Actor. He was a prolific actor with a tough, brawny appearance, who was best known for playing the meaty character roles of henchmen, students, storekeepers, liverymen, court clerks, spectators, sophomores, bartenders, hoods, plane mechanics, gamblers, convict laborers, pilots, thugs, radio operators, sailors, reporters, police patrolman, smokers, customers, criminals, inmates, waiters, pupils, chauffeurs, football players, taxicab drivers, drunks, tramps, gangsters, milkmen, pirates, beggars, firemen, lumberjacks, truck drivers, marines, party guests, boyfriends, motorists, ranch hands, visitors, salesmen, movers, barflies, roller coaster operators, guards, burglars, cowboys, guards, ship porters, bus drivers, pilots, townsmen, female impersonators, deputies, sergeants, jailers, troopers, cavalry officers, farmers, bullies, bootleggers, cashiers, miners, vendors, blackjack dealers, bouncers, doormen, garbagemen, sheriffs, hecklers, saloon workers, messengers, projectionists, umpires, theater patrons, motorcycle policemen, hoodlums, butlers, and cowpokes, usually in crime films, classic western films and classic western television series, but some were uncredited. He will be best remembered for playing the role of 'Henchman Kincaid' in the classic western film, "Painted Desert" (1938). The film which was directed by David Howard, which was written for the screen by John Rathmell, Oliver Drake, and Jack Cunningham, and which also starred George O'Brien, Laraine Day, and Ray Whitley, tells the story of Fawcett who has obtained the deed to Banning's mine. Thinking the mine is worthless he sells it to Bob McVey. But when he learns the mine contains Tungsten, he sets out to get it back. He was born one of four children as Max Sergius Wagner in Torreon, Mexico, to William Wallace Wagner (1854-1912), a railroad conductor, and his wife Edith Gilfilan Wagner (1863-1944), a writer and correspondent for the Christian Science Monitor during the Mexican Revolution, on November 18, 1901. Sadly, his father was killed by Mexican rebels when he was just ten years old. His mother, then brought him and his three brothers, Jack, Blake, and Bob, to Salinas, California, where he became friends with the noted author John Steinbeck. He was educated, and along with his brothers went into an acting career. He himself began working in films with the help of his brother Jack who secured him his first acting part. He went onto appear in both English-language and Spanish-language films even some comedies for director Mack Sennett or starring alongside actress Lupe Velez and was an unofficial censor on her film sets to ensure the actress did not use profanity when she got carried away with a scene as she deviated from the script to ad-lib her lines in Spanish. He made his actual film debut playing the role of a 'Bearded Man' in the short war film comedy, "All Night Long" (1924). The film which was directed by Harry Edwards, which was written for the screen by Frank Capra, Arthur Ripley, and Vernon Smith, and which also starred Harry Langdon, Natalie Kingston, and Vernon Dent, tells the story of Harry who runs into his old Marine sergeant and is reminded of the rivalry they had for a girl while they were stationed in France. He is also best remembered for playing the role of 'Edward Martindel' in the episode entitled, "Limit Of The Law Larkin," of the classic western television series, "Laredo," which originally aired on January 27, 1966, and which also starred Neville Brand, Peter Brown, and William Smith, tells the story of rustlers, bank robbers, and their own wild schemes: a band of Texas Rangers keeps getting in and out of trouble, under the jaundiced eye of Captain Edward