Maxwell Reed (2 April 1919 – 31 October 1974) was an Irish actor who became a matinée idol in British films during the 1940s and 1950s.
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Biography
Early years
Reed was born in Larne. He left school aged fifteen to work on ships, including as a blockade runner. He wanted to act and ended up studying at RADA for a year. During World War II he served in the RAF and then the Merchant Navy. After demobilisation he worked as an extra and in repertory. He did a screen test for Riverside Studios at Rank and joined The Company of Youth at the age of 27.
Reed made his film debut in The Years Between (1946) and then appeared in Gaiety George (1946), both in uncredited roles.
Leading man
Producer Sydney Box thought Reed had star potential and promoted him to leading man status for Daybreak, a film noir which Box produced and co-wrote with his wife Muriel; Reed played an employee of Eric Portman's character Eddie who lusts after Eddie's wife, played by Ann Todd. The film was made in 1946, but not released until 1948 because of censorship issues.