Max Wagner

Personal Info

Known For

Acting

Known Credits

189

Gender

Male

Birthday

1901-11-28

Day of death

1975-11-16 (73 years old)

Place of Birth

Torreon, Coahuila, Mexico

Max Wagner

Biography

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Max Wagner (November 28, 1901 – November 16, 1975) was a Mexican-born American film actor who specialized in playing small parts such as thugs, gangsters, sailors, henchmen, bodyguards, cab drivers and moving men, appearing more than 400 films in his career, most without receiving screen credit. Newspaper gossip columnists noted his rise from playing "Gangster #4", with no lines, and not carrying a gun, to "Gangster #2", with both lines and a gun. Wagner was one of five children, all boys, of William Wallace Wagner, a railroad conductor, and Edith Wagner, a writer who provided dispatches for the Christian Science Monitor during the Mexican Revolution. When he was 10 years old, his father was killed by rebels and the family moved to Salinas, California, where he met John Steinbeck, who became a lifelong friend. Steinback based the character of the boy in his novel The Red Pony on Wagner. Under the name "Max Baron", Wagner acted in many Spanish-language versions of English-language films, which studios made as a matter of course in the early days of sound films, He also served as a Spanish language coach for other actors, and appeared in many of the "Mexican Spitfire" films starring Lupe Vélez, where he also served to monitor Velez's Spanish ad-libs for profanity. Other series that Wagner appeared in include the Charlie Chan films, and Tom Mix serials, as well as others made by Mascot Pictures Corporation. In the 1940s, Wagner was part of Preston Sturges' unofficial "stock company" of character actors, appearing in six films written and directed by Sturges, beginning with The Palm Beach Story In 1940 during the filming of "The Mad Doctor", Wagner was credited for driving 50,000 miles as an on-screen taxi driver on the studio back lots of Hollywood. Since his appearance as a cab driver in Charlie Chan in Shanghai (1935), producers often cast him as a wise-cracking or henchman taxi driver. "I was cast as a taxi driver about five years ago", Wagner told a reporter. "And I was typed." In 1952, Wagner began to appear on television, in episodes of such shows as The Cisco Kid, Zane Grey Theater and Perry Mason, playing much the same kind of parts he played in the movies. He was a regular cast member on the western television series Gunsmoke, making nearly 80 appearances between 1959 and 1973. He also appeared in many episodes of The Rifleman, Bonanza, Cimarron Strip, The Wild Wild West and Maverick, including a guest-starring role in the 1959 Rifleman episode "Blood Brother." He also had roles in the original Star Trek and The Twilight Zone series. He appeared in more than 200 television episodes between 1952 and 1974. Notable film roles for Wagner include a supporting role in the cult science fiction classic Invaders from Mars (1953), an actor playing a gangster in the film-within-a-film segment of Bullets or Ballots (1936), and the bull farm attendant in the Laurel and Hardy comedy The Bullfighters (1945). Late in his career, he appeared in To Kill a Mockingbird (1962) and The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962). He also occasionally composed music, such as the Mexican folk ballad "Pedro, Rudarte y Simon" in the Western film The Last Trail (1933). Wagner died of a heart attack in Hollywood in 1975.

