Frank Maxwell
American actor
title: "Frank Maxwell" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["1916-births", "2004-deaths", "university-of-michigan-alumni", "american-male-stage-actors", "american-male-television-actors", "american-male-film-actors", "male-actors-from-los-angeles", "20th-century-american-male-actors", "male-actors-from-the-bronx", "presidents-of-the-american-federation-of-television-and-radio-artists"] description: "American actor" topic_path: "arts" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Maxwell" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::summary American actor ::
::data[format=table title="Infobox person"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| name | Frank Maxwell |
| image | Frank Maxwell in One Step Beyond (Forked Lightning).jpg |
| caption | Maxwell in an episode of One Step Beyond (1959) |
| birthname | Charles Francis Maxwell |
| birth_date | |
| birth_place | The Bronx, New York, U.S. |
| death_date | |
| death_place | Santa Monica, California, U.S. |
| resting_place | Holy Cross Cemetery, Culver City, California |
| alma_mater | University of Michigan |
| occupation | Actor, AFTRA Union president, 1984–1989 |
| years_active | 1939–1995 |
| children | 1 |
| :: |
| name = Frank Maxwell | image = Frank Maxwell in One Step Beyond (Forked Lightning).jpg | caption = Maxwell in an episode of One Step Beyond (1959) | birthname = Charles Francis Maxwell | birth_date = | birth_place = The Bronx, New York, U.S. | death_date = | death_place = Santa Monica, California, U.S. | resting_place = Holy Cross Cemetery, Culver City, California | alma_mater = University of Michigan | occupation = Actor, AFTRA Union president, 1984–1989 | years_active = 1939–1995 | spouse = | children = 1
Charles Francis Maxwell (November 17, 1916 – August 4, 2004) was an American actor who served as president of the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists from 1984 to 1989.
Life and career
A native of The Bronx borough of New York City, and a graduate of the University of Michigan, he appeared in 151 films or television programs. Maxwell began his acting career on the Broadway stage, appearing in such notable plays as Death of a Salesman (playing the role of Willy Loman's son, "Happy"), South Pacific (playing "Luther Billis," a role that went to Ray Walston in the film version), and Stalag 17. His first television acting roles were in 1950 in episodes of the Goodyear Playhouse/Philco Playhouse followed in 1951 by an appearance in the episode "The Overcoat" of the television series Big Town.
Maxwell subsequently appeared in such series as Decoy with Beverly Garland, Peter Gunn (twice), Alfred Hitchcock Presents (five episodes), The Fugitive (three episodes), Whirlybirds, Black Saddle, The Man and the Challenge, The Deputy, Cain's Hundred, Follow the Sun, Hong Kong, The Asphalt Jungle, Target: The Corruptors, and Mr. Novak. He was cast three times each on Robert Montgomery Presents, Cannon, and Emergency! and four times each on Rawhide; Quincy, M.E.; and The F.B.I.
In 1960, Maxwell was cast in CBS's science fiction series, The Twilight Zone as Marty Fisher in the episode "A World of Difference". That same year, he appeared as Hackett in the episode "Millionaire Jessica March" of the CBS fantasy drama, The Millionaire. In 1960 he made two guest appearances on Perry Mason: as Harry Wilson in "The Case of the Wayward Wife," and defendant Joe Dixon in "The Case of the Red Riding Boots." He made a third appearance in 1961 as Dr. Mooney in "The Case of the Injured Innocent."
In the 1962–1963 television season, he was a co-star of the ABC sitcom, Our Man Higgins, starring Stanley Holloway in the title role and with Audrey Totter and Ricky Kelman. Maxwell played the father, Duncan MacRoberts, in all thirty-four episodes of the series. He also appeared as a regular on the TV series Felony Squad with Howard Duff from 1966-68 and The Second Hundred Years with Monte Markham from 1967-68.
In 1970, he appeared as a producer in “That Girl”.
