- published: 04 May 2016
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Ian Raymond Ogilvy (born 30 September 1943) is an English-American actor, playwright, and novelist.
Ogilvy was born in Woking, Surrey, to Francis Fairfield Ogilvy, brother of advertising executive David Ogilvy and actress Aileen Raymond (who had previously been married to actor John Mills). He was educated at Sunningdale School, Eton College, and the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art.
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).
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.