Who is Maxwell Caulfield?
British-American actor Maxwell Caulfield was born as Maxwell P. J. Newby in Belper, Derbyshire, England, on 23 November 1959, making Sagittarius his zodiac sign. He’s appeared in more than 90 movies and TV series, but is perhaps still known best for playing the lead character Michael in the 1982 musical comedy movie “Grease 2”, which also starred Lorna Luft and Michelle Pfeiffer, and was directed by Patricia Birch. It follows a British high school exchange student who’s fallen for an American girl – the film was nominated for three awards.
Maxwell’s still today active in the movie industry, and is currently shooting for the upcoming movies “Craft Me a Romance” and “7000 Miles”.
Education and early life
Maxwell was raised in Belper alongside his brother Marcus Maclaine, by their mother Oriole Rosalind Findlater and father Peter Newby; Maxwell’s parents eventually divorced, and his mother remarried.
He became interested in acting at a very early age, and was seven when he made his debut film appearance, playing Ted in the popular 1967 drama “Accident”, directed by Joseph Losey, and which starred Dirk Bogarde and Stanley Baker. It follows Austrian student Anna von Graz and British student William who are in love and are attending the University of Oxford, but Anna’s now slept with two professors; the movie won five of its 14 award nominations.
Maxwell didn’t have any roles in the following 13 years. He was 15 when his stepfather kicked him out of the house, and he then worked at Windmill Theatre as an exotic dancer, so that he could obtain his Equity card. He matriculated from a local high school in 1978, and then didn’t enroll at college.
Roles in TV series
Maxwell’s debut TV series role was playing Punk in four episodes of the 1980 romantic drama “Ryan’s Hope”, created by Claire Labine, and which starred Bernard Barrow and Helen Gallagher. It follows the Ryan family who are living in New York City, the series aired from 1975 through 1989, and won 29 of its 76 award nominations.
Some of Maxwell’s following roles were in the 1983 episode “Starr Knight” of the action science fiction adventure “The Powers of Matthew Star”, nine episodes of the 1986 romantic drama “Dynasty” and the 1987 episode “Pitfalls” of the romantic drama “Hotel”. From 1985 through 1987, he starred as Miles Colby in the drama “The Colbys”, which also starred John James and Charlton Heston, and was created by Paul Huson and William Bast. It follows the lives of wealthy Americans Jeff and Fallon Colby from California, and the series won one of its 13 award nominations. The remainder of the ‘80s saw Maxwell appear in an episode of the romantic war drama “Till We Meet Again”, the romantic drama “Beverly Hills, 90210”, and the fantasy comedy “Monsters”.
From 1995 through 1998, Maxwell voiced Alistair Smythe and various other characters in 19 episodes of the popular action adventure “Spider-Man: The Animated Series”, which starred Sara Ballantine and Christopher Daniel Barnes, and was created by Steve Ditko and Stan Lee. It follows Spiderman as he’s fighting crime in New York City, and the series was nominated for four awards. The ‘90s also saw Maxwell appear in an episode of many series, including the crime mystery “Mike Hammer, Private Eye”, the romantic comedy “Love Boat: The Next Wave” and the crime action “La Femme Nikita”.
Maxwell Caulfield and Michelle Pfeiffer in Grease 2 (1982).
Posted by 80's Memory Lane on Wednesday, July 3, 2019
In 2003 and 2004, he played Jim Brodie in the drama “Casualty”, which today stars Tony Marshall and Derek Thompson, and was created by Paul Unwin and Jeremy Brock. It follows the people working at Holby City Hospital, the series has been airing since 1986 and has won 16 of its 56 award nominations. Some of Maxwell’s other notable performances in the decade were in the comedy “Strip Mall”, the drama “Holby City”, and the romantic drama “Emmerdale Farm”.
He’s since appeared in only a couple of TV series, with his three most recent roles having been in the 2015 episode “The Wrong Stuff” of the crime comedy “Castle”, the 2021 episode “Take Me to Your Leader” of the science fiction “American Horror Story”, and the 2022 episode “Uncle Jim and Aunt Susie in Duluth” of the biographical comedy mini-series “Pam & Tommy”.
