Image of Max Linder

Max Linder

Although all too frequently neglected by fans of silent comedy, Max Linder is in many ways as important a figure as Charles Chaplin, Buster Keaton, or Harold Lloyd not least because he predated (and influenced) them all by several years, and was largely responsible for the creation of the classic style of silent slapstick comedy. He started out as an actor in the French theatre, but after making his screen debut in 1905, he quickly became an enormously famous and successful film comedian on both sides of the Atlantic, thanks to his character "Max," a top-hatted dandy. By 1912, he was the highest-paid film star in the world, with an unprecedented salary of one million francs. He began to direct films in 1911 and showed equal facility behind the camera, but his career suffered an almost terminal blow when he was called up to fight in World War I. He was gassed, and the illness that resulted would blight his career. Although offered a contract in America, recurring ill-health meant that his US films had little of the sparkle of his early French work, and a brief attempt to revive his career by making films for the recently-formed United Artists (one of whose founders, of course, was Chaplin) in the early 1920s came to little, although these later films are now regarded as classics. He returned to France and killed himself in a suicide pact with his wife in 1925.


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Born:
Dec 16, 1883
Movie/TV Credits:
100
First Appeared:
In the movie A Good Night Out
Latest Project:
Movie Birth of the Tramp 2013-12-29
Known For
Poster of Hairdresser of Love
Poster of The Wedding Trunk
Poster of Max Is Convalescent
Poster of C'est Papa qui a pris la purge
Filmography
Movie A Good Night Out Josh 2025
Movie Birth of the Tramp Self (archive footage) 2013-12-29
Movie The Reason Why Prison Doctor 2008-03-07
Movie Backfire 1950-01-26
Movie Born to Be Bad Charity Ball Guest (uncredited) 1950-09-28
Movie My Dear Secretary Nightclub Patron (uncredited) 1948-11-05
Movie Humoresque Party guest (uncredited) 1947-01-25
Movie Nightmare Alley Man in Spode Room (uncredited) 1947-10-09
Movie Fun on a Weekend Party Guest (uncredited) 1947-05-15
Movie Gilda Gambler (uncredited) 1946-04-25
Movie Deception Concertgoer (uncredited) 1946-10-26
Movie The Naughty Nineties Riverboat Gambler (uncredited) 1945-06-20
Movie Experiment Perilous Nightclub Guest (uncredited) 1944-12-18
Movie Casablanca Gambler (uncredited) 1943-01-15
Movie Mr. Lucky Gambler (uncredited) 1943-07-01
Movie Here Comes Mr. Jordan Board Member (uncredited) 1941-08-07
Movie Kitty Foyle Chauffeur (uncredited) 1940-12-27
Movie The Ghost Comes Home Club Patron (uncredited) 1940-03-08
Movie Second Fiddle Man in Audience (uncredited) 1939-06-30
Movie Blondes at Work Juror (uncredited) 1938-02-05
Movie The Theft of the Mona Lisa (archive footage) 1931-08-24
Movie King of the Circus Max Graf von Pompadour 1924-05-23
Movie Au Secours ! Max 1924-06-17
Movie The Three Must-Get-Theres Dart-In-Again 1922-08-22
Movie Be My Wife Max, the Fiancé 1921-04-01
Movie Seven Years Bad Luck Max 1921-02-06
Movie Le Petit Café 1919-01-02
Movie Max and the Purse 1917-02-02
Movie Max Wants a Divorce Max 1917-03-26
Movie Max in a Taxi Himself 1917-04-23
Movie Max, médecin malgré lui Max 1917-09-21
Movie Max the Heartbreaker 1917-05-04
Movie Max in Monaco 1915-01-07
Movie Chance and Love Max 1915-12-31
Movie Hairdresser of Love 1915-04-22
Movie Max Sets the Style Max 1914-03-05
Movie Max's Latest Hobby 1914-02-14
Movie Max's Vacation Max 1914-01-09
Movie Max Speaks English Max 1914-03-06
Movie Max in the Convent 1914-08-13
Movie The False Max Linder Max 1914-09-29
Movie Max and the Jealous Husband Max 1914-04-10
Movie The Forced Marriage 1914-08-10
Movie Max and the Lady Doctor Max 1914-07-10
Movie Max as a Chiropodist Max 1914-04-23
Movie Max Linder Does All the Sports Max 1913-07-03
Movie Max Toreador 1913-09-11
Movie Max Takes a Picture 1913-01-12
Movie Max Hates Cats 1913-09-26
Movie An Unexpected Marriage 1913-11-11
Movie Max's Hat Max 1913-10-24
Movie Max Fears the Dogs Max 1912-05-08
Movie Un pari original Max 1912-06-21
Movie Max and the Donkey Max 1912-07-04
Movie Max Juggles for Love 1912-05-08
Movie Max Takes Back His Freedom Max (uncredited) 1912-01-26
Movie Max Sets the Fashion Max 1912-01-05
Movie The Wedding Trunk Max 1912-07-18
Movie Max and His Dog Dick Max 1912-02-09
Movie An Agitated Night 1912-05-24
Movie Max: Boxer By Love 1912-10-24
Movie The Water-Funker Max 1912-12-06
Movie A Farm-house Romance Max 1912-08-15
Movie Max Wants to Grow Max 1912-12-06
Movie The Romance of Max Max 1912-10-17
Movie Long-Lasting Love Max 1912-10-03
Movie Max, Tango Teacher 1912-08-16
Movie Max and the Statue Max 1912-12-20
Movie Cordial Agreement 1912-09-19
Movie Max and His Mother-in-Law Max 1911-04-28
Movie Max Takes Tonics Max 1911-12-15
Movie Max Is Convalescent Max 1911-08-25
Movie Max and Jane Want to Do Theater Max 1911-12-11
Movie Max Makes a Touch 1910-03-31
Movie Max Plays the Part 1910-05-16
Movie The Adventures of Tartarin the Younger Tartarin 1910-01-07
Movie A Short-Sighted Duellist Max 1910-05-28
Movie I Want a Baby 1910-03-19
Movie Max Embarrassed Max 1910-11-12
Movie Max Skiing Max 1910-07-14
Movie Max Gets Stuck Up Max 1910-12-31
Movie Max Takes a Bath Max 1910-10-22
Movie Trop aimée Max 1910-08-10
Movie Max's First Job Max 1910-10-01
Movie Romeo Turns Bandit 1909-05-16
Movie In Love with the Bearded Woman 1909-07-31
Movie The Barometer of Fidelity 1909-11-04
Movie The Dentures 1909-11-16
Movie La Petite Rosse 1909-10-22
Movie Love's Surprises 1909-10-16
Movie His First Cigar 1908-01-18
Movie Troubles of a Grass Widower 1908-02-29
Movie In a Difficult Position Dieutegarde 1908-02-15
Movie The Husband's Trick 1907-01-02
Movie For a Necklace 1907-01-02
Movie Joined Lips 1907-01-11
Movie Max Learns to Skate Max 1907-05-09
Movie C'est Papa qui a pris la purge Lover in the street 1907-01-17
Movie Harlequin's Story Polichinelle / Ponchinella / Harlequin 1907-06-20
Movie Attempted Suicide 1906-12-14