Parmalee. Besides, playing the role of a 'Bearded Man' in the short war film comedy, "All Night Long" (1924), and playing the role of 'Henchman Kincaid' in the classic western film, "Painted Desert" (1938), his many other film credits include, "The Collegians" (1926), "Making Good" (1926), "The Relay" (1927), "Flashing Oars" (1927), "The First Auto" (1927), "The Thrill Seekers" (1927), "Rhythms Of A Great City In Minor" (1928), "Flying High" (1929), "Numbered Men" (1930), "Shooting Straight" (1930), "El último de los Vargas" (1930), "El valiente" (1930), "Going Wild" (1930), "Entre platos y notas" (1930), "Cupido Chauffeur" (1930), "El código penal" (1931), "The Hot Heiress" (1931), "The Good Bad Girl" (1931), "Cuerpo y alma" (1931), "El pasado acusa" (1931), "Suicide Fleet" (1931), "Stepping Sisters" (1932), "Cock Of The Air" (1932), "It's Tough To Be Famous" (1932), "The World And The Flesh" (1932), "The Last Mile" (1932), "Rockabye" (1932), "Renegades Of The West" (1932), "Grand Slam" (1933), "Broadway Bad" (1933), "Art In The Raw" (1933), "The Whispering Shadow" (1933), "Song Of The Eagle" (1933), "Emergency Call" (1933), "Arizona To Broadway" (1933), "Before Dawn" (1933), "Morning Glory" (1933), "The Last Trail" (1933), "The Wolf Dog" (1933), "Good-Bye Love" (1933), "Sons Of The Desert" (1933), "Miss Fane's Baby Is Stolen" (1934), "Wharf Angel" (1934), "The Lost Jungle" (1934), "I Like It That Way" (1934), "Hell Bent For Love" (1934), "The Personality Kid" (1934), "Blind Date" (1934), "Name The Woman" (1934), "Death On The Diamond" (1934), "She Had To Choose" (1934), "The Captain Hates The Sea" (1934), "Gridiron Flash" (1934), "The Oil Raider" (1934), "Ferry-Go-Round" (1934), "365 Nights In Hollywood" (1934), "The Mighty Barnum" (1934), "Bachelor Of Arts" (1934), "Romance In Manhattan" (1935), "A Notorious Gentleman" (1935), "Storm Over The Andes" (1935), "The Miracle Rider" (1935), "Under The Pampas Moon" (1935), "Ladies Crave Excitement" (1935), "The Daring Young Man" (1935), "Dante's Inferno" (1935), "The Adventures Of Rex And Rinty" (1935), "The Farmer Takes A Wife" (1935), "Welcome Home" (1935), "Charlie Chan In Shanghai" (1935), "Dr. Socrates" (1935), "Case Of The Missing Man" (1935), "3 Kids And A Queen" (1935), "Mary Burns, Fugitive" (1935), "The Fighting Marines" (1935), "The Adventures Of Frank Merriwell" (1936), "Paddy O'Day" (1936), "Chatterbox" (1936), "Follow The Fleet" (1936), "Love On A Bet" (1936), "Two In Revolt" (1936), "The House Of A Thousand Candles" (1936), "The Moon's Our Home" (1936), "The Girl From Mandalay" (1936), "The Case Against Mrs. Ames" (1936), "The Crime Patrol" (1936), "Sons o' Guns" (1936), "Dancing Pirate" (1936), "Bullets Or Ballots" (1936), "Trapped By Television" (1936), "The Bride Walks Out" (1936), "Charlie Chan At The Race Track" (1936), "Two-Fisted Gentleman" (1936), "Love Begins At 20" (1936), "Walking On Air" (1936), "The Girl On The Front Page" (1936), "The Big Game" (1936), "Love Letters Of A Star" (1936), "We Who Are About To Die" (1936), "Night Waitress" (1936), "Career Woman" (1936), "Smart Blonde" (1937), "God's Country And The Woman" (1937), "Black Legion" (1937), "You Only Live Once" (1937), "The Great O'Malley" (1937), "When Love Is Young" (1937), "Step Lively, Jeeves!" (1937), "Wings Over Honolulu" (1937), "There Goes My Girl" (1937), "San Quentin" (1937), "Border Cafe" (1937), "Slim" (1937), "Give Till It Hurts" (1937), "Morning, Judge" (1937), "Stage Door" (1937), "Alcatraz Island" (1937), "Many Unhappy Returns" (1937), "Some Blondes Are Dangerous" (1937), "Submarine D-1" (1937), "Born To Be Wild" (1938), "Penrod And His Twin Brother" (1938), "Maid's Night Out" (1938), "Mr. Moto's Gamble" (1938), "Twenty