Max Gail
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Maxwell Trowbridge Gail Jr. (born April 5, 1943) is an
American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...
actor who has starred on stage, and in television and film roles. He is best known for his role as Detective Stan "Wojo" Wojciehowicz on the sitcom ''
Barney Miller ''Barney Miller'' is an American sitcom television series set in a New York City Police Department police station on East 6th St in Greenwich Village. The series was broadcast on ABC Network from January 23, 1975, to May 20, 1982. It was cre ...
'' (1975–1982), which earned him two consecutive Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series nominations. Gail also won the 2019 and 2021 Daytime Emmy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role as Mike Corbin on the soap opera ''
General Hospital ''General Hospital'' (often abbreviated as ''GH'') is an American daytime television soap opera. It is listed in ''Guinness World Records'' as the longest-running American soap opera in production, and the second in American history after '' ...
''.


Early life

Gail was born in
Detroit Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at t ...
, Michigan, the son of Mary Elizabeth (née Scanlon) and Maxwell Trowbridge Gail, a businessman,Profile
Filmreference.com; accessed June 12, 2018.
and raised in
Grosse Ile, Michigan Große or Grosse is a German surname. Notable people with the surname include: *Demetrius Grosse *Maurice Grosse *Katharina Grosse *Ben Grosse *Hans-Werner Grosse *Heinz-Josef Große *Julius Grosse {{surname German-language surnames ...
. He has a twin sister, actress Mary Gail. He attended
Williams College Williams College is a private liberal arts college in Williamstown, Massachusetts. It was established as a men's college in 1793 with funds from the estate of Ephraim Williams, a colonist from the Province of Massachusetts Bay who was kille ...
, and was later an instructor for the University Liggett School before becoming an actor. His acting debut came in 1970 for the Little Fox Theatre in
San Francisco, California San Francisco (; Spanish for " Saint Francis"), officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Northern California. The city proper is the fourth most populous in California and 17t ...
, playing Chief Bromden in the original stage production of ''
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest may refer to: * ''One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest'' (novel), a 1962 novel by Ken Kesey * ''One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest'' (play), a 1963 stage adaptation of the novel starring Kirk Douglas * ''One Flew Over the ...
''. In 1973, he reprised this role in his New York stage debut.


