Frank Maxwell

Charles Francis Maxwell, born November 17, 1916, in the Bronx borough of New York City, was an American actor whose career spanned Broadway, television, and film. A graduate of the University of Michigan, Maxwell accumulated credits in 151 films and television programs over the course of his professional life. He died on August 4, 2004, in Santa Monica, California, and was buried at Holy Cross Cemetery in Culver City, California.

Maxwell launched his career on the Broadway stage, where he performed from 1938 to 1955. His theatrical credits included the productions At the Stroke of Eight, Maggie, Stop Press, Everywhere I Roam, and Dance Night. Among his more prominent stage roles, he played Happy, one of Willy Loman's sons, in Death of a Salesman, and portrayed Luther Billis in South Pacific, a role that Ray Walston would later take in the film adaptation. He also appeared in the Broadway production of Stalag 17.

Maxwell's television career began in 1950 with appearances on the Goodyear Playhouse and Philco Playhouse anthology programs, followed in 1951 by a role in the Big Town episode "The Overcoat." In 1960, he was cast as Marty Fisher in the Twilight Zone episode "A World of Difference" on CBS, and that same year appeared as Hackett in the Millionaire episode "Millionaire Jessica March." Also in 1960, he made two guest appearances on Perry Mason, playing Harry Wilson in "The Case of the Wayward Wife" and defendant Joe Dixon in "The Case of the Red Riding Boots," before returning in 1961 as Dr. Mooney in "The Case of the Injured Innocent."

During the 1962–1963 television season, Maxwell co-starred in the ABC sitcom Our Man Higgins, which featured Stanley Holloway in the title role alongside Audrey Totter and Ricky Kelman. Maxwell played the father, Duncan MacRoberts, in all thirty-four episodes of the series. He subsequently appeared as a regular on Felony Squad with Howard Duff from 1966 to 1968 and on The Second Hundred Years with Monte Markham from 1967 to 1968. His longest-running television role came on the daytime drama General Hospital, where he played hospital administrator Dan Rooney from 1978 to 1988, including a prominent part in the show's "Ice Princess" storyline in 1981.

Throughout his career Maxwell made recurring appearances on a number of series, including four episodes each of Rawhide, Quincy M.E., and The F.B.I., and three appearances each on Robert Montgomery Presents, Cannon, and Emergency. He also guest-starred on Alfred Hitchcock Presents five times and appeared on The Fugitive three times, in addition to roles on Peter Gunn, Decoy, The Munsters, The Asphalt Jungle, Target: The Corruptors, Mr. Novak, Cain's Hundred, Black Saddle, Whirlybirds, Hong Kong, Follow the Sun, and The Man and the Challenge. In 1973, he began a run of five appearances on Barnaby Jones, concluding in 1975. Later credits included a 1977 episode of The Feather and Father Gang, a role as Tommy Kelsey on All in the Family in the Season 8 episode "Archie Gets the Business," and a two-part appearance on The Love Boat in 1984 as Colonel Charles Holmsey.

Beyond his performing work, Maxwell served as president of the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists from 1984 to 1989.