Maxwell Reed facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Maxwell Reed
Autographed publicity still
Born	(1919-04-02)2 April 1919 Larne, County Antrim, Ireland, United Kingdom
Died	31 October 1974(1974-10-31) (aged 55) London, England, United Kingdom
Nationality	British
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1946–1966
Spouse(s)	Joan Collins ​ ​ (m. 1952; div. 1956)​

Maxwell Reed (born April 2, 1919 – died October 31, 1974) was an actor from Northern Ireland. He became very popular in British films during the 1940s and 1950s. People often called him a "matinee idol" because many fans loved watching him on screen.

Biography

Early Life and Career Start

Maxwell Reed was born in Larne, a town in Northern Ireland. He left school when he was fifteen years old. After leaving school, he started working on ships. He even worked on ships that helped get supplies through during wartime, which was a dangerous job.

Maxwell always wanted to be an actor. He studied acting for a year at RADA, which is a famous drama school in London. During World War II, he served in the Royal Air Force (RAF). Later, he worked in the Merchant Navy, which transports goods by sea.

After the war, he started acting as an extra in films. He also performed in repertory theater, where actors perform different plays regularly. At the age of 27, he joined "The Company of Youth" at Rank, a big film company.

Maxwell Reed first appeared in films in 1946. He had small, uncredited roles in The Years Between and Gaiety George.

Becoming a Leading Actor

Maxwell Reed soon began to get bigger roles. He starred in The Brothers in 1947. This film helped him become known as a leading man.

He then appeared in Dear Murderer (1947). After that, he made two films with actress Anne Crawford. These were Night Beat (1947) and Daughter of Darkness (1948). He also had a main role in Streets Paved with Water, but this film was never finished.

In 1949, Maxwell Reed had supporting roles in The Lost People and Madness of the Heart. He played the main character in Blackout (1950).

He continued to act in various films. He had a supporting role in The Clouded Yellow (1950). Then, he starred in some "B pictures," which are lower-budget films. These included The Dark Man (1950) and There Is Another Sun (1951).

In 1952, Maxwell Reed moved to the United States to make the film Flame of Araby. He later returned to Britain for supporting parts. He appeared in Sea Devils (1953) and The Square Ring (1953).

After filming Captain Phantom (1953) in Italy, he starred in more British B movies. These were Marilyn (1953), Before I Wake (1955), and The Brain Machine (1956). He also had a small role in Helen of Troy (1956).

Acting in Hollywood

In the late 1950s, Maxwell Reed moved to Hollywood permanently. He appeared as a guest star on many TV shows. These included Celebrity Playhouse and The Betty Hutton Show.

He got the main role in a TV series called Captain David Grief. This show was based on short stories by the writer Jack London. The series ran for two seasons. It was also the first TV show ever filmed on location in Hawaii. The first nine episodes were shot on the island of Maui.

Maxwell Reed continued to have supporting roles in films. He was in The Notorious Landlady (1962). He also guest-starred in popular TV shows like Bonanza, Perry Mason, and Daniel Boone.

His last feature film was Picture Mommy Dead in 1966.

Personal Life

Maxwell Reed was married to the famous actress Joan Collins. They got married on May 24, 1952. Their marriage ended in divorce in 1956.

He passed away from cancer in 1974. He was 55 years old and died in London.

Filmography