Cast & creator
Max Linder
Best known for Hollywood, Encyclopédie audiovisuelle du cinéma, The Theft of the Mona Lisa
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.
Also known as: Gabriel-Maximilien Leuvielle, Gentleman Max
236
film credits
2
television credits
128
1905–2024 · acting roles
6.6
average across scored titles
Signature credits
Known for
Across film & television
Filmography (238)
Showing 238 of 238 credits
Hollywood
Self (archive footage, uncredited)
1980Encyclopédie audiovisuelle du cinéma
Self (archive footage)
1978
The Theft of the Mona Lisa
(archive footage)
1931
Easter Parade
Audience Member (uncredited)
1948
Charlie Chaplin, The Genius of Liberty
archive footage
2020
Birth of the Tramp
Self (archive footage)
2013
Max's First Job
Max
1910Max's First Job
Director
1910
Be My Wife
Max, the Fiancé
1921Be My Wife
Director
1921Be My Wife
Writer
1921Be My Wife
Producer
1921
The Way of the World
(Archive Footage)
1947
Max and His Mother-in-Law
Max
1911Max and His Mother-in-Law
Director
1911Max and His Mother-in-Law
Writer
1911
Life and Deaths of Max Linder
Self (archive footage)
2024
Seven Years Bad Luck
Max
1921Seven Years Bad Luck
Director
1921Seven Years Bad Luck
Writer
1921Seven Years Bad Luck
Producer
1921
Le Petit Café
1919Le Petit Café
Writer
1919
All in Good Fun
Archive Footage
1955
The Three Must-Get-Theres
Dart-In-Again
1922The Three Must-Get-Theres
Director
1922The Three Must-Get-Theres
Writer
1922
Maxim's Porter
Writer
1927
Charlie the Innkeeper
1939
Max Skiing
Max
1910Max Skiing
Scenario Writer
1910A Drama in Seaville
The Rival
1907Romeo Turns Bandit
1909
Max Embarrassed
Max
1910Max Embarrassed
Director
1910
Max Linder Visits Charlie Chaplin
Self
1917Max se marie
Max
1911Max se marie
Director
1911
Max and His Dog Dick
Max
1912Max and His Dog Dick
Director
1912Max and His Dog Dick
Writer
1912
Max and Jane Want to Do Theater
Max
1911Max and Jane Want to Do Theater
Director
1911Max and Jane Want to Do Theater
Writer
1911
Max Linder's Appointment
1913Max Linder's Appointment
Director
1913Max Linder's Appointment
Writer
1913
Max Juggles for Love
Max
1912Max Juggles for Love
Director
1912
Max's Vacation
Max
1914Max's Vacation
Director
1914Max's Vacation
Writer
1914
Max Comes Across
Max
1917Max Comes Across
Director
1917Max Comes Across
Writer
1917
Au secours !
Max
1924Au secours !
Writer
1924A Short-Sighted Duellist
Max
1910Max manque un riche mariage
Max
1910Max manque un riche mariage
Writer
1910
Max Plays at Drama
1914The Effects of Pills
Max
1910The Effects of Pills
Writer
1910
Max Learns to Skate
Max
1907
Laugh with Max Linder
Self (archive footage)
1963Laugh with Max Linder
Writer
1963
The Barometer of Fidelity
1909
His First Cigar
1908
Chance and Love
Max
1915Chance and Love
Director
1915Chance and Love
Writer
1915
Max Linder Collection 1917-1922
2014
A Conquest
1909
King of the Circus
Max Graf von Pompadour
1924King of the Circus
Writer
1924Max émule de Tartarin
Max
1912Max émule de Tartarin
Director
1912
Max Takes a Bath
Max
1911Max Takes a Bath
Scenario Writer
1911
Harlequin's Story
Polichinelle / Ponchinella / Harlequin
1907In a Difficult Position
Dieutegarde
1908
Beginning of the Serpentine Dance
The ballet master
1908
Max Linder Does All the Sports
Max
1913Max Linder Does All the Sports
Director
1913
Max's Hat
Max
1913Max's Hat
Director
1913Max's Hat
Writer
1913
Max Wants a Divorce
Max
1917Max Wants a Divorce
Director
1917Max Wants a Divorce
Writer
1917
Attempted Suicide
1906
Max Takes Back His Freedom
Max (uncredited)
1912Max Takes Back His Freedom
Director
1912Max Takes Back His Freedom
Writer
1912
The Man in the Silk Hat
Self (archive footage)
1983
Max Takes a Picture
1913
At the Show
1907
Max Sets the Fashion
Max
1912Max Sets the Fashion
Director
1912
Max Takes Tonics
Max
1911Max Takes Tonics
Director
1911
The False Max Linder
Max
1914
Par habitude
Story
1923Those Were The Days
(self)
1946
The Little Vixen
1909The Romance of Max