Known For

  • Columbo

    Columbo

  • The Rifleman

    The Rifleman

  • The Twilight Zone

    The Twilight Zone

  • It's a Wonderful Life

    It's a Wonderful Life

  • The Abbott and Costello Show

    The Abbott and Costello Show

  • True Grit

    True Grit

  • East of Eden

    East of Eden

  • The Grapes of Wrath

    The Grapes of Wrath

  • A Night to Remember

    A Night to Remember

  • The Thrill Seekers

    The Thrill Seekers

  • The Spirit of St. Louis

    The Spirit of St. Louis

  • Wings Over Honolulu

    Wings Over Honolulu

  • Rosemary's Baby

    Rosemary's Baby

  • It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World

    It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World

  • The Roaring Twenties

    The Roaring Twenties

  • To Kill a Mockingbird

    To Kill a Mockingbird

  • Renegades of the West

    Renegades of the West

  • The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance

    The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance

  • The Great Race

    The Great Race

  • Young Frankenstein

    Young Frankenstein

  • The Mad Doctor

    The Mad Doctor

  • The Gracie Allen Murder Case

    The Gracie Allen Murder Case

  • Ride on Vaquero

    Ride on Vaquero

  • Mr. Moto in Danger Island

    Mr. Moto in Danger Island

  • Return of the Gunfighter

    Return of the Gunfighter

  • The Daring Young Man

    The Daring Young Man

  • The Racket

    The Racket

  • Scouts to the Rescue

    Scouts to the Rescue

  • Fast and Loose

    Fast and Loose

  • It Happens Every Spring

    It Happens Every Spring

  • Hang 'em High

    Hang 'em High

  • The Great O'Malley

    The Great O'Malley

  • Men Against the Sky

    Men Against the Sky

  • Gunpoint

    Gunpoint

  • The Mexican Spitfire's Baby

    The Mexican Spitfire's Baby

  • The Return of the Cisco Kid

    The Return of the Cisco Kid

  • Paddy O'Day

    Paddy O'Day

  • The Lost Weekend

    The Lost Weekend

  • Rhythm on the River

    Rhythm on the River

  • Hell Bent for Love

    Hell Bent for Love

  • The Truth About Murder

    The Truth About Murder

  • The Arkansas Traveler

    The Arkansas Traveler

  • Cocoanut Grove

    Cocoanut Grove

  • Tycoon

    Tycoon

  • 4 for Texas

    4 for Texas

  • Mexican Spitfire

    Mexican Spitfire

  • Texas

    Texas

  • The Day the Bookies Wept

    The Day the Bookies Wept

  • Alcatraz Island

    Alcatraz Island

  • Flaming Feather

    Flaming Feather

  • She Had to Choose

    She Had to Choose

  • Frenchie

    Frenchie

  • Sons o' Guns

    Sons o' Guns

  • Chatterbox

    Chatterbox

  • Mexican Spitfire's Elephant

    Mexican Spitfire's Elephant

  • Love Begins at Twenty

    Love Begins at Twenty

  • The Talk of the Town

    The Talk of the Town

  • The Secret of Convict Lake

    The Secret of Convict Lake

  • Come on Danger

    Come on Danger

  • Mary Burns, Fugitive

    Mary Burns, Fugitive

  • The Last of the Vargas

    The Last of the Vargas

  • Illegal

    Illegal

  • Dancing Pirate

    Dancing Pirate

  • Boss of Boomtown

    Boss of Boomtown

  • Undercover: How to Operate Behind Enemy Lines

    Undercover: How to Operate Behind Enemy Lines

  • Numbered Men

    Numbered Men

  • Rockabye

    Rockabye

  • The Miracle of Morgan’s Creek

    The Miracle of Morgan’s Creek

  • Off the Record

    Off the Record

  • Public Pigeon No. 1

    Public Pigeon No. 1

  • Black Legion

    Black Legion

  • The Adventures of Frank Merriwell

    The Adventures of Frank Merriwell

  • Half Past Midnight

    Half Past Midnight

  • The Spoilers

    The Spoilers

  • The Oil Raider

    The Oil Raider

  • Invaders from Mars

    Invaders from Mars

  • Professor Beware

    Professor Beware

  • Donovan's Brain

    Donovan's Brain

  • Wildcat Bus

    Wildcat Bus

  • The House Across the Bay

    The House Across the Bay

  • Border Cafe

    Border Cafe

  • Stage Door

    Stage Door

  • Going Wild

    Going Wild

  • Blind Date

    Blind Date

  • The Lost Jungle

    The Lost Jungle

  • Shenandoah

    Shenandoah

  • San Quentin

    San Quentin

  • Dr. Socrates

    Dr. Socrates

  • The Lost Jungle

    The Lost Jungle

  • Fallen Angel

    Fallen Angel

  • Terror in the Wax Museum

    Terror in the Wax Museum

  • Radio Stars on Parade

    Radio Stars on Parade

  • The Country Girl

    The Country Girl

  • Pop Always Pays

    Pop Always Pays

  • Step Lively, Jeeves!

    Step Lively, Jeeves!

