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Max Davidson
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born:
23 May 1875 Berlin, Germany |
died:
04 September 1950 Woodland Hills, Los Angeles, California, United States of America (stomach cancer, age 75) |
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Diminutive bearded Jewish comic actor who had his own series of films after signing with Hal Roach in 1926. His roles were subjected to critical reviews for his portrayal of Jewish steroetypes and his series fizzled out in 1929. The following biography notes were made by Robert Winslow for the website: In 1920, the census has Max and his wife, Minnie, living at 1266 North Commonwealth Ave, Los Angeles. Max is 44 and Minnie 53. Max immigrated in 1880 from Germany, and Minnie in 1885 from Canada. Max's occupation is "actor - motion pictures." The 1930 census has Max Davidson and his wife Aline living at 1538 Beverly Drive, Los Angeles. This is a substantial 2-story home of Spanish Colonial style in an exclusive area of Los Angeles, only about a mile away from Harold Lloyd's mansion "Greenacres" in Benedict Canyon. The Davidson home was valued at $18,000 in 1930, a significant amount. They also owned a radio (an odd inclusion peculiar to the 1930 census). Max's occupation is "actor - motion pictures." In the 1940 census, Max is living at 1762 North Las Palmas Ave. in Los Angeles, a rambling stucco-and-tile home, where he boarded in the home of Martha Fletcher along with 3 other people. One of the other boarders had been born, like Max, in Germany. He'd been living at the same address in 1935. Max indicated he'd completed 4 years of high school (or its German equivalent), was married (although not living with his wife), was an "actor - motion pictures" but had not worked in the preceding 13 weeks (or since around the beginning of the year), and had an income of $400 in 1939. This was not a lot of money even for the living expenses at Martha Fletcher's, a home that rented for $50 a month divided (one would assume equally) between its 5 residents, or coming out to $10 a month for each. Max's fellow boarder Ernest Jasper, a 44 year old divorced free lance writer, had recently emigrated from Berlin, and since Max had been born there, no doubt they discussed the current situation in Germany. On the whole, a rather sad comedown from the beautiful home on Beverly Drive. The following biography notes were made by Jim Jarvis for the website: Max's Dad, Adolph Davidsohn (1847-1895) immigrated from Germany to Louisville, Kentucky (USA) alone about 1880 and brought his wife Paula (1849-1918) and sons Heinrich (1870-1952) and Max there in late December of that year. In the "City Directories" of Louisville, Adolph is listed as a peddler and shoe repairer. In the 1897 "Directory" is Max's first listing as an actor living with his brother "Henry" a physician and Mom Pauline, widow of Adolph at 720 Jackson St. According to Homer Croy's 1959 biography of D.W. Griffith ("Star Maker"), about 1908, Max met Griffith and his wife Linda in New York City while 'beating-the-bushes" looking for acting jobs. Both were born in 1875 and both grew up in Louisville. Griffith thought of himself as a writer but an actor just to make ends meet and looked upon motion pictures at that time with abhorrent disdain! He and his wife were struggling in the ghetto and feeling "down-in-the-dumps". Friend Max with his upbeat personality, sense of humour and positive attitude toward movies uplifted Griffith's spirits and along with Linda, encouraged him to "swallow his pride" and take film work for the money while working on his writings. The rest is history. Max's 1918 Draft Card has him in California working for the "Griffith Studio". A newspaper blurb in 1911 has Max in Piqua, Ohio playing a Mexican in the touring play, "Billy, the Kid". During the performance he accidently "shot" actor Loftus Husband who was playing the heavy. Without more explanation it says Husband was able to "continue with the company". According to his WWI Draft Card, Max obtained US Citizenship by "Father's Naturalization Before Registrant's Majority". I didn't find any records indicating that Max was of the Jewish Faith (his death certificate, marriages, burial, obituary, etc.). I was curious because his 2 older brothers were baptised Lutheran in Berlin in 1870 & 72. I found Max's German language birth certificate (1875) but no baptismal. I concluded that he was actually Jewish since his Dad, Adolph: Mom Paula: and Brother Dr. Henry are buried in "The Temple Jewish Cemetery" in Louisville, KY. In the 1930 Census (linked below) there is a column that "asks" how old were you at your "FIRST" MARRIAGE. For Max, this would have been his 1918 marriage to Minnie Parr. The certificate says for Max's age "43". The 1930 Census for Max says "34". I surmise that the Census Taker transposed the number "43" and wrote down "34". Anyone doing family history research would be unaware of the "error" unless they had access to the 1918 Marriage Certificate. |
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Real name: Max Davidsohn Height: 5'4" |
Films listed on this page: complete Hal Roach filmography. |
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