About Edwin Maxwell
Lived 1886 – 1948 (aged 62). Edwin Maxwell was an Irish actor, stage actor and film actor.
Edwin Maxwell (9 February 1886 – 13 August 1948) was an Irish character actor in Hollywood movies of the 1930s and 1940s, frequently cast as businessmen and shysters, though often ones with a pompous or dignified bearing. Prior to that, he was an actor on the Broadway stage and a director of plays.
Early life Maxwell was a native of Dublin.
Career In the late 1920s, Maxwell directed and acted in plays with the New York Theater Guild Repertory Company.
From 1939 to 1942, Maxwell served as the dialogue director for the films of epic director Cecil B. DeMille. He was often uncredited for many of his film appearances. Maxwell appeared in four Academy Award-winning Best Pictures: All Quiet on the Western Front (1930), Grand Hotel (1932), The Great Ziegfeld (1936) and You Can't Take It with You (1938).
Personal life Maxwell married actress Betty Alden. Maxwell died following a stroke.
Filmography
The Taming of the Shrew (1929, film debut) as Baptista All Quiet on the Western Front (1930) as Mr. Bäumer (uncredited) Top Speed (1930) as J.W. Rollins (uncredited) Du Barry, Woman of Passion (1930) as Maupeou The Gorilla (1930) as Cyrus Stevens Inspiration (1931) as Uncle Julian Montell Kiki (1931) as Dr. Smiley Daybreak (1931) as Herr Hoffman Daddy Long Legs (1931) as Wykoff (uncredited) Men of the Sky (1931) as Count The Magnificent Lie (1931) as Eye Specialist (uncredited) New Adventures of Get Rich Quick Wallingford (1931) as Adam Carver the Hotel Manager (uncredited) Wicked (1931) as Owner of property The Yellow Ticket (1931) as Police Agent Boligoff Ambassador Bill (1931) as Monte Montgomery Two Kinds of Women (1932) as Deputy Police Commissioner (uncredited) The Impatient Maiden (1932) as Prof. Von Mueller (uncredited) Shopworn (1932) as Bierbauer (uncredited) The Cohens and Kellys in Hollywood (1932) as Chauncey Chadwick Scarface (1932) as Chief of Detectives Young Bride (1932) as The Doctor Grand Hotel (1932) as Dr. Waitz The World and the Flesh (1932) (uncredited) The Trial of Vivienne Ware (1932) as Detective (uncredited) The Strange Case of Clara Deane (1932) as Judge (uncredited) While Paris Sleeps (1932) as Prison Commandant (uncredited) Merrily We Go to Hell (1932) as Jake Symonds (uncredited) American Madness (1932) as Clark (uncredited) Blessed Event (1932) as Sam Gobel Those We Love (1932) as Marshall Tiger Shark (1932) as Doctor (uncredited) Six Hours to Live (1932) as Police Commissioner The Girl from Calgary (1932) as Earl Darrell You Said a Mouthful (1932) as Dr. Vorse The Son-Daughter (1932) as Chinese Priest (uncredited) Frisco Jenny (1932) as Tom Ford (uncredited) Tonight Is Ours (1933) as Mob Leader State Trooper (1933) as W.J. Brady Mystery of the Wax Museum (1933) as Joe Worth Night of Terror (1933) as The Maniac Emergency Call (1933) as Tom Rourke Heroes for Sale (1933) as Laundry Company President Gambling Ship (1933) as D.A The Mayor of Hell (1933) as Louis Johnson The Woman I Stole (1933) as Lentz The Man Who Dared (1933) as Fletcher (uncredited) The Narrow Corner (1933) as Man Fred Killed (uncredited) Dinner at Eight (1933) as Mr. Fitch, Hotel Manager This Day and Age (1933) as Mayor's Assistant (uncredited) Broadway to Hollywood (1933) as Rockwell (uncredited) I Loved a Woman (1933) as Gossiper (uncredited) Ann Vickers (1933) as Defense Attorney (uncredited) Police Car 17 (1933) as Big Bill Standish Big Time or Bust (1933) as Winthrop Allen Fog (1933) as Ship Captain Duck Soup (1933) as Secretary of War (uncredited) Christopher Bean (1933) as Auctioneer (uncredited) Lady Killer (1933) as Jeffries, Theatre Manager (uncredited) Miss Fane's Baby Is Stolen (1934) as Judge (uncredited) The Ninth Guest (1934) as Jason Osgood This Side of Heaven (1934) as R.S. Sawyer (uncredited) Dancing Man (1934) as Morton Randall Mystery Liner (1934) as Major Pope Hollywood Party (1934) as Producer Buddy Goldfarb (uncredited) The Life of Vergie Winters (1934) as Rally Speaker (uncredited) Burn 'Em Up Barnes (1934) as Lyman Warren Back Page (1934) as Martin Regal The Cat's-Paw (1934) as District Attorney Neal Gift of Gab (1934) as Norton, President WGAB Cleopatra (1934) as Casca Elinor Norton (1934) as Army Doctor (uncredited) All the King's Horses (1935) as First Gentleman (uncredited) Great God Gold (1935) as Nitto G Men (1935) as Joseph Kratz (uncredited) The Devil Is a Woman (1935) as Tobacco Plant Manager (uncredited) Motive for Revenge (1935) as William King Men of Action (1935) as Jefferson, Crooked Banker The Crusades (1935) as Ship's Master (uncredited) Happiness C.O.D. (1935) as Lester Walsh The Last Days of Pompeii (1935) as The Augur, a Pompeii Official (uncredited) Thanks a Million (1935) as Mr. Casey Dangerous Waters (1936) as Mr. Brunch The Great Ziegfeld (1936) as Charles Frohman (uncredited) Big Brown Eyes (1936) as Editor Mr. Deeds Goes to Town (1936) as Douglas (uncredited) Panic on the Air (1936) as Gordon Absolute Quiet (1936) as Mr. Baxter (uncredited) Fury (1936) as Will Vickery To Mary - with Love (1936) as Byron C. Wakefield Come and Get It (1936) as Sid LeMaire The Plainsman (1936) as Secretary of War Edwin Stanton (uncredited) Camille (1936) as Doctor (uncredited) A Man Betrayed (1936) as Richards Torture Money (1937, Short) as Milton Beacher Love Is News (1937) as Kenyon Night Key (1937) as Kruger A Star Is Born (1937) as Vocal Coach (uncredited) The Road Back (1937) as Principal Slave Ship (1937) as Auctioneer Slim (1937) as Corton (uncredited) One Hundred Men and a Girl (1937) as Ira Westing, Editor (uncredited) Love Takes Flight (1937) as Dave Miller Nothing Sacred (1937) as Mr. Bullock (uncredited) Paradise for Three (1938) as First Lawyer (uncredited) Romance on the Run (1938) as Mondoon Hold That Kiss (1938) as Theatre Manager (uncredited) The Rage of Paris (1938) as Hotel Manager (uncredited) Rich Man, Poor Girl (1938) as Mr. Krauss, the Shoe Store Manager (uncredited) You Can't Take It with You (1938) as Attorney to Kirby (uncredited) Vacation from Love (1938) as Samson Hatfield (uncredited) Made for Each Other (1939) as Messerschmidt (uncredited) Young Mr. Lincoln (1939) as John T. Stuart (uncredited) Way Down South (1939) as Martin Dill Drums Along the Mohawk (1939) as Reverend Daniel Gros Ninotchka (1939) as Mercier The Shop Around the Corner (1940) as Doctor His Girl Friday (1940) as Dr. Max J. Eggelhoffer The Blue Bird (1940) as Oak Pound Foolish (1940, Short) as George Reynolds (uncredited) Parole Fixer (1940) as Edward Murkil (uncredited) Jack Pot (1940, Short) as Rocky Fallon New Moon (1940) as Captain de Jean Brigham Young (1940) as 2nd Mob Leader Kit Carson (1940) as John Sutter The Devil and Miss Jones (1941) as Withers Ride on Vaquero (1941) as Dan Clark Blossoms in the Dust (1941) as City Councilman (uncredited) Buy Me That Town (1941) as P.V. Baxter Pacific Blackout (1941) as District Attorney Know for Sure (1942, Short) as Dr. Paxton (uncredited) Ten Gentlemen from West Point (1942) as Sen. John Randolph I Live on Danger (1942) as Wingy Keefe Street of Chance (1942) as Stillwell, D.A. Behind Prison Walls (1943) as Percy Webb Heaven Can Wait (1943) as Doctor (uncredited) Holy Matrimony (1943) as King Edward VII (uncredited) Waterfront (1944) as Max Kramer Since You Went Away (1944) as Businessman in Cocktail Lounge (uncredited) The Great Moment (1944) as vice-president of Medical Society Wilson (1944) as William Jennings Bryan Practically Yours (1944) as Radio Official (uncredited) The Great John L. (1945) as Exhibition Ring Announcer (uncredited) Mama Loves Papa (1945) as Kirkwood Swamp Fire (1946) as Capt. Pierre Moise The Jolson Story (1946) as Oscar Hammerstein (uncredited) Second Chance (1947) as Mr. Davenport The Gangster (1947) as Johnny, Politician (uncredited) Campus Honeymoon (1948) as Sen. Hughes The Vicious Circle (1948) as Presiding Judge The Walls of Jericho (1948) as Porter Grimes (uncredited) (final film role)
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Important facts
People in Edwin Maxwell's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Edwin Maxwell's
Frequently asked questions
Who was Edwin Maxwell?
actor (1886-1948)
When was Edwin Maxwell born?
Edwin Maxwell was born on 9 February 1886 in Dublin.
When did Edwin Maxwell die?
Edwin Maxwell died on 13 August 1948 in Massachusetts.
What was Edwin Maxwell's occupation?
Edwin Maxwell was an actor, stage actor and film actor.
What nationality was Edwin Maxwell?
Edwin Maxwell was Irish.
Sources & further reading
· DBpedia: Edwin Maxwell (actor)
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Edwin Maxwell. https://biography.guide/edwin-maxwell-actor/
MLA: "Edwin Maxwell." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/edwin-maxwell-actor/.
Chicago: "Edwin Maxwell." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/edwin-maxwell-actor/.
Data last updated: 2026-09-22 · Spot an error? Report a correction.
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