Max Linder's importance to silent movie comedy often times goes too overlooked. The early short films of this French comedian had a major impact on many of the most popular silent comedians. Charlie Chaplin always cited Max Linder as one of his main influences. Some of Charlie Chaplin's short comedies even borrowed gags and stories for some of Linder's films. When Linder died in 1925 (at only the age of 41), Chaplin closed his studio for a day. Even those who worked behind the camera, were heavily influenced by Linder including comedy producer Mack Sennett and one of the best directors of the silent era, King Vidor.
The following is a tongue in cheek 1917 article from Photoplay magazine about Max Linder. If you have trouble reading it, click on the pages below and use your touch screen to zoom in.
Now for a great comedy short starring Linder, Max Takes a Bath (1906).
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