Career

Gail is best known for his television role as Det. Stan "Wojo" Wojciehowicz in the
sitcom A sitcom, a portmanteau of situation comedy, or situational comedy, is a genre of comedy centered on a fixed set of characters who mostly carry over from episode to episode. Sitcoms can be contrasted with sketch comedy, where a troupe may use ...
''Barney Miller'' (1975–1982). Gail's best-known
feature film A feature film or feature-length film is a narrative film (motion picture or "movie") with a running time long enough to be considered the principal or sole presentation in a commercial entertainment program. The term ''feature film'' originall ...
role is in ''
D.C. Cab ''D.C. Cab'' (also known as ''Street Fleet'') is a 1983 American comedy film written and directed by Joel Schumacher, based on a story by Topper Carew and Schumacher, and starring Max Gail, Adam Baldwin, Mr. T, Charlie Barnett, Gary Busey, M ...
'' (1983) as Harold, the owner of the D.C. Cab
taxi A taxi, also known as a taxicab or simply a cab, is a type of vehicle for hire with a driver, used by a single passenger or small group of passengers, often for a non-shared ride. A taxicab conveys passengers between locations of their choic ...
company. He directed several episodes of ''Barney Miller'' as Maxwell Gail. In 1984, Gail was featured in the
monodrama A monodrama is a theatrical or operatic piece played by a single actor or singer, usually portraying one character. In opera In opera, a monodrama was originally a melodrama with one role such as Jean-Jacques Rousseau's '' Pygmalion'', which w ...
''The Babe'' on Broadway. This
stage play A play is a work of drama, usually consisting mostly of dialogue between characters and intended for theatrical performance rather than just reading. The writer of a play is called a playwright. Plays are performed at a variety of levels, f ...
was filmed and later featured on PBS. Gail has starred in other TV series, including '' Whiz Kids'' (1983) as Llewellan Farley Jr., an investigative reporter who is friends with a group of teenaged computer hackers. He worked on the short-lived ''
Normal Life ''Normal Life'' is a 1996 American crime drama film based on the real lives of husband-and-wife bank robbers, Jeffrey and Jill Erickson. The film stars Ashley Judd and Luke Perry and was directed by John McNaughton. The original screenplay was ...
'' (1990). He has appeared on the TV series '' Sons & Daughters'' (2006). Gail has made many guest appearances on TV shows such as: ''
Walker, Texas Ranger ''Walker, Texas Ranger'' is an American action crime television series created by Leslie Greif and Paul Haggis. It was inspired by the film '' Lone Wolf McQuade'', with both this series and that film starring Chuck Norris as a member of the ...
'' ("Whitewater"); ''
Cannon A cannon is a large- caliber gun classified as a type of artillery, which usually launches a projectile using explosive chemical propellant. Gunpowder ("black powder") was the primary propellant before the invention of smokeless powder ...
'', '' Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman'', ''
Due South ''Due South'' is a Canadian crime comedy-drama television series created by Paul Haggis, and produced by Alliance Communications from its premiere on April 26, 1994, to its conclusion after four seasons on March 14, 1999. The series starred P ...
'', ''
The Streets of San Francisco ''The Streets of San Francisco'' is a television crime drama filmed on location in San Francisco and produced by Quinn Martin Productions, with the first season produced in association with Warner Bros. Television (QM produced the show on its ...
'', ''
Paul Sand in Friends and Lovers ''Friends and Lovers'' (also known as ''Paul Sand in Friends and Lovers'') is an American sitcom starring Paul Sand which centers on a musician in Boston, Massachusetts, and his personal relationships. It was Sand's only starring role in a televis ...
'', '' The Drew Carey Show'', '' Hawaii Five-0'', '' Quantum Leap'', ''
Psych ''Psych'' is an American detective comedy-drama television series created by Steve Franks for USA Network. The series stars James Roday as Shawn Spencer, a young crime consultant for the Santa Barbara Police Department whose "heightened obser ...
'', '' Longmire'', ''
Gary Unmarried ''Gary Unmarried'' is an American sitcom created by Ed Yeager, which ran on CBS from September 24, 2008, to March 17, 2010. The series focuses on a recently divorced couple (Jay Mohr and Paula Marshall) sharing custody of their kids while startin ...
'', '' ''NCIS'''', ''
Scorpion Scorpions are predatory arachnids of the order Scorpiones. They have eight legs, and are easily recognized by a pair of grasping pincers and a narrow, segmented tail, often carried in a characteristic forward curve over the back and always en ...
'', and ''
Mad Men ''Mad Men'' is an American period drama television series created by Matthew Weiner and produced by Lionsgate Television. It ran on the cable network AMC from July 19, 2007, to May 17, 2015, lasting for seven seasons and 92 episodes. Its f ...
''. Gail appeared as
Brooklyn Dodgers The Brooklyn Dodgers were a Major League Baseball team founded in 1884 as a member of the American Association before joining the National League in 1890. They remained in Brooklyn until 1957, after which the club moved to Los Angeles, Californi ...
manager Management (or managing) is the administration of an organization, whether it is a business, a nonprofit organization, or a government body. It is the art and science of managing resources of the business. Management includes the activitie ...
Burt Shotton in the 2013 film '' 42'', about
Jackie Robinson Jack Roosevelt Robinson (January 31, 1919 – October 24, 1972) was an American professional baseball player who became the first African American to play in Major League Baseball (MLB) in the modern era. Robinson broke the baseball color line ...
's first two years as a member of the Dodgers organization, including his first year of playing at the major-league level in 1947. Gail runs Full Circle, a production company that has featured
documentaries A documentary film or documentary is a non-fictional motion-picture intended to "document reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction, education or maintaining a historical record". Bill Nichols has characterized the documentary in term ...
on such subjects as
Agent Orange Agent Orange is a chemical herbicide and defoliant, one of the "tactical use" Rainbow Herbicides. It was used by the U.S. military as part of its herbicidal warfare program, Operation Ranch Hand, during the Vietnam War from 1961 to 1971. It ...
, Native Americans, and
nuclear Nuclear may refer to: Physics Relating to the nucleus of the atom: *Nuclear engineering *Nuclear physics *Nuclear power *Nuclear reactor *Nuclear weapon *Nuclear medicine *Radiation therapy *Nuclear warfare Mathematics *Nuclear space *Nuclear ...
issues. Gail stepped into the recast role of Mike Corbin on ''General Hospital''. He debuted on February 5, 2018, and went on to win the 2019 Daytime Emmy Award for Best Supporting Actor.


