) as Capt. J.G. Zimmerman (segment "Bad Seed")
• Beverly Hills Christmas (2015) as Mr. Winters
• Sensory Perception (2015) as President of United Earth
• Last Call at Murray's (2016) as Bennett
• Teen Star Academy (2016) as Burt
• Texas Heart (2016) as Carl
• In Dubious Battle (2016) as Dan
• American Romance (2016) as Emery Reed
• Everglades (2016)
• Dead South (2016) as Stokes
• Gates of Darkness (2017) as Joseph
• Povratak (2017) as Covek u crnom odelu
• Impuratus (2017) as Heysinger
• Twin Peaks (2017, TV series) as Detective Clark
• The Neighborhood (2017) as Vito Bello
• Torch (2017) as August Lewin
• Spreading Darkness (2017) as Brett
• Fake News (2017) as President Wayne Walker
• Going Vertical (2017) as Hank Aiba
• Untitled Livi Zheng Project (2017) as Frank
• Hold On (2017) as Dr. Siedhoff
• Empire of the Sharks (2017) as Ian Fien
• The Dog of Christmas (2018) as Ron
• Down's Revenge (2018) as Dr. Sorkin
• Betrayed (2018) as Mayor Alderman
• 40 and Single (2018) as Stewart Temple
• Mission Possible (2018) as Captain Ted
• American Exit (2018) as Actor
• Heavenly Deposit (2018) as Donald
• The Islands (2018) as Henry Thornton
• War Photographer (2018) as Epifano
• Goliath (2018, TV series) as Mickey
• Torque (2018, TV series) as Agent Curtis
• A Medicine for the Mind (2018, Short Film) as Martin
• Easy Way Out (2018, Short Film, Executive Producer) as Dr. Ernest Brown
• 6 Children & 1 Grandfather (2018)
• Insight (2019) as Frank
• Followed (2019) as Wallace Fleischer
• The Last Full Measure (2019) as Kepper
• Spinning Dry as Frank Manghetti
• Ovid and the Art of Love as Augustus
• Karma (2020) as The Narrator

References

1. "John Savage". The New York Times.
2. "John Savage Uses Film To Help His Neighbors". The New York Times. February 28, 1988.
3. John Savage profile, filmreference.com; accessed October 5, 2016.
4. "John Savage Biography (1949?-)". Film Reference. Retrieved June 18, 2015.
5. Denby, David (March 19, 1979). "'Hair' Transplanted". New York. Retrieved February 7, 2019.
6. Muir, John Kenneth (2007). The Rock & Roll Film Encyclopedia. Hal Leonard Corporation. ISBN 978-1557836939.
7. Deal, David (October 18, 2011). Television Fright Films of the 1970s. McFarland. ISBN 978-0786455140.
8. Hischak, Thomas S. (July 9, 2012). American Literature on Stage and Screen: 525 Works and Their Adaptations. McFarland. ISBN 9780786492794.
9. Mamet, David (July 22, 2014). American Buffalo. Grove/Atlantic, Inc. ISBN 978-0802191809.
10. Winick, Margot (January 1, 1996). Spaghetti Nightmares: Italian Fantasy-horrors as Seen Through the Eyes of Their Protagonists. Fantasma Books. ISBN 978-0963498274.
11. Patterson, Hannah (November 19, 2007). The Cinema of Terrence Malick: Poetic Visions of America. Columbia University Press. ISBN 978-0231850117.
12. Ruditis, Paul (2003). Star Trek Voyager Companion. Simon and Schuster. ISBN 978-0743417518.
13. Garcia, Frank; Phillips, Mark (September 27, 2013). Science Fiction Television Series, 1990–2004: Histories, Casts and Credits for 58 Shows. McFarland. ISBN 978-0786491834.
14. Terrace, Vincent (November 12, 2012). Encyclopedia of Television Shows, 1925 through 2010 (2d ed.). McFarland. ISBN 978-0786486410.
15. Stevens, Dennis J. (April 19, 2011). Media and Criminal Justice: The CSI Effect. Jones & Bartlett Publishers. ISBN 978-1449658120.
16. Harvey, Dennis (October 20, 2015). "Film Review: 'Tales of Halloween'". Variety. Retrieved July 11, 2018.
17. Nordine, Michael (August 29, 2016). "'In Dubious Battle' Trailer: James Franco Takes on John Steinbeck in His Latest Literary Adaptation". IndieWire. Retrieved July 11, 2018.
18. Collins, Sean T. (August 7, 2017). "'Twin Peaks' Recap: In Arms' Way". Rolling Stone. Retrieved July 11, 2018.
19. "235: John Savage". ART19. Retrieved July 11, 2018.
20. "An unlikely trip from Dirty Vegas to the South Shore". The Boston Globe. August 19, 2007. Retrieved July 11, 2018.
21. Thompson, Melissa (June 2, 2017). "THE GOONIES, SUPERMAN, LETHAL WEAPON Filmmaker Richard Donner Gets Tribute By The Academy June 7". We Are Movie Geeks. Retrieved February 7, 2019.

External links

• John Savage at IMDb
• John Savage at the Internet Broadway Database
• John Savage at the Internet Off-Broadway Database