Girls And A Band" (1938), "Accidents Will Happen" (1938), "Cocoanut Grove" (1938), "Professor Beware" (1938), "Passport Husband" (1938), "Fool Coverage" (1938), "Letter Of introduction" (1938), "A Western Welcome" (1938), "Red Barry" (1938), "Room Service" (1938), "Time Out For Murder" (1938), "The Arkansas Traveler" (1938), "Tarnished Angel" (1938), "Little Tough Guys In Society" (1938), "Submarine Patrol" (1938), "Up The River" (1938), "Scouts To The Rescue" (1939), "Off The Record" (1939), "Wings Of The Navy" (1939), "Fast And Loose" (1939), "Cafe Society" (1939), "Society Smugglers" (1939), "I'll Tell The World" (1939), "Money To Loan" (1939), "Winner Take All" (1939), "Mr. Moto In Danger Island" (1939), "The Return Of The Cisco Kid" (1939), "The Gracie Allen Murder Case" (1939), "The Girl From Mexico" (1939), "Waterfront" (1939), "Our Leading Citizen" (1939), "The Star Maker" (1939), "Fifth Avenue Girl" (1939), "The Day The Bookies Wept" (1939), "The Roaring Twenties" (1939), "Reno" (1939), "Mexican Spitfire" (1940), "The Man Who Wouldn't Talk" (1940), "The Grapes Of Wrath" (1940), "Charlie Chan In Panama" (1940), "The House Across The Bay" (1940), "Millionaire Playboy" (1940), "Buck Benny Rides Again" (1940), "You Can't Fool Your Wife" (1940), "The Ghost Breakers" (1940), "Pop Always Pays" (1940), "They Drive By Night" (1940), "Lucky Partners" (1940), "Pier 13" (1940), "Wildcat Bus" (1940), "Rhythm On The River" (1940), "Men Against The Sky" (1940), "Hired Wife" (1940), "I'm Nobody's Sweetheart Now" (1940), "Street Of Memories" (1940), "The Bank Dick" (1940), "Trail Of The Vigilantes" (1940), "The Mad Dog" (1940), "San Francisco Docks" (1940), "Nice Girl?" (1941), "Double Date" (1941), "Ride On Vaquero" (1941), "One Night In Lisbon" (1941), "Cyclone On Horseback" (1941), "My Life With Caroline" (1941), "Parachute Battalion" (1941), "Unexpected Uncle" (1941), "Last Of The Duanes" (1941), "Texas" (1941), "Great Guns" (1941), "The Mexican Spitfire's Baby" (1941), "The Bugle Sounds" (1942), "Obliging Young Lady" (1942), "Sing Your Worries Away" (1942), "True To The Army" (1942), "Two Yanks In Trinidad" (1942), "My Favorite Blonde" (1942), "The Spoilers" (1942), "The Wife Takes A Flyer" (1942), "Moontide" (1942), "Syncopation" (1942), "Come On Danger" (1942), "Matri-Phony" (1942), "Priorities On Parade" (1942), "Sabotage Squad" (1942), "The Talk Of The Town" (1942), "The Palm Beach Story" (1942), "Mexican Spitfire's Elephant" (1942), "Overland To Deadwood" (1942), "Panama Hattie" (1942), "Highways By Night" (1942), "You Can't Escape Forever" (1942), "Rough On Rents" (1942), "Seven Days' Leave" (1942), "A Night To Remember" (1942), "Secrets Of The Underground" (1942), "Nazty Nuisance" (1943), "The Miracle Of Morgan's Creek" (1944), "Boss Of Boomtown" (1944), "The Great Moment" (1944), "Raiders Of Ghost City" (1944), "The Singing Sheriff" (1944), "Girl Rush" (1944), "Hi, Beautiful" (1944), "Can't Help Singing" (1944), "Undercover" (1944), "She Gets Her Man" (1945), "A Medal For Benny" (1945), "Circumstantial Evidence" (1945), "It's In The Bag!" (1945), "Zombies On Broadway" (1945), "The Bullfighters" (1945), "Where Do We Go From Here?" (1945), "I'll Tell The World" (1945), "You Came Along" (1945), "Within These Walls" (1945), "Radio Stars On Parade" (1945), "Mama Loves Papa" (1945), "The Los Weekend" (1945), "The Spanish Main" (1945), "Fallen Angel" (1945), "An Angel Comes To Brooklyn" (1945), "Because Of Him" (1946), 'Riverboat Rhythm" (1946), "To Each His Own" (1946), "Johnny Comes Flying Home" (1946), "The Truth About Murder" (1946), "The Strange Love Of Martha Ivers" (1946), "Smoky" (1946), "Dick Tracy vs. Cueball" (1946), "Vacation In