Max
1912The Romance of Max
Director
1912
An Unexpected Marriage
1913An Unexpected Marriage
Director
1913
Love's Surprises
1909Love's Surprises
Director
1909
I Want a Baby
1910I Want a Baby
Scenario Writer
1910Max Hates Cats
1913Max Hates Cats
Director
1913
The Adventures of Tartarin the Younger
Tartarin
1910
The Forced Marriage
1914The Forced Marriage
Director
1914
Long-Lasting Love
Max
1912Long-Lasting Love
Director
1912Noisy Neighbors
1908
Max: Jockey for Love
Max
1913Max: Jockey for Love
Director
1913
Cordial Agreement
1912Cordial Agreement
Director
1912Cordial Agreement
Writer
1912
Champion de boxe
Max
1911Champion de boxe
Director
1911Champion de boxe
Writer
1911Max amoureux de la teinturière
Max
1912Max amoureux de la teinturière
Director
1912Max, médecin malgré lui
Max
1917Max, médecin malgré lui
Director
1917Max, médecin malgré lui
Writer
1917Max Makes a Touch
1910
Max as a Musician
Max
1913Max as a Musician
Writer
1913Max as a Musician
Director
1913
Max Plays the Part
1914
Max the Heartbreaker
1917Max the Heartbreaker
Director
1917
Max and the Lady Doctor
Max
1914Max and the Lady Doctor
Director
1914Max and the Lady Doctor
Writer
1914
Max Wishes He Hadn't
1914Max Wishes He Hadn't
Writer
1914Max Wishes He Hadn't
Director
1914
Max in a Taxi
Himself
1917Max in a Taxi
Director
1917First Night Out
1905A Nervous Twitch Is Catching (Un Tic Nerveux Contagieux)
Max in Monaco
1915Max in Monaco
Director
1915
Max Speaks English
Max
1914Max Speaks English
Director
1914Tout sur mon père Max Linder
Self (archive footage)
2013
In Love with the Bearded Woman
1909
Max Gets Stuck Up
Max
1910Max Gets Stuck Up
Director
1910Max Gets Stuck Up
Writer
1910
Le billet doux
Max
1913Le billet doux
Director
1913Le billet doux
Scenario Writer
1913
Max and the Purse
1917Max and the Purse
Director
1917
A Farmhouse Romance
Max
1912A Farmhouse Romance
Director
1912Le serment d'un prince
Jacques de Lacerda
1910Le serment d'un prince
Writer
1910Le serment d'un prince
Director
1910
C'est Papa qui a pris la purge
Man on park bench
1906
Max Wants to Grow
Max
1912Max Wants to Grow
Director
1912
Max Toreador
1913Max Toreador
Director
1913Max Toreador
Writer
1913
Troubles of a Grass Widower
1908
Max in the Convent
1914Une ruse de mari
1911The Gentleman Thief
Arsène Lupin
1909The Gentleman Thief
Director
1909Une ruse de mari
Writer
1911Max a un duel
Max
1911Max a un duel
Director
1911
The Water-Funker
Max
1912The Water-Funker
Director
1912
Max devrait porter des bretelles
Max
1917Max devrait porter des bretelles
Director
1917
An Agitated Night
1912An Agitated Night
Director
1912Unforeseen Meeting
1905Max Sets the Style
Max
1914Max Sets the Style
Director
1914
Max and the Jealous Husband
Max
1914Max and the Jealous Husband
Director
1914
Max and the Donkey
Max
1912Max and the Donkey
Director
1912Comment Max fait le tour du monde
1911Comment Max fait le tour du monde
Director
1911Pitou, bonne d'enfants
1907Max est distrait
Max
1910Max est distrait
Director
1910Max, Tango Teacher
1912Max, Tango Teacher
Director
1912
Phial of Poison
1907Un pari original
Max
1912Un pari original
Director
1912Max asthmatique
Max
1914Max asthmatique
Director
1914
Max Is Convalescent
Max
1911Max Is Convalescent
Director
1911Max Is Convalescent
Writer
1911
Hairdresser of Love
1915Hairdresser of Love
Director
1915Trop aimée
Max
1910
The Wedding Trunk
Max
1912The Wedding Trunk
Director
1912For a Necklace
1907Joined Lips
1906
Max and the Statue
Max
1912Max and the Statue
Director
1912Max and the Statue
Writer
1912The World of Yesteryear – Max Linder
Self
1924Max: Boxer By Love
1912Max: Boxer By Love
Director
1912Max Fears the Dogs
Max
1912Max Fears the Dogs
Director
1912Max's Latest Hobby
1914Max's Latest Hobby
Director
1914
Max as a Chiropodist
Max
1914Max as a Chiropodist
Director
1914Le duel de Max
Max
1913Le duel de Max
Director
1913The Puzzle
1910The Puzzle
Director
1910
Jalousie
1912Jalousie
Writer
1912Jalousie
Director
1912