Max Wagner
Known for Acting · 195 credits
- Born
- 1901-11-28
- Died
- 1975-11-16
- Place of birth
- Torreon, Coahuila, Mexico
- Also known as
- Maxwell 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
Known For
TV Shows (7)
Columbo
1971
as Derelict (uncredited)
The Rifleman
1958
The Andy Griffith Show
1960
as Townsman (uncredited)
Bonanza
1959
as Townsman (uncredited)
The Twilight Zone
1959
as Roller Coaster Operator
The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp
1955
as Gambler (uncredited) / Townsman (uncredited)
The Abbott and Costello Show
1952
as First Workman
Movies (188)
It's a Wonderful Life
1946
as Cashier / Nick's Assistant Bouncer (uncredited)
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance
1962
as Townsman (uncredited)
Rosemary's Baby
1968
as Man in Dream Sequence (uncredited)
Young Frankenstein
1974
as Villager (uncredited)
To Kill a Mockingbird
1962
as Courtroom Spectator (uncredited)
True Grit
1969
as Courtroom Spectator (uncredited)
Hang 'em High
1968
as Prisoner
It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World
1963
as Spectator (uncredited)
The Grapes of Wrath
1940
as Guard (uncredited)
The Great Race
1965
as Barfly (uncredited)
East of Eden
1955
as Workman (uncredited)
Before Dawn
1933
as Policeman in Car (uncredited)
The Lost Weekend
1945
as Mike (uncredited)
Fallen Angel
1945
as Bartender (uncredited)
The Ghost Breakers
1940
as Ship Porter (uncredited)
Shed No Tears
1948
as Second Investigating Detective (Uncredited)
Sinbad the Sailor
1947
as Assistant Overseer (uncredited)
The Legend of Lylah Clare
1968
as Reporter (uncredited)
Millionaire Playboy
1940
as Highway Patrol Officer
Caught
1949
as Projectionist (uncredited)
A Big Hand for the Little Lady
1966
as Cashier (uncredited)
Fifth Avenue Girl
1939
as Policeman (uncredited)
The Spirit of St. Louis
1957
as Reporter (uncredited)
4 for Texas
1963
as Blackjack Dealer
The Roaring Twenties
1939
as Gangster (uncredited)
Support Your Local Gunfighter
1971
as Townsman Watching Fight (uncredited)
Dick Tracy vs. Cueball
1946
as Bartender (uncredited)
Shenandoah
1965
as Church Member
Stage Door
1937
as Baggage Man (uncredited)
Tarnished Angel
1938
as Tough Casino Decoy
Return of the Gunfighter
1967
as Barfly (uncredited)
They Drive by Night
1940
as Sweeney, Driver (uncredited)
Bullets or Ballots
1936
as Actor Impersonating Kruger in Newsreel (uncredited)
Illegal
1955
as Bartender (uncredited)
I Died a Thousand Times
1955
as Deputy Charlie (uncredited)
The Country Girl
1954
as Expressman (uncredited)
The Spoilers
1942
as Deputy (uncredited)
The Cheyenne Social Club
1970
as Barfly (uncredited)
The Racket
1951
as Durko (uncredited)
The Conqueror
1956
as Mongul Guard (uncredited)
The Talk of the Town
1942
as Moving Man (uncredited)
You Only Live Once
1937
as Dan - Corridor Guard (uncredited)
The Palm Beach Story
1942
as Tom's Best Man (uncredited)
Night Waitress
1936
as Diner Trying to Date Helen
Reign of Terror
1949
as Citizen (uncredited)
Charlie Chan in Shanghai
1935
as Taxi Driver Henchman
Mr. Moto in Danger Island
1939
as Sailor at Wrestling Match
It Happens Every Spring
1949
as Umpire (uncredited)
Terror in the Wax Museum
1973
as Music Hall Drunk (Uncredited)
Invaders from Mars
1953
as Army Sgt. Rinaldi
Pressure Point
1962
The Over-the-Hill Gang Rides Again
1970
as Barfly (uncredited)
Flaxy Martin
1949
as Charles McMahon
Sunrise at Campobello
1960
as Convention Delegate (uncredited)
Obliging Young Lady
1942
as Jack - Diner Counterman (uncredited)
Wings of the Navy
1939
as Boss Mechanic
Many Unhappy Returns
1937
as Ernie - Counter Girl's Boyfriend
Evil Roy Slade
1972
as Townsman (uncredited)
