Biography
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…
Movies & TV Shows
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Easter Parade (1948) — Audience Member (uncredited)
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Seven Years Bad Luck (1921) — Max
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The Three Must-Get-Theres (1922) — Dart-In-Again
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Max Takes a Bath (1911) — Max
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Au secours ! (1924) — Max
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The Dentures (1909)
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Birth of the Tramp (2013) — Self (archive footage)
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Be My Wife (1921) — Max, the Fiancé
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Max's Vacation (1914) — Max
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Max's Hat (1913) — Max
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Max's First Job (1910) — Max
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Max Takes Back His Freedom (1912) — Max (uncredited)
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Max and His Mother-in-Law (1911) — Max
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Max Learns to Skate (1907) — Max
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Max as a Chiropodist (1914) — Max
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Troubles of a Grass Widower (1908)
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Charlie Chaplin, The Genius of Liberty (2020) — archive footage
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Max Takes Tonics (1911) — Max
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Long-Lasting Love (1912) — Max
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His First Cigar (1908)
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Max Speaks English (1914) — Max
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Max and His Dog Dick (1912) — Max
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Max Takes a Picture (1913)
- Max Sets the Style (1914) — Max
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Max and Jane Want to Do Theater (1911) — Max
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Max Is Convalescent (1911) — Max
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Max and the Statue (1912) — Max
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Cordial Agreement (1912)
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The Water-Funker (1912) — Max
- The Romance of Max (1912) — Max
- Joined Lips (1906)
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The Barometer of Fidelity (1909)
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Charlie the Innkeeper (1939)
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Max Wants a Divorce (1917) — Max
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A Farmhouse Romance (1912) — Max
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Max Wants to Grow (1912) — Max
- Max Fears the Dogs (1912) — Max
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Max and the Lady Doctor (1914) — Max
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Love's Surprises (1909)
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Max Sets the Fashion (1912) — Max
Directed
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Seven Years Bad Luck (1921) — Director
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The Three Must-Get-Theres (1922) — Director
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Be My Wife (1921) — Director
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Max's Vacation (1914) — Director
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Max's Hat (1913) — Director
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Max's First Job (1910) — Director
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Max Takes Back His Freedom (1912) — Director
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Max and His Mother-in-Law (1911) — Director
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Max as a Chiropodist (1914) — Director
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Max Takes Tonics (1911) — Director
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Long-Lasting Love (1912) — Director
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Max Speaks English (1914) — Director
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Max and His Dog Dick (1912) — Director
- Max Sets the Style (1914) — Director
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Max and Jane Want to Do Theater (1911) — Director
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Max Is Convalescent (1911) — Director
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Max and the Statue (1912) — Director
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Cordial Agreement (1912) — Director
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The Water-Funker (1912) — Director
- The Romance of Max (1912) — Director
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Max Wants a Divorce (1917) — Director
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A Farmhouse Romance (1912) — Director
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Max Wants to Grow (1912) — Director
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Max Sets the Fashion (1912) — Director
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Max and the Lady Doctor (1914) — Director
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Chance and Love (1915) — Director
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I Want a Baby (1910) — Director
- Max Fears the Dogs (1912) — Director
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Love's Surprises (1909) — Director
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Max in a Taxi (1917) — Director
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An Agitated Night (1912) — Director
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Max Toreador (1913) — Director
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Max the Heartbreaker (1917) — Director
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Max and the Donkey (1912) — Director
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Max and the Purse (1917) — Director
- Max, Tango Teacher (1912) — Director
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Max Juggles for Love (1912) — Director
- Max: Boxer By Love (1912) — Director
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Max Gets Stuck Up (1910) — Director
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Max in Monaco (1915) — Director