Personal life

Gail's first wife, Willie Bier, died of
cancer Cancer is a group of diseases involving abnormal cell growth with the potential to invade or spread to other parts of the body. These contrast with benign tumors, which do not spread. Possible signs and symptoms include a lump, abnormal b ...
in 1986 after three years of marriage. The experience inspired Gail to be the narrator of the
alternative medicine Alternative medicine is any practice that aims to achieve the healing effects of medicine despite lacking biological plausibility, testability, repeatability, or evidence from clinical trials. Complementary medicine (CM), complementary and al ...
film documentary ''Hoxsey: When Healing Becomes a Crime'' (1988). They have a daughter, India. His second wife, Nan, and he have two children, Maxwell and Grace. They separated amicably in 2000. He has been in a relationship with Chris Kaul since 2007. Gail's daughter Grace Gail, who later became a model, married actor
Adam Rodriguez Adam Michael Rodriguez (born April 2, 1975)"Adam Rodriguez" (2006). ''Contemporary Theatre, Film and Television''. Vol. 71. Detroit: Gale. Accessed via ''Biography in Context'' database, August 7, 2016. is an American actor, screenwriter and ...
in 2016. They have three children, including son Bridgemont Bernard Rodriguez who was born on March 16, 2020.


Selected filmography

* 1971 '' The Organization'' as Rudy * 1971 ''
Dirty Harry ''Dirty Harry'' is a 1971 American neo-noir action thriller film produced and directed by Don Siegel, the first in the ''Dirty Harry'' series. Clint Eastwood plays the title role, in his first outing as San Francisco Police Department (SFP ...
'' as Tunnel Hoodlum #1 (uncredited) * 1975 '' Night Moves'' as Stud * 1977 '' Curse of the Black Widow'' (TV movie) as Ragsdale * 1980 ''
Cardiac Arrest Cardiac arrest is when the heart suddenly and unexpectedly stops beating. It is a medical emergency that, without immediate medical intervention, will result in sudden cardiac death within minutes. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and possi ...
'' as Leigh Gregory * 1980 ''The Aliens Are Coming'' aka ''Alien Force'' (TV movie) as Russ Garner * 1983 ''
D.C. Cab ''D.C. Cab'' (also known as ''Street Fleet'') is a 1983 American comedy film written and directed by Joel Schumacher, based on a story by Topper Carew and Schumacher, and starring Max Gail, Adam Baldwin, Mr. T, Charlie Barnett, Gary Busey, M ...
'' as Harold * 1984 '' Heartbreakers'' as King * 1986 '' Where are the Children'' as Clay Eldridge * 1986 '' Matlock'' as Lieutenant Chet Webber * 1988 '' Man Against the Mob'' as Judah Best * 1989 ''
Murder, She Wrote ''Murder, She Wrote'' is an American crime drama television series, created by Peter S. Fischer, Richard Levinson and William Link, starring Angela Lansbury, and produced and distributed by Universal Television for the CBS network. The seri ...
'' as Stanley Holmes, “Dead Letter” episode * 1991 ''
Our Shining Moment ''Our Shining Moment'' is a 1991 television family drama film directed by Mark Tinker and starring Cindy Pickett, Max Gail and Don Ameche. It was intended as a pilot for a series which was never produced. It was broadcast on NBC on June 2, 1 ...
'' (TV Movie) as John McGuire Jr. * 1994 ''
Dangerous Touch ''Dangerous Touch'' is a 1994 American erotic thriller film directed by Lou Diamond Phillips (in his directorial debut) and written by Kurt Voss and Phillips. It stars Phillips and Kate Vernon. It was released direct-to-video on October 12, 1994. ...
'' as Jasper Stone * 1994 ''
Pontiac Moon ''Pontiac Moon'' is a 1994 adventure film directed by Peter Medak, and produced by Robert Schaffel and Youssef Vahabzadeh. The film stars Ted Danson as Washington Bellamy, a "pigheaded" science teacher in a small town of California, as well as M ...
'' as Jerome Bellamy * 1994 '' Deadly Target'' as Captain Peters * 1995 ''
Home Improvement The concept of home improvement, home renovation, or remodeling is the process of renovating or making additions to one's home. Home improvement can consist of projects that upgrade an existing home interior (such as electrical and plumbing), ...
