#maxgail

Max Gail Live on Game Changers With Vicki Abelson

What a thrill it is when someone whose work I admire, adore, and respect exceeds all my expectations as a human. Max Gail, actor, director, advocate, songwriter, two-time Emmy Award Nominee, for Barney Miller, and two-time Emmy Winner for General Hospital did just that. Spending time in his most excellent company felt like a giant hug, like going home. 

Max took us back to his childhood homes in Detroit and Florida, his six siblings, five of whom are twins, including his twin sister… crazy, the music his father instilled in him, his academic science “nerd” education, the songwriting, with rhyming lyrics of which he treated us to a delicious taste, backing into acting, a gift from his mother, co-starring in the original stage production of One Flew Over The Cuckoos Nest as Chief Bromden in San Francisco, and reprising the role in his New York stage debut. He did his first film role in Dirty Harry, small parts on TV, and in commercials, till he got to Barney Miller, his Game Changer. You have to be smart to act dumb. Max with the masters mastered it. We talked about a lot of things along the way… acting, writing, auditioning, failing, scoring, native Americans, marriage, fatherhood, grandfatherhood, a later-in-life surprise, DC Cab, Belushi, Whiz Kids, 42, Alzheimer’s, General Hospital… Max, always fascinating, thoughtful, and delightful. 

I loved every moment, and I’m so grateful to have gotten this opportunity to know Max a bit and to discover his heart is as huge as his talent. No wonder he’s so beloved, by his fans, of which I’m one, as well as just about every actor I know. Deserved!  As much as I adored Max Gail before this sit-down, multiply it a gazillionfold. What fun! And boy, does he know to close. I still have goosebumps.

Max Gail Live on Game Changers With Vicki Abelson

Wed, August 30th, 5 pm PT, 8 pm ET

Streamed Live on The Facebook

Replay here:

Today, Live! You have to be really smart to act dumb. I’m a long-time fan of Max Gail, actor, advocate, songwriter, a two-time Emmy Award Nominee, for Barney Miller. I never missed an episode before VCRs and streaming. His Wojo, wojo’d me.

Max co-starred in the original stage production of One Flew Over The Cuckoos Nest as Chief Bromden in San Francisco, and reprised the role in his New York stage debut, three years before I appeared as Candy Star. In Tucson. So what! We’ll talk! 

Max appeared on Broadway and on screens big and small, including the film 42, and TV shows, The Streets of San Francisco, Murder She Wrote, The Drew Carey Show, Psych, and Mad Men, to name a few.

Max stepped into the recast role of Mike Corbin on General Hospital and has won two Emmy Awards in the last few years in the role. 

As much as I’ve adored Max’s work, my dealings with him readying for this have been warm and delightful. I’m SO looking forward! 

Max Gail Live on Game Changers With Vicki Abelson

Wed, August 30th, 5 pm PT, 8 pm ET

Streaming Live on The Facebook