Max Linder
Acting
Born: December 16, 1883 · Cavernes, Saint-Loubès, Gironde, France
Died: November 1, 1925 (aged 41)
Highest Rated
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 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.
Known for
Photos (1)
Movies (80)
Easter Parade
Audience Member (uncredited)
Le Petit Café
1919
Charlie the Innkeeper
1939
Max Embarrassed
Max
The Three Must-Get-Theres
Dart-In-Again
Charlie Chaplin, The Genius of Liberty
archive footage
The Way of the World
(Archive Footage)
The Barometer of Fidelity
1909
Max and His Mother-in-Law
Max
Seven Years Bad Luck
Max
The Theft of the Mona Lisa
(archive footage)
Be My Wife
Max, the Fiancé
Max's First Job
Max
King of the Circus
Max Graf von Pompadour
All in Good Fun
Archive Footage
Au secours !
Max
Troubles of a Grass Widower
1908
Max Juggles for Love
Max
Max and His Dog Dick
Max
Max Linder Collection 1917-1922
2014
The Forced Marriage
1914
Attempted Suicide
1906
Max Comes Across
Max
His First Cigar
1908
Beginning of the Serpentine Dance
The ballet master
Love's Surprises
1909
Max Plays at Drama
1914
Max Linder's Appointment
1913
Max Learns to Skate
Max
Max Takes Tonics
Max
Max Wishes He Hadn't
1914
Max Toreador
1913
Max: Jockey for Love
Max
The Wedding Trunk
Max
Max Wants a Divorce
Max
Phial of Poison
1907
Max Is Convalescent
Max
A Conquest
1909
Max as a Musician
Max
Chance and Love
Max
Max and the Donkey
Max
Max Takes a Picture
1913
Max Linder Does All the Sports
Max
Max Skiing
Max
Harlequin's Story
Polichinelle / Ponchinella / Harlequin
Cordial Agreement
1912
Max and the Lady Doctor
Max
Long-Lasting Love
Max
Champion de boxe
Max
Max's Hat
Max
Max and the Purse
1917
The Little Vixen
1909
At the Show
1907
Max and the Statue
Max
Max the Heartbreaker
1917
An Agitated Night
1912
I Want a Baby
1910
Max Plays the Part
1914
Max's Vacation
Max
Max Takes a Bath
Max
Max as a Chiropodist
Max
Max in Monaco
1915
In Love with the Bearded Woman
1909
Le billet doux
Max
Max in the Convent
1914
Jalousie
1912
Max and the Jealous Husband
Max
Max and Jane Want to Do Theater
Max
The Water-Funker
Max
Max Sets the Fashion
Max
Max Takes Back His Freedom
Max (uncredited)
The False Max Linder
Max
Max Speaks English
Max
The Adventures of Tartarin the Younger
Tartarin
C'est Papa qui a pris la purge
Man on park bench
Max Wants to Grow
Max
Hairdresser of Love
1915
Max Gets Stuck Up
Max
A Farmhouse Romance
Max
Max devrait porter des bretelles
Max
Self / Appearances (6)
Birth of the Tramp
Self (archive footage)
Life and Deaths of Max Linder
Self (archive footage)
Laugh with Max Linder
Self (archive footage)
Max Linder Visits Charlie Chaplin
Self
The Man in the Silk Hat
Self (archive footage)
Max in a Taxi
Himself
Directing (50)
Max Embarrassed
Director
The Three Must-Get-Theres
Director
Max and His Mother-in-Law
Director
Seven Years Bad Luck
Director
Be My Wife
Director
Max's First Job
Director
Max Juggles for Love
Director
Max and His Dog Dick
Director
The Forced Marriage
Director
Max Comes Across
Director
Love's Surprises
Director
Max Linder's Appointment
Director
Max Takes Tonics
Director
Max Wishes He Hadn't
Director
Max Toreador
Director
Max: Jockey for Love
Director
The Wedding Trunk
Director
Max Wants a Divorce
Director
Max Is Convalescent
Director
Max as a Musician
Director
Chance and Love
Director
Max and the Donkey
Director
Max Linder Does All the Sports
Director
Cordial Agreement
Director
Max and the Lady Doctor
Director
Long-Lasting Love
Director
Champion de boxe
Director
Max's Hat
Director
Max and the Purse
Director
Max and the Statue
Director
Max the Heartbreaker
Director
An Agitated Night
Director
I Want a Baby
Director
Max's Vacation
Director
Max as a Chiropodist
Director
Max in Monaco
Director
Max in a Taxi
Director
Le billet doux
Director
Jalousie
Director
Max and the Jealous Husband
Director
Max and Jane Want to Do Theater
Director
The Water-Funker
Director
Max Sets the Fashion
Director
Max Takes Back His Freedom
Director
Max Speaks English
Director
Max Wants to Grow
Director
Hairdresser of Love
Director
Max Gets Stuck Up
Director
A Farmhouse Romance
Director
Max devrait porter des bretelles
Director
Writing (32)
Le Petit Café
Writer
The Three Must-Get-Theres
Writer
Max and His Mother-in-Law
Writer
Seven Years Bad Luck
Writer
Maxim's Porter
Writer
Be My Wife
Writer
King of the Circus
Writer
Au secours !
Writer
Max and His Dog Dick
Writer
Max Comes Across
Writer
Laugh with Max Linder
Writer
Max Linder's Appointment
Writer
Par habitude
Story
Max Wishes He Hadn't
Writer
Max Toreador
Writer
Max Wants a Divorce
Writer
Max Is Convalescent
Writer
Max as a Musician
Writer
Chance and Love
Writer
Cordial Agreement
Writer
Max and the Lady Doctor
Writer
Champion de boxe
Writer
Max's Hat
Writer
Max and the Statue
Writer
I Want a Baby
Writer
Max's Vacation
Writer
Max Takes a Bath
Scenario Writer
Le billet doux
Scenario Writer
Jalousie
Writer
Max and Jane Want to Do Theater
Writer
Max Takes Back His Freedom
Writer
Max Gets Stuck Up
Writer