At 79 years old, Maxwell Trowbridge Gail, popularly known as Max Gail, is one of the oldest actors in the industry, with a career spanning about 50 years.
Hailing from California, USA, Gail has captivated audiences with his performances on stage, in films, and on television. Some of his most notable roles include those in General Hospital, Barney Miller, and DC Cab.
Max has been acting since 1971 and has been in many movies and TV shows. He also has directed for Barney Miller and Whiz Kids.
Aside from acting and directing, Max also has a recording named Do Something Beautiful.
Let’s find out more details about this world-renowned actor, Max Gail.
| Real Name | Maxwell Towbridge Gail Jr. |
| Known as | Max Gail |
| Date of Birth | April 5, 1943 |
| Age | 79 years old |
| Place of Birth | Detroit, Michigan, USA |
| Nationality | American |
| Residence | Malibu, California |
| Ethnicity | Caucasian |
| Religion | Christianity |
| Education | Williams College |
| Mother | Mary Elizabeth |
| Father | Maxwell Trowbridge Gail |
| Siblings | Mary Gail (twin), one brother |
| Marital Status | Widowed, Divorced |
| Spouse | Willie Beir (married in 1983, died in 1986)Nan Harris (married in 1989, separated in 2000)Chris Kaul (girlfriend) |
| Height | In feet: 6 feetIn centimeters: 182 cm |
| Weight | N/A |
| Zodiac | Aries |
| Eye Color | Dark Brown |
| Hair Color | White (Dark Brown when younger) |
| Profession | Acting |
| TV Debut | Barney Miller, 1975 |
| Movie Debut | The Organization |
| Recordings | Do Something Beautiful |
| Acting Debut | 1970 (debut stage appearance) |
| Honors and Awards | 2 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series 1 Daytime Emmy Award for Best Supporting Actor |
| Source of Income | Acting |
| Net Worth | $8 Million |
The Early Life of Max Gail
Max was born in Detroit, Michigan, on April 5, 1943, under the name Maxwell Trowbridge Gail Jr.
He shares a birthday with his twin sister Mary Gail, who is also an actress.
Max was raised in Grosse Ile, Michigan, by his parents, Mary Elizabeth and Maxwell Trowbridge Gail. His mother was also known as Scanlon, and his father played piano and ran his own business.
Before Gail was an actor, he played football for a long time in high school. Once he injured his knees, though, he had to get surgery and could no longer play.
Then, in junior high, he got into Rock’ n’ Roll music and learned to play the piano. This led to him getting bar gigs in college and grad school.
Eventually, Gail attended Williams College in Massachusetts and graduated with an Economics major.
Next, he was an instructor at the University Liggett School in Michigan, but then he quit that job to pursue a career in acting.
Personal Life of Max Gail
Max Gail married Willie Bier in 1983 and had a daughter, India, named after Max’s love for the Indian people.
Unfortunately, Max was widowed only after three years of marriage, as Willie Bier died of cancer in 1986. This inspired Max’s work as he narrated a medicine film documentary named Hoxsey in 1988.
Max later met Nan Harris and married in 1989, but they separated for unknown reasons in 2000. The two also have two children, a son named Maxwell and a daughter named Grace.
Grace became a model and married the actor Adam Rodriguez in 2016.
After Max separated from Nan, he stayed single for seven years until he met Chris Kaul.
In 2007, Max and Chris began dating and are still together today.
The Career of Max Gail
Maxwell Trowbridge Gail Jr. was born on April 5, 1943. He is an American actor with roles on stage, on television, and in film.
He is best known for his role as Detective Stan “Wojo” Wojciehowicz on the sitcom Barney Miller from 1975 to 1982.
Gail earned two consecutive Primetime Emmy Award nominations for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series for this role.
Max Gail made his stage debut in 1970, playing Chief Bromden in the original production of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. He later reprised the role for a New York stage production in 1973.
Gail also appeared in a few films before his work on Barney Miller, including Rudy, Tunnel Hoodlum, and Patrolman.
After Barney Miller ended its seven-year run in 1982, Gail appeared in several other movies and TV shows.
Max Gail is best known for his work in television.
He made a name for himself early on by directing several episodes of Barney Miller under the name Maxwell Gail.
Eventually, Max got another iconic role as Harold in the feature film DC Cab in 1983. His role was the owner of the DC Cab taxi company.
In the same year, the actor also starred in Whiz Kids’ TV series as Llewellen Farley, Jr, a reporter in the series and a friend of teenage computer hackers.
Moreover, Max also worked on Normal Life in 1990 and appeared on the TV series Sons & Daughters in 2006.
Altogether, these works show just how talented Max is as both an actor and a director.
Career Highlights
Gail has had an illustrious career spanning half a century, appearing on over a hundred television shows and movies.
Some of his most notable guest appearances include Mad Men, Gary Unmarried, Quantum Leap, and Medicine Woman.
He has also directed episodes for fan-favorite series Barney Miller and Whiz Kids.
In 2000, Gali moved to production and had not been featured in as many movies or shows since.
However, in 2013 Gali appeared in the documentary about the famous baseball player Jackie Robinson, called 42, and played as Brooklyn Dodgers’ manager, Burt Shotton.
Max also owns a production company called Full Circle which mostly focuses on documentaries. Full Circle has tackled documentaries on Agent Orange, Native Americans, and nuclear issues – to name a few.
Max then starred in General Hospital as Mike Corbin in 2018, and it was one of his most well-known works as an actor as he bagged the Daytime Emmy Award for Best Supporting Actor in 2019 for his performance.
Here are some movies done by Max Gail
- Due South
- Mad Men
- Gary Unmarried
- Quantum Leap
- Medicine Woman
- Walker
- Cannon
- Killer in the Mirror
- Intimate Stranger
- Man against the Mob
- The Outside Woman
- Tell me No Secrets
- Judgement Day
- 42
- General Hospital
Max Gail’s Net Worth
Gail’s income is a bit of a mystery, but we know that a large chunk of it comes from acting and producing, estimated to be around $8 million.
This means that Gail has always lived a comfortable life, free of financial worries.