  • The Ghost Breakers

    The Ghost Breakers

  • Money to Loan

    Money to Loan

  • The Conqueror

    The Conqueror

  • Moontide

    Moontide

  • The House of a Thousand Candles

    The House of a Thousand Candles

  • Flaxy Martin

    Flaxy Martin

  • Little Tough Guys in Society

    Little Tough Guys in Society

  • The Big Game

    The Big Game

  • Pier 23

    Pier 23

  • Ice Palace

    Ice Palace

  • The Palm Beach Story

    The Palm Beach Story

  • I Died a Thousand Times

    I Died a Thousand Times

  • God's Country and the Woman

    God's Country and the Woman

  • Support Your Local Gunfighter

    Support Your Local Gunfighter

  • Miss Fane's Baby Is Stolen

    Miss Fane's Baby Is Stolen

  • Possessed

    Possessed

  • Penrod and His Twin Brother

    Penrod and His Twin Brother

  • Trail of the Vigilantes

    Trail of the Vigilantes

  • Evil Roy Slade

    Evil Roy Slade

  • Reno

    Reno

  • The Miracle of the Bells

    The Miracle of the Bells

  • The Crime Patrol

    The Crime Patrol

  • The Girl from Mexico

    The Girl from Mexico

  • The Legend of Lylah Clare

    The Legend of Lylah Clare

  • Matri-Phony

    Matri-Phony

  • The Miracle Rider

    The Miracle Rider

  • You Only Live Once

    You Only Live Once

  • Robbery Under Arms

    Robbery Under Arms

  • Gridiron Flash

    Gridiron Flash

  • Fifth Avenue Girl

    Fifth Avenue Girl

  • The First Auto

    The First Auto

  • Night Waitress

    Night Waitress

  • The Red Pony

    The Red Pony

  • Circumstantial Evidence

    Circumstantial Evidence

  • Lucky Partners

    Lucky Partners

  • They Drive by Night

    They Drive by Night

  • 3 Kids and a Queen

    3 Kids and a Queen

  • I'll Tell the World

    I'll Tell the World

  • Hired Wife

    Hired Wife

  • The Man Who Wouldn't Talk

    The Man Who Wouldn't Talk

  • The Sainted Sisters

    The Sainted Sisters

  • A Big Hand for the Little Lady

    A Big Hand for the Little Lady

  • Making Good

    Making Good

  • A Medal for Benny

    A Medal for Benny

  • Love on a Bet

    Love on a Bet

  • Charlie Chan in Panama

    Charlie Chan in Panama

  • Bullets or Ballots

    Bullets or Ballots

  • Tarnished Angel

    Tarnished Angel

  • The Fighting Marines

    The Fighting Marines

  • The Over-the-Hill Gang Rides Again

    The Over-the-Hill Gang Rides Again

  • Hi, Beautiful

    Hi, Beautiful

  • The Good Bad Girl

    The Good Bad Girl

  • Many Unhappy Returns

    Many Unhappy Returns

  • Shed No Tears

    Shed No Tears

  • Maid's Night Out

    Maid's Night Out

  • Caught

    Caught

  • Before Dawn

    Before Dawn

  • The Girl on the Front Page

    The Girl on the Front Page

  • The World and the Flesh

    The World and the Flesh

  • Reign of Terror

    Reign of Terror

  • Sinbad the Sailor

    Sinbad the Sailor

  • Pressure Point

    Pressure Point

  • That Brennan Girl

    That Brennan Girl

  • Dick Tracy vs. Cueball

    Dick Tracy vs. Cueball

  • The Personality Kid

    The Personality Kid

  • Cock of the Air

    Cock of the Air

  • The Bank Dick

    The Bank Dick

  • Panama Hattie

    Panama Hattie

  • Obliging Young Lady

    Obliging Young Lady

  • Flashing Oars

    Flashing Oars

  • Wings of the Navy

    Wings of the Navy

  • Name the Woman

    Name the Woman

  • Millionaire Playboy

    Millionaire Playboy

  • Charlie Chan in Shanghai

    Charlie Chan in Shanghai

  • Suicide Fleet

    Suicide Fleet

  • Walking on Air

    Walking on Air

  • Smart Blonde

    Smart Blonde

  • The Great Diamond Robbery

    The Great Diamond Robbery

  • The Wife Takes a Flyer

    The Wife Takes a Flyer

  • Sabotage Squad

    Sabotage Squad

  • You Can't Fool Your Wife

    You Can't Fool Your Wife

  • Our Leading Citizen

    Our Leading Citizen

  • Cafe Society

    Cafe Society

  • Buck Benny Rides Again

    Buck Benny Rides Again

  • Born to Be Wild

    Born to Be Wild

  • Overland to Deadwood

    Overland to Deadwood

  • Sunrise at Campobello

    Sunrise at Campobello

  • Painted Desert

    Painted Desert

  • Cyclone on Horseback

    Cyclone on Horseback

  • Arizona to Broadway

    Arizona to Broadway

  • The Girl from Mandalay

    The Girl from Mandalay

  • We Who Are About to Die

    We Who Are About to Die

  • The Relay

    The Relay

  • Two in Revolt

    Two in Revolt