Reno" (1946), "It's A Wonderful Life" (1946), "That Brennan Girl" (1946), "Sinbad, The Sailor" (1947), "The Sin Of Harold Diddlebock" (1947), "The Long Night" (1947), "Possessed" (1947), "Second Chance" (1947), "Tycoon" (1947), "On Our Merry Way" (1948), "The Miracle Of The Bells" (1948), "The Big Clock" (1948), "Half Past Midnight" (1948), "The Sainted Sisters" (1948), "Shed No Tears" (1948), "Unfaithfully Yours" (1948), "Force Of Evil" (1948), "The Lucky Stiff" (1949), "Flaxy Martin" (1949), "Caught" (1949), "The Red Pony" (1949), "El Paso" (1949), "Adventure In Baltimore" (1949), "It Happens Every Spring" (1949), "The Beautiful Blonde From Bashful Bend" (1949), "Reign Of Terror" (1949), "Mighty Joe Young" (1949), "Bandits Of El Dorado" (1949), "A Kiss For Corliss" (1949), "Groan And Grunt" (1950), "The Eagle And The Hawk" (1950), "I'll Get By" (1950), "The Sun Sets At Dawn" (1950), "Frenchie" (1950), "Pier 23" (1951), "The Secret Of Convict Lake" (1951), "Meet Me After The Show" (1951), "Jim Thorpe--All American" (1951), "The Racket" (1952), "Flaming Feather" (1952), "The Big Sky" (1952), "Les Misérables" (1952), "Park Row" (1952), "The Raiders" (1952), "Stars And Stripes Forever" (1952), "Abbott And Costello Meet Captain Kidd" (1952), "The Blazing Forest" (1952), "Tropic Zone" (1953), "Meet Me At The Fair" (1953), "The Lady Wants Mink" (1953), "Invaders From Mars" (1953), "The President's Lady" (1953), "Powder River" (1953), "The Farmer Takes A Wife" (1953), "Fort Algiers" (1953), "Second Chance" (1953), "Champ For A Day" (1953), "Donovan's Brain" (1953), "Those Redheads From Seattle" (1953), "The Great Diamond Robbery" (1954), "Casanova's Big Night" (1954), "Rails Into Laramie" (1954), "The Lone Gun" (1954), "Captain Kidd And The Slave Girl" (1954), "Gorilla At Large" (1954), "This Is My Love" (1954), "The Country Girl" (1954), "Timberjack" (1955), "Underwater!" (1955), "East Of Eden" (1955), "Kiss Me Deadly" (1955), "Top Of The World" (1955), "Son Of Sinbad" (1955), "Tennessee's Partner" (1955), "The Girl In The Red Velvet Swing" (1955), "Illegal" (1955), "Lucy Gallant" (1955), "I Died A Thousand Times" (1955), "The Court Martial Of Billy Mitchell" (1955), "The Conqueror" (1956), "Westward Ho, The Wagons!" (1956), "Public Pigeon No. 1" (1957), "The Spirit Of St. Louis" (1957), "The Wayward Bus" (1957), "A Nice Little Bank That Should Be Robbed" (1958), "The Fiend Who Walked The West" (1958), "The Buccaneer" (1958), "Ice Palace" (1960), "One Foot In Hell" (1960), "Sunrise At Campobello" (1960), "A Fever In The Blood" (1961), "Ada" (1961), "Pirates Of Tortuga" (1961), "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance" (1962), "Pressure Point" (1962), "To Kill A Mockingbird" (1962), "It's A Mad Mad Mad Mad World" (1964), "4 For Texas" (1963), "Law Of The Lawless" (1964), "Invitation To A Gunfighter" (1964), "Shenandoah" (1965), "The Great Race" (1965), "Gunpoint" (1966), "A Big Hand For The Little Lady" (1966), "Waco" (1966), "Return Of The Gunfighter" (1966), "The Adventures Of Bullwhip Griffin" (1967), "Hang 'Em High" (1968), "Rosemary's Baby" (1968), "Where Were You When The Lights Went Out?" (1968), "The Legend Of Lylah Clare" (1968), "True Grit" (1969), "The Reivers" (1969), "The Cheyenne Social Club" (1970), "WUSA" (1970), "The Over-The-Hill Gang Rides Again" (1970), "Support Your Local Gunfighter" (1971), "Evil Roy Slade" (1972), "Get To Know Your Rabbit" (1972), "Terror In The Wax Museum" (1973), and "Young Frankenstein" (1974). Besides, playing the role of 'Edward Martindel' in the episode entitled, "Limit Of The Law Larkin," of the classic western television series, "Laredo," which originally aired on January 27, 1966, and which also starred