---
name: "Edwin Maxwell"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/edwin-maxwell"
roles: ["Actor"]
born: "9 February 1886"
died: "13 August 1948"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 10
average_fi1m_score: 73
average_as: "actor"
average_over: 4
updated: "2026-09-20T01:12:20.194669+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Edwin Maxwell

Actor. Born 9 February 1886 in Dublin, Ireland. Died 13 August 1948.

## Details

- **Work:** Actor
- **Born:** 9 February 1886, Dublin, Ireland
- **Died:** 13 August 1948
- **Active:** 1939–1944
- **Titles on Fi1m:** 10: 4 acting, 6 other
- **Average Fi1m score:** 73, as actor, over 4 titles
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1930s 80 (5), 1940s 71 (5)
- **Score spread:** 2 at 80+, 1 at 60–79, 1 under 60
- **Lead roles:** 0 of 1 acting credits billed first or second
- **Genres:** Romance 3, Comedy 2, Drama 2, Crime 1
- **Screen time:** 8 hours of reviewed films
- **Box office:** $4m across 2 films with figures
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edwin_Maxwell_(actor), https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1294814, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0561693/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/13361

## Biography

Edwin Maxwell (9 February 1886 – 13 August 1948) was an Irish character actor who worked primarily in Hollywood films of the 1930s and 1940s. Born in Dublin, he appeared in numerous supporting roles, often as businessmen or authority figures, many of them uncredited.

He began his career on the Broadway stage, performing and directing plays between 1918 and 1928. Maxwell later moved to screen acting and served as dialogue director on several Cecil B. DeMille films from 1939 to 1942. He was married to actress Betty Alden.

Maxwell appeared in four Academy Award-winning Best Picture films: *All Quiet on the Western Front* (1930), *Grand Hotel* (1932), *The Great Ziegfeld* (1936) and *You Can't Take It with You* (1938). Among his credited roles were Mercier in *Ninotchka* (1939), Dr. Egelhoffer in *His Girl Friday* (1940) and the Doctor in *The Shop Around the Corner* (1940).

*Sources: imdb.com, en.wikipedia.org.*

## On Fi1m (10)

### Performed in (4) — the average rests on these

- *Wilson* (1944), Fi1m 61, as William Jennings Bryan — [page](https://film.one/film/wilson.md)
- *Blossoms in the Dust* (1941), Fi1m 58, as City Councilman — [page](https://film.one/film/blossoms-in-the-dust.md)
- *His Girl Friday* (1940), Fi1m 90, as Dr. Egelhoffer — [page](https://film.one/film/his-girl-friday.md)
- *Ninotchka* (1939), Fi1m 82, as Mercier — [page](https://film.one/film/ninotchka.md)

### Also credited (6) — thanks, archive footage, uncredited

- *Since You Went Away* (1944), Fi1m 63, as Businessman in Cocktail Lounge (uncredited) — [page](https://film.one/film/since-you-went-away.md)
- *Heaven Can Wait* (1943), Fi1m 84, as Doctor (uncredited) — [page](https://film.one/film/heaven-can-wait-1943.md)
- *You Can't Take It with You* (1938), Fi1m 70, as Kirby's Attorney (uncredited) — [page](https://film.one/film/you-cant-take-it-with-you.md)
- *A Star Is Born* (1937), Fi1m 78, as Vocal Coach (uncredited) — [page](https://film.one/film/a-star-is-born-1937.md)
- *Mr. Deeds Goes to Town* (1936), Fi1m 82, as Douglas (uncredited) — [page](https://film.one/film/mr-deeds-goes-to-town.md)
- *Duck Soup* (1933), Fi1m 88, as Freedonia's Secretary of War #1 (uncredited) — [page](https://film.one/film/duck-soup.md)

