| Salma El-Sharkawy |
He was a Mexican-born American actor, born on November 28, 1901 in Torreon, Coahuila, Mexico. He was the youngest of five boys, and at the age of 10, Mexican rebels killed his father. His mother then brought him to Salinas, California, where he had a lifelong friendship with the writer John Steinbeck and appeared in many of the films based on Steinbeck's books. He appeared during Hollywood's Golden Era in supporting and additional roles as a durable and dependable actor from the mid-1920s through the '70s. He specialized in playing small roles and appeared in more than 400 films in his career. At 23 years old, Max joined his brothers in Hollywood, who were working as cameramen. As Max was fluent in Spanish, it helped him act in numerous Spanish-language versions of films and served as a Spanish-language coach for actors. During World War II, he took a break to serve in the U.S. Army in North Africa. His tough, brawny appearance made him a casting director's perfect choice for gangster roles. Max struggled off and on with alcoholism. His most notable appearance in films came in Invaders from Mars (1953). He is known for Corky and White Shadow (1956), Half Past Midnight (1948), and The Lost Jungle (1934). He was married to Elizabeth Ruth Clarke. He passed away on November 16, 1975, at the age of 73, in Hollywood, California, USA, from a heart attack.
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