'' as Officer Carl Keegan * 1996 '' Good Luck'' as Farmer John * 1996 ''
Forest Warrior ''Forest Warrior'' is a 1996 American adventure film starring Chuck Norris and directed by Norris's brother Aaron Norris. The film was released on direct-to-video in the United States on November 5, 1996. The film is perhaps best known since late ...
'' as Sheriff Ramsey * 1997 '' Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction'' as Buck / Grandpa * 1999 ''
Judgment Day The Last Judgment, Final Judgment, Day of Reckoning, Day of Judgment, Judgment Day, Doomsday, Day of Resurrection or The Day of the Lord (; ar, یوم القيامة, translit=Yawm al-Qiyāmah or ar, یوم الدین, translit=Yawm ad-Dīn, ...
'' as General Bill Meech * 2001 ''
Facing the Enemy Facing the Enemy is a 2001 erotic thriller film starring Linden Ashby, Maxwell Caulfield, and Alexandra Paul. The film was directed by Robert Malenfant and produced by Anita Gershman. Premise Detective Griffin "Griff" McCleary's son Kevin McCle ...
'' as Thomas Galloway * 2006 '' Tillamook Treasure'' as Grandpa Kimbell * 2007 ''
Dexter Dexter may refer to: Arts and entertainment * Dexter, the main character of the American animated series '' Dexter's Laboratory'' that aired from 1996 to 2003 * Dexter, a fictional character in the British web series ''Diary of a Bad Man'' * Dext ...
'' (TV series) as Banana Boat Tour Guide * 2009 '' You Don't Know Jack: The Jack Soo Story'' as Himself * 2009 ''Always and Forever'' (TV movie) as Bill Anderson * 2012-2013 ''
Psych ''Psych'' is an American detective comedy-drama television series created by Steve Franks for USA Network. The series stars James Roday as Shawn Spencer, a young crime consultant for the Santa Barbara Police Department whose "heightened obser ...
'' (TV series) as Jerry Carp * 2013 '' 42'' as Burt Shotton * 2015 '' The Frontier'' as Sean * 2015 '' I'll See You In My Dreams'' as Carl * 2015 ''
Mad Men ''Mad Men'' is an American period drama television series created by Matthew Weiner and produced by Lionsgate Television. It ran on the cable network AMC from July 19, 2007, to May 17, 2015, lasting for seven seasons and 92 episodes. Its f ...
'' (TV series) as Floyd * 2015 '' Underdog Kids'' as Charlie Walker * 2015 '' Longmire'' (TV series) as Thomas Hoyt * 2015 ''
Review A review is an evaluation of a publication, product, service, or company or a critical take on current affairs in literature, politics or culture. In addition to a critical evaluation, the review's author may assign the work a rating to indi ...
'' (TV series) as Forrest's Father * 2017 ''
The Hero The Hero may refer to: Books * "The Hero" (poem), a poem written by Rabindranath Tagore * ''The Hero'' (novel), a science fiction novel by John Ringo and Michael Z. Williamson * '' The Hero: A Study in Tradition, Myth and Drama'', a book by Fi ...
'' as Gary Babcock * 2017 '' Hawaii Five-0'' (TV series) as Bill Walker * 2017 ''
Abundant Acreage Available ''Abundant Acreage Available'' is a 2017 drama film written and directed by Angus MacLachlan. Amy Ryan and Terry Kinney star as siblings dealing with their father's recent death when three brothers, whose family operated the land for generations, ...
'' as Hans * 2018-2021 ''
General Hospital ''General Hospital'' (often abbreviated as ''GH'') is an American daytime television soap opera. It is listed in ''Guinness World Records'' as the longest-running American soap opera in production, and the second in American history after '' ...
'' as Mike Corbin * 2018 '' The Cool Kids'' as Robert


References


External links

* * * *
LAP.org
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gail, Max 1943 births American male film actors American male television actors Living people Male actors from Detroit Williams College alumni 20th-century American male actors 21st-century American male actors American male stage actors People from Grosse Ile, Michigan Daytime Emmy Award winners Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series winners