Roles in movies
Maxwell played Jeff in the 1984 drama “The Parade”, and some of his following roles were in the 1984 musical comedy “Electric Dreams”, the 1985 crime thriller “The Boys Next Door” and the 1986 mystery science fiction horror “The Supernaturals”. In 1989, he played Shane in the western horror comedy “Sundown: The Vampire in Retreat”, directed by Anthony Hickox, and which starred David Carradine, Morgan Brittany and Bruce Campbell. It follows the vampires staying in a reclusive vampire’s lounge in a small American city.
Maxwell could then have been seen appearing in the fantasy horror comedy “Waxwork II: Lost in Time”, the thriller “Dance with Death” and the thriller action “Animal Instincts”, all released in 1992. What marked the decade for him was perhaps playing one of the main characters Rex Manning in the 1995 musical comedy “Empire Records”, directed by Allan Moyle, and which also starred Anthony LaPaglia and Debi Mazar. It follows the lives of people working at Empire Records, and the film won an ASCAP Film and Television Music Award for Most Performed Songs from Motion Pictures. Some of Maxwell’s roles in the remainder of the ‘90s were in the family comedy “Dazzle”, the drama “Smut”, and the romantic comedy “More to Love”, all released in 1999.
Maxwell didn’t have many roles in the 2000s – what marked the decade for him was perhaps playing the lead character Sheriff Parker in the 2009 action science fiction horror “Dire Wolf”, directed by Fred Olen Ray, and which also starred Steven Lee Allen and Dawn Ann Billings. It follows a genetically modified creature which is half-human half-wolf, and which has escaped its containment and is now murdering people.
The year 2015 saw Maxwell star as Greydon Dupois in the family comedy “I’m Not Ready for Christmas”, directed by Sam Irvin, and which also starred George Stults and Alicia Witt. It follows Holly who cannot tell a lie for a day, because that was her niece’s wish to Santa Claus.
Some of Maxwell’s most recent film roles have been in the 2021 romantic drama “Lost & Found in Rome”, and in 2022 the romantic comedies “Butlers in Love” and “Love Accidentally”.
Other credits
Maxwell sang the song “Say No More” in the 1995 movie “Empire Records”.
He received special thanks for the 2019 short documentaries “Both Sides of the Law” and “Caveman Day”.
Maxwell produced the 2021 action thriller movie “Facing the Enemy”.
Some of his most recent talk-show appearances have been in “The Hollywood Moment”, “Loose Women” and “Love Your Weekend with Alan Titchmarsh”.
Awards and nominations
Maxwell won a 1982 Bravo Otto Germany Award for Best Actor.
He was also nominated for a 2010 British Soap Award for Best Exit, for “Emmerdale Farm” and a 2016 Eastern NC Film Festival Award for Best Supporting Actor, for “The Tormentors”.
Love life and wife
Maxwell shies away from sharing the details of his love life with the public, but it’s known that he and British-American actress Juliet Maryon Mills have been married since 1980.
Juliet’s the daughter of the late British actor Sir John Mills and screenwriter Lady Mills, and had been married twice prior to meeting Maxwell, to Russell Alquist Jr. from 1961 through 1974, and to Michael Miklenda from 1975 through 1980. Juliet has a son Sean with her first husband and a daughter Melissa with her second husband, thus making Maxwell the stepfather to both.
He’s yet to speak about other women whom he’s dated, Maxwell’s married to Juliet Mills as of May 2023, and doesn’t have biological children.
Interesting facts and hobbies
Maxwell received American citizenship on 5 September 1991.
Some of his first theatre roles were appearing totally nude on stage.
Maxwell’s wife Juliet’s 18 years his senior.
He starred alongside Charlie Sheen in the 1985 movie “The Boys Next Door”, and then alongside his father Martin Sheen in the 1993 film “Gettysburg”.
Maxwell and David Carradine appeared together in three movies: “Animal Instinct”, “Waxwork II: Lost in Time” and “Sundown: The Vampire in Retreat”.
He spent some time studying at the art school Chang-Ren Nian in London.
Maxwell’s been passionate about playing video games since his teenage years; he voiced James Bond in the 2002 video game “007: Nightfire” and Brom in the 2006 video game “Eragon”.
One of his favorite actors is Morgan Freeman, and some of Maxwell’s favorite movies include “Olympus Has Fallen”, “Evan Almighty” and “Angel Has Fallen”.
Height, eyes and wealth
Maxwell’s age is 63. He has blue eyes and brown hair, is 6ft (1.83m) tall and weighs around 175lbs (80kgs).
Maxwell’s net worth’s been estimated at over $10 million, as of May 2023.