The Gracie Allen Murder Case
1939
as Thug
Charlie Chan in Panama
1940
as Soldier
The Bank Dick
1940
as Shirtless Ditchdigger (uncredited)
Possessed
1947
as Man in Café (uncredited)
Tycoon
1947
Maid's Night Out
1938
as Sam Johnson - Milk Man (uncredited)
Texas
1941
as Fats Delaney
The Wife Takes a Flyer
1942
as Sergeant
The Miracle of Morgan's Creek
1944
as Military Police Driver (uncredited)
Donovan's Brain
1953
as Station Agent (uncredited)
Buck Benny Rides Again
1940
as Cowboy
Hired Wife
1940
as Streetcar Conductor
Circumstantial Evidence
1945
as Truck Driver
Moontide
1942
as Fisherman (uncredited)
Mary Burns, Fugitive
1935
as Sailor
The Secret of Convict Lake
1951
as Jack Purcell (uncredited)
Panama Hattie
1942
as Jailer (uncredited)
Gunpoint
1966
A Medal for Benny
1945
as Jake (uncredited)
The Good Bad Girl
1931
as Thug
Flaming Feather
1952
Ice Palace
1960
as Party Guest (uncredited)
Our Leading Citizen
1939
as Workman
The Great O'Malley
1937
as School Bus Driver (uncredited)
Frenchie
1950
as Drunk (uncredited)
The Red Pony
1949
as Bartender
Pop Always Pays
1940
as Bill - Policeman in Car 43
Men Against the Sky
1940
as Max - Radioman
The Daring Young Man
1935
as Reporter
Professor Beware
1938
as Chinatown Barker
Tennessee's Partner
1955
as Townsman (uncredited)
Submarine Patrol
1938
as Marine Corporal (uncredited)
Rhythm on the River
1940
as Cherry's Cabbie
I'll Tell the World
1939
as Salesman
Dancing Pirate
1936
as Pirate (uncredited)
Smart Blonde
1937
as Chuck Cannon
Mexican Spitfire's Elephant
1942
as Villa Luigi Headwaiter
Pier 23
1951
as Bar Patron (uncredited)
San Quentin
1937
as Prison Runner
The Mad Doctor
1940
as Cab Driver (Uncredited)
Half Past Midnight
1948
as Mike
The Return of the Cisco Kid
1939
as Brings in Rustler
The Girl from Mexico
1939
as Headwaiter
Alcatraz Island
1937
as Party Guest (uncredited)
The Great Diamond Robbery
1954
as Policeman (uncredited)
Sons o' Guns
1936
as Soldier
God's Country and the Woman
1937
as Gus
The Personality Kid
1934
as Max
The Lost Jungle
1934
as Slade
Paddy O'Day
1936
as Milkman's Helper on Dock
Step Lively, Jeeves!
1937
as Joey
Mexican Spitfire
1940
as Headwaiter - Mexican Pete's
Reno
1939
as Police Lt. Joe Wilson
Going Wild
1930
as Ferguson - Pilot
Off the Record
1939
as Visitor (uncredited)
Matri-Phony
1942
as Guard (uncredited)
Name the Woman
1934
as Reporter
Trail of the Vigilantes
1940
as Joe
That Brennan Girl
1946
as Moving Man (uncredited)
Wings Over Honolulu
1937
as Marine
Lucky Partners
1940
as Waiter (uncredited)
The World and the Flesh
1932
as Vorobiov
About Max Wagner
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 Walla… With 195 credits spanning from 1926 to 1974, Max Wagner has appeared in 188 films and 7 TV shows.
Fans searching for Max Wagner movies, Max Wagner filmography, or the latest projects starring Max Wagner can stream many of these titles on Bowood.TV, free and in HD, with no subscription required.
Most Popular Max Wagner Movies
- It's a Wonderful Life (1946) — as Cashier / Nick's Assistant Bouncer (uncredited)
- The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962) — as Townsman (uncredited)
- Rosemary's Baby (1968) — as Man in Dream Sequence (uncredited)
- Young Frankenstein (1974) — as Villager (uncredited)
- To Kill a Mockingbird (1962) — as Courtroom Spectator (uncredited)
Where to Watch Max Wagner Films
Most Max Wagner movies and series are available to stream on Bowood.TV in full HD, completely free and without signup. Browse the complete filmography above to jump directly to any title. For more films and the latest web series featuring Max Wagner, check our movies catalogue and browse page.