Max Showalter
Biography
Max Showalter was an American actor, composer, pianist, and singer who was born in Caldwell, Kansas and became interested in performing when his mother played piano for silent movies at local theaters. He acted on stage in the late 1930s, including at the Pasadena Playhouse, and his Broadway debut came with Knights of Song. He toured for two years in This Is the Army, and his longest-running stage part was Horace Vandergelder in Hello Dolly, which he played in more than 3,000 performances alongside Carol Channing, Betty Grable, and Ethel Merman. Signed by 20th Century Fox in the late 1940s, he was renamed Casey Adams, and his first film was Always Leave Them Laughing. His screen credits included Niagara (1953), Bus Stop (1956), The Music Man (1962), How to Murder Your Wife (1965), The Anderson Tapes (1971), 10 (1979), and Sixteen Candles (1984). On television he appeared in the original Leave It to Beaver pilot as Ward Cleaver.
83years old at death
- Born Caldwell
- Died Middletown
- Star sign: GeminiThe sign runs May 21 to June 20
- Also credited as Casey Adams and Max Gordon Showalter
Movie Career
- Films
- 27
- Career span
- 32 years1952 to 1984
Genres
First and latest
Share
Did you know?!
About the name
Max Showalter was signed by 20th Century Fox in the late 1940s, and studio founder Darryl F. Zanuck renamed him Casey Adams because it sounded more bankable.
Beyond film
On Broadway, Max Showalter took the part of Horace Vandergelder in Hello Dolly! and gave more than 3,000 performances, sharing the stage with Carol Channing, Betty Grable, and Ethel Merman.
A role that slipped away
Billed as Casey Adams, Showalter played Ward Cleaver in the original pilot for Leave It to Beaver, but was replaced by Hugh Beaumont when the show became a series.
Behind the camera
Showalter wrote the song "Hoe that Corn" and sang it with David Wayne in the 1952 biopic With a Song in My Heart, his second feature film.
A change of course
Showalter was in the U.S. Army during World War II, where he entertained troops as a member of the Special Services division.
Behind the camera
Showalter wrote the music for Little Boy Blue. That show opened on September 11, 1950, at the El Capitan Theater in Hollywood, California.
Max Showalter movies on Netflix
Best known for
The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.
Most often with
Richard Quine directed three of these films, Arnold Laven two and Jerry Hopper two. Mary Wickes appears in four of them, more than any other actor. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.
Films together
Mary Wickes's page
Jack Lemmon's page
Robert Adler's page
Broderick Crawford's page
Doris Day's page
Hans Conried's page
All films by Richard Quine
Arnold LavenDirector, 2 films, 1954 to 1957
All films by Arnold Laven
Jerry HopperDirector, 2 films, 1954 to 1956
All films by Jerry Hopper
Also two films together16 more actors
- Harry CarterMove Over, Darling (1963) and Vicki (1953)
- Marilyn MonroeBus Stop (1956) and Niagara (1953)
- Rodolfo AcostaNight People (1954) and Destination Gobi (1953)
- Tuesday WeldLord Love a Duck (1966) and Return to Peyton Place (1961)
- Robert F. SimonFate Is the Hunter (1964) and Never Say Goodbye (1956)
- Chuck ConnorsMove Over, Darling (1963) and Naked Alibi (1954)
- Howard St. JohnFate Is the Hunter (1964) and Sex and the Single Girl (1964)
- Stuart RandallIndestructible Man (1956) and Naked Alibi (1954)
- Elliott ReidMove Over, Darling (1963) and Vicki (1953)
- Jean PetersNiagara (1953) and Vicki (1953)
- Russell CollinsDestination Gobi (1953) and Niagara (1953)
- Jerry ParisThe Naked and the Dead (1958) and Never Say Goodbye (1956)
- Howard WendellHow to Murder Your Wife (1965) and Never Say Goodbye (1956)
- Joseph MellLord Love a Duck (1966) and Naked Alibi (1954)
- Marisa PavanDown Three Dark Streets (1954) and What Price Glory (1952)
- Marjorie StappThe Monster That Challenged the World (1957) and Indestructible Man (1956)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.
Box office
What Max Showalter's films earned in cinemas worldwide.
Combined worldwide box office
$197 million
9 of the 27 films have a worldwide figure.
Of the 27 films: 9 worldwide figure; 2 us gross only; 16 figure not found.
- 9Worldwide figure
- 2US gross only
- 16Figure not found
Top grosser
Highest grossing
The eight biggest films earned 97% of the total. The bars are drawn to scale.
- 1$107M54.3% of the total
- 2$24M12.0% of the total
- 3$15M7.6% of the total
- 4$13M6.4% of the total
- 5$12M6.1% of the total
- 6$8.5M4.3% of the total
- 7$7.3M3.7% of the total
- 8$6.0M3.1% of the total
$5.0 millionfrom the other 1 film with a worldwide figure, 3% of the total
Online
Official profiles and reference pages.