From 1973 to 1975, he appeared in five episodes of CBS's Barnaby Jones, with Buddy Ebsen. In 1977, he appeared an in episode of ABC's The Feather and Father Gang; he also appeared on All In The Family in the role of Tommy Kelsey, owner of Kelsey's Bar, a role originated by actor Brendan Dillon in Season 2, that had been assumed on a recurring basis by he and actor Bob Hastings in Seasons 1-6, in Part 1 of the two-part Season 8 opening episode "Archie Gets The Business". In 1984, he appeared in a two-part episode of ABC's The Love Boat, in which he was cast as Colonel Charles Holmsey. His last regular acting role was as Dan Rooney, the lovable aging hospital administrator on General Hospital which he appeared on from 1978-1988. Over the years, the character had a hand in practically every storyline and was a major participant in the now famous "Ice Princess" storyline which dominated the daytime ratings in 1981.
He died in Santa Monica, California, and was buried in Holy Cross Cemetery, Culver City, California.
Selected filmography
::data[format=table]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1957 | The Violators | Sam | |
| 1958 | Lonelyhearts | Pat Doyle | |
| 1959 | Alfred Hitchcock Presents | Roger | Season 5 Episode 10: "Special Delivery" |
| 1959 | Steve Canyon (TV Series) | Major Barr | Episode: "Sabotage" |
| 1960 | Alfred Hitchcock Presents | Maury Berg | Season 5 Episode 34: "Cell 227" |
| 1960 | Alfred Hitchcock Presents | Mr. Lyle Stern | Season 6 Episode 4: "The Contest for Aaron Gold" |
| 1960 | The Mountain Road | Sergeant Ballo | |
| 1960 | The Great Impostor | Tirdell | Uncredited |
| 1961 | Alfred Hitchcock Presents | Lieutenant Roman | Season 7 Episode 1: "The Hatbox" |
| 1961 | By Love Possessed | Jerry Brophy | |
| 1961 | Ada | Ronnie Hallerton | |
| 1962 | Alfred Hitchcock Presents | Rudy | Season 7 Episode 23: "Profit-Sharing Plan" |
| 1962 | The Horizontal Lieutenant | Colonel Frank Delgan | Uncredited |
| 1962 | The Intruder | Tom McDaniel | |
| 1962 | Pressure Point | Bund Meeting Speaker | Uncredited |
| 1963 | The Haunted Palace | Dr. Marinus Willet / Priam Willet | |
| 1964 | The Alfred Hitchcock Hour | Officer Petrie | Season 2 Episode 24: "The Gentleman Caller" |
| 1965 | A Rage to Live | George Jay | Uncredited |
| 1965 | Gomer Pyle, USMC | Raymond Thomas | Season 1 Episode 16: "Dance, Marine, Dance" |
| 1966 | Madame X | Dr. Evans | |
| 1966 | The Wild Angels | Preacher | |
| 1966 | Bewitched | Sanford Stern | Season 2 Episode 33: "Divided He Falls" |
| 1974 | Mr. Majestyk | Detective Lieutenant McAllen | |
| 1977–1989 | General Hospital | Dan Rooney | 498 episodes |
| 1977 | MAS*H | Lt. Col. Harold Beckett | Season 5 Episode 16: "Ping Pong" |
| 1981 | The Chosen | Radio Announcer | |
| :: |
References
References
- Jones, Kenneth. (August 11, 2004). "Frank Maxwell, Broadway, Film and TV Actor Who Led AFTRA and Equity, Dead at 87".
- (August 6, 2004). "Frank Maxwell; actor & AFTRA prez". [[Google Groups.
- (August 17, 2004). "OBITUARY: Frank Maxwell; 'General Hospital' character actor; 87". [[The San Diego Union-Tribune]].
- Thurber, Jon. (August 10, 2004). "Frank Maxwell -- actor and union activist". [[Los Angeles Times]].
- (August 16, 2004). "Frank Maxwell, 87, TV Actor Who Served as Union President". [[The New York Times]].
- Wilson, Scott. ''Resting Places: The Burial Sites of More Than 14,000 Famous Persons'', 3d ed.: 2 (Kindle Locations 25047-25048). McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers. Kindle Edition.
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