Neville Brand, Peter Brown, and William Smith, tells the story of rustlers, bank robbers, and their own wild schemes: a band of Texas Rangers keeps getting in and out of trouble, under the jaundiced eye of Captain Edward Parmalee, his many other television credits include, "Omnibus," "The Abbott And Costello Show," "Adventures Of Superman," "Waterfront," "The Adventures Of Rin Tin Tin," "I Led 3 Lives," "The Mickey Mouse Club," "Corky And White Shadow," "The Cisco Kid," "Hey, Jeannie!" "Wire Service," "Colt .45," "Trackdown," "Wanted: Dead Or Alive," "Johnny Ringo," "Sugarfoot," "The Twilight Zone," "Bronco," "Perry Mason," "Tombstone Territory," "Hotel de Paree," "Zane Grey Theatre," "The Rifleman," "Tales Of Wells Fargo," "Maverick," "The Deputy," "The Life And Legend Of Wyatt Earp," "The Tall Man," "Whispering Smith," "The Lawless Years," "The Jack Benny Program," "Frontier Circus," "Cheyenne," "The Virginian," "Have Gun - Will Travel," "The Dakotas," "The Untouchables," "Dr. Kildare," "The Great Adventure," "Destry," "Burke's Law," "Rawhide," "A Man Called Shenandoah," "Honey West," "The Lucy Show," "The Andy Griffith Show," "Star Trek: The Original Series," "The Wild Wild West," "Hondo," "The High Chaparral," "Cimarron Strip," "Death Valley Days," "The Guns Of Will Sonnett," "The Big Valley," "Here Comes The Brides," "Daniel Boone," "Alias Smith And Jones," "Adam-12," "Nichols," "Bonanza," "Search," "Kung Fu," "The Snoop Sisters," "McMillan & Wife," "The Magician," "Columbo," "The Rookies," "Get Christie Love!" "Kojak," "Gunsmoke," and "The Rockford Files." His last television role was playing a 'Theater Patron' in the pilot episode of the action crime television series drama, "Starsky And Hutch," which originally aired on April 30, 1975, and which also starred Paul Michael Glaser, David Soul, and Michael Lerner, tells the story of two detectives, who are investigating a double homicide, and discover that the man and woman who died in a car identical to Starsky's were mistakenly murdered - it was the detectives themselves who were the intended targets. The episode was released just a few months before his death. Besides, acting in films and on television, he was also an accomplished piano player and often composed and sang Mexican folk ballads. One of his arrangements, "Pedro Rudarte y Simon," appeared in the western film, "The Last Trail" (1933). During his acting career, he also used the name Max Waggner and Max Baron. On an interesting note, he put his acting career on hold and enlisted in the United States Army on October 27, 1942, and served as a Private in the North African and Tunisian Campaigns in 1943 during World War II. He was honorably discharged on March 3, 1944. He also dealt with a bout of alcoholism and attended Alcoholics Anonymous meetings during the 1950s. On another interesting note, in April of 1927, he was the key prosecution witness in the trials of actors Paul Kelly and Dorothy Mackaye. He was Paul Kelly's roommate and was present when Paul Kelly beat to death Dorothy Mackaye's husband, Ray Raymond, at an alcohol-fueled party on April 16, 1927. Actor Paul Kelly served two years in prison on a manslaughter conviction. Actress Dorothy Mackaye was sentenced to ten months on an accessory conviction. Following his death, his funeral service was held at the Malinow & Silverman Mortuary in Covina, California, and at the Hollywood Cemetery Chapel in Hollywood, California, and following the funeral service he was buried at Hollywood Forever Cemetery in Hollywood, California. He was married to Elizabeth Ruth Clarke Wagner from November 23, 1951, until his death on November 16, 1975, at the age of 74. The couple had no children together.