## Complete filmography (132)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *The Walls of Jericho* (1948), as Porter Grimes
- *The Vicious Circle* (1948), as Presiding Judge
- *Campus Honeymoon* (1948), as Sen. Hughes
- *The Gangster* (1947), as Politician (uncredited)
- *Second Chance* (1947), as Mr. Davenport
- *The Jolson Story* (1946), as Oscar Hammerstein (uncredited)
- *Swamp Fire* (1946), as Capt. Pierre Moise
- *Mama Loves Papa* (1945), as Kirkwood
- *Practically Yours* (1944), as Radio Official (uncredited)
- *Wilson* (1944), as William Jennings Bryan — Fi1m 61, [page](https://film.one/film/wilson.md)
- *The Great Moment* (1944), as Vice-President of Medical Society
- *Since You Went Away* (1944), as Businessman in Cocktail Lounge (uncredited) — Fi1m 63, [page](https://film.one/film/since-you-went-away.md)
- *Waterfront* (1944), as Max Kramer
- *Heaven Can Wait* (1943), as Doctor (uncredited) — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/film/heaven-can-wait-1943.md)
- *Behind Prison Walls* (1943), as Percy Webb
- *Street of Chance* (1942), as Stillwell, D.A.
- *Ten Gentlemen from West Point* (1942), as Sen. John Randolph
- *I Live on Danger* (1942), as Wingy Keefe
- *Pacific Blackout* (1941), as District attorney
- *Know For Sure* (1941), as Dr. Paxton
- *Buy Me That Town* (1941), as P.V. Baxter
- *Blossoms in the Dust* (1941), as City Councilman — Fi1m 58, [page](https://film.one/film/blossoms-in-the-dust.md)
- *Ride on Vaquero* (1941), as Dan Clark
- *The Devil and Miss Jones* (1941), as Withers
- *North West Mounted Police* (1940), Supervising Dialogue Editor
- *Brigham Young* (1940), as 2nd Mob Leader
- *Kit Carson* (1940), as John Sutter
- *New Moon* (1940), as Captain de Jean
- *Jack Pot* (1940), as Rocky Fallon
- *His Girl Friday* (1940), as Dr. Egelhoffer — Fi1m 90, [page](https://film.one/film/his-girl-friday.md)
- *The Blue Bird* (1940), as Oak
- *The Shop Around the Corner* (1940), as Doctor
- *Ninotchka* (1939), as Mercier — Fi1m 82, [page](https://film.one/film/ninotchka.md)
- *Drums Along the Mohawk* (1939), as Rev. Daniel Gros
- *Way Down South* (1939), as Martin Dill
- *Young Mr. Lincoln* (1939), as John T. Stuart (uncredited)
- *Union Pacific* (1939), Dialogue Coach
- *Made for Each Other* (1939), as Messerschmidt (uncredited)
- *You Can't Take It with You* (1938), as Kirby's Attorney (uncredited) — Fi1m 70, [page](https://film.one/film/you-cant-take-it-with-you.md)
- *Rich Man, Poor Girl* (1938), as Krauss
- *The Rage of Paris* (1938), as Hotel Manager (uncredited)
- *Paradise for Three* (1938), as First Lawyer (uncredited)
- *Hold That Kiss* (1938), as Theatre Manager
- *Romance on the Run* (1938), as Mondoon
- *Nothing Sacred* (1937), as Mr. Bullock (uncredited)
- *Love Takes Flight* (1937), as Dave Miller
- *One Hundred Men and a Girl* (1937), as Ira Westing - Editor
- *Slave Ship* (1937), as Auctioneer
- *The Road Back* (1937), as Principal
- *A Star Is Born* (1937), as Vocal Coach (uncredited) — Fi1m 78, [page](https://film.one/film/a-star-is-born-1937.md)
- *Night Key* (1937), as Lawyer Kruger
- *Love Is News* (1937), as Kenyon
- *Torture Money* (1937), as Milton Beacher
- *A Man Betrayed* (1936), as Richards
- *Camille* (1936), as Doctor (uncredited)
- *Come and Get It* (1936), as Sid LeMaire
- *To Mary - with Love* (1936), as Byron C. Wakefield
- *Fury* (1936), as Vickery
- *Absolute Quiet* (1936), as Baxter (Uncredited)
- *Panic on the Air* (1936), as Gordon
- *Mr. Deeds Goes to Town* (1936), as Douglas (uncredited) — Fi1m 82, [page](https://film.one/film/mr-deeds-goes-to-town.md)
- *Big Brown Eyes* (1936), as Newspaper Editor
- *Dangerous Waters* (1936), as Mr. Brunch
- *Public Ghost # 1* (1935), as Insane Man
- *Thanks a Million* (1935), as Mr. Casey
