Max Miller, one of Britain's most renowned comedians of the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s, was born on November 21, 1894, in Brighton, England, to humble beginnings. Dropping out of school at the tender age of 12, Miller spent several years drifting aimlessly until he was called to serve in the First World War. His time entertaining troops sparked his ambition to pursue a career in show business.
After the war, Miller began building a name for himself in various pubs and music halls as a song-and-dance comedian. He landed his first professional job at Shorditch Hall in 1922 and eventually developed his own material and composed his own songs, which significantly helped his career. He rose to fame, playing all the top variety theatres in the country, including the prestigious London Palladium in 1931.
Miller was known for his brash, impish behavior, clever wit, and ability to cover gags that didn't quite land. He developed a distinctive style, dressing in flamboyant outfits, complete with flower-patterned suits, plus fours, co-respondent shoes, and a trilby hat, which was slightly tilted as he introduced his songs. His signature tune was the catchy "Mary from the Dairy," which he wrote.
Despite being a natural fit for radio, Miller's material was deemed too racy for broadcasting, and he refused to tone it down. As a result, his appearances on radio were infrequent. However, his recording career was highly successful, spanning nearly three decades.
Miller appeared in 14 feature films between 1933 and 1942, many of which were toned down versions of his stage shows. Some of his notable film roles include Things Are Looking Up (1935) with Cicely Courtneidge, Educated Evans (1936),Thank Evans (1938),Hoots Mon (1940),and The Good Old Days (1940),in which he played the character Alexander the Greatest.
Miller was long married to Kathleen Marsh, who gave him his stage name. He passed away at the age of 68 on May 7, 1963, at his Brighton home, due to a heart ailment.