- *The Last Days of Pompeii* (1935), as The Augur - a Pompeii Official (uncredited), The Augur, a Pompeii Official (uncredited)
- *Happiness C.O.D.* (1935), as Lester Walsh
- *Men of Action* (1935), as Jefferson
- *Motive for Revenge* (1935), as William King
- *'G' Men* (1935), as Joseph Kratz (uncredited)
- *The Devil Is a Woman* (1935), as Tobacco Plant Manager (uncredited)
- *Great God Gold* (1935), as Nitto
- *All the King's Horses* (1935), as First Gentleman
- *Elinor Norton* (1934), as Army Doctor
- *Cleopatra* (1934), as Casca
- *Burn 'Em Up Barnes* (1934), as Lyman Warren
- *Hollywood Party* (1934), as Buddy Goldfarb (uncredited)
- *Mystery Liner* (1934), as Major Pope
- *Dancing Man* (1934), as Morton Randall
- *This Side of Heaven* (1934), as R.S. Sawyer (uncredited)
- *The 9th Guest* (1934), as Jason Osgood
- *Miss Fane's Baby Is Stolen* (1934), as Judge
- *Dinner at Eight* (1933), as Mr. Fitch
- *Lady Killer* (1933), as Jeffries, the Theatre Manager (uncredited)
- *Duck Soup* (1933), as Freedonia's Secretary of War #1 (uncredited) — Fi1m 88, [page](https://film.one/film/duck-soup.md)
- *Fog* (1933), as Ship Captain
- *Big Time Or Bust* (1933), as Winthrop Allen
- *Back Page* (1933), as Martin Blake
- *Police Car 17* (1933), as Big Bill Standish
- *Ann Vickers* (1933), as Defense Attorney (uncredited)
- *I Loved a Woman* (1933), as Gossiper aka "That Cad" (uncredited)
- *Broadway to Hollywood* (1933), as Rockwell
- *This Day and Age* (1933), as Mayor's Assistant
- *The Narrow Corner* (1933), as The Man Fred Killed
- *The Woman I Stole* (1933), as Lentz
- *The Mayor of Hell* (1933), as Louis Johnson
- *Emergency Call* (1933), as Tom Rourke
- *Gambling Ship* (1933), as District Attorney Travers
- *Heroes for Sale* (1933), as Laundry Company President
- *Night of Terror* (1933), as The Maniac
- *Mystery of the Wax Museum* (1933), as Worth
- *State Trooper* (1933), as W.J. Brady
- *Tonight Is Ours* (1933), as Mob Leader
- *Frisco Jenny* (1933), as Tom Ford (uncredited)
- *You Said a Mouthful* (1932), as Dr. Vorse
- *The Girl from Calgary* (1932), as Earl Darrell
- *6 Hours to Live* (1932), as Police Commissioner
- *Tiger Shark* (1932), as Doctor (uncredited)
- *Grand Hotel* (1932), as Dr. Waitz
- *Those We Love* (1932), as Marshall
- *Blessed Event* (1932), as Sam Gobel
- *American Madness* (1932), as Clark (uncredited)
- *Merrily We Go to Hell* (1932), as Jake Symonds (uncredited)
- *While Paris Sleeps* (1932), as Prison Commandant
- *The Trial of Vivienne Ware* (1932), as Detective (uncredited)
- *Scarface* (1932), as Chief of Detectives
- *Young Bride* (1932), as The Doctor
- *The Cohens and Kellys in Hollywood* (1932), as Chauncey Chadwick
- *The Impatient Maiden* (1932), as Prof. Von Mueller (uncredited)
- *Ambassador Bill* (1931), as Monte
- *The Yellow Ticket* (1931), as Police Agent Boligoff
- *Wicked* (1931), as Owner of Property, Owner of property
- *Men of the Sky* (1931), as Count
- *Daddy Long Legs* (1931), as Wykoff (uncredited)
- *Daybreak* (1931), as Herr Hoffman
- *Kiki* (1931), as Dr. Smiley
- *Inspiration* (1931), as Uncle Julian Montell
- *The Gorilla* (1930), as Cyrus Stevens
- *Du Barry, Woman of Passion* (1930), as Maupeou
- *Top Speed* (1930), as J.W. Rollins
- *All Quiet on the Western Front* (1930), as Herr Bäumer (uncredited)
- *The Taming of the Shrew* (1929), as Battista

## Gallery

- ![Edwin Maxwell](https://film.one/media/person/393884/gallery-c6ce8796ed11.jpg) Edwin Maxwell — film screenshot (Republic Pictures), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/66/Edwin_Maxwell_in_Romance_on_the_Run_%281938%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![Edwin Maxwell](https://film.one/media/person/393884/gallery-cc6f3b5da8c8.jpg) Edwin Maxwell — Image via TMDB

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/edwin-maxwell