Max Alexander (comedian)

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Max Alexander (comedian) bigraphy, stories - Stand-up comedian, actor

Max Alexander (comedian) : biography

Michael Drelich, better known by the stage name Max Alexander, is an American stand-up comedian and actor who has appeared numerous times on The Tonight Show.

Biography

Career

Born on the East Coast, he moved to Los Angeles in his late-twenties. In addition to doing stand-up comedy, Alexander also began appearing in supporting appearances on many sitcoms (Full House) and other series (Matlock). Alexander’s film credits include supporting roles with stars such as Tom Hanks, Steve Martin, and Jim Carrey Jason Siegle, in such films as Roxanne (1987) and Punchline (1988) and Forgetting Sarah Marshall.

He also appears in Comedy Central’s Best of the Improv, Vol. 5 (2003) and Comedy Club Greats with Jerry Seinfeld (2007). In recent years Alexander is frequently in Las Vegas, Nevada, performing his comedy alongside Tom Jones and others. His most recent film is Five Year Engagment (2011). He has appeared on the Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon as well.

His stand-up routine focuses primarily on his large size, constantly poking fun at his weight and is known for pulling his pants up to his chest during his routines. But as Jay Leno has said, Max’s material is as relevant today as any "young" comic.

One thing about Max Alexander that embarrasses him is his giving heart. He is not only known as the go-to person when you need someone to perform for a charity, but he has also helped countless artists, be it a comic, musician, dancer or actor get started in their careers, which showed when they honored him at his benefit.

As of May 2009, Max will be one of the only comics to perform on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, Jay Leno and Conan O’Brien.

Personal life

In 2008, Alexander was hospitalized with a kidney ailment and needed a transplant to survive. His brother Rabbi Moshe Drelich was the one who donated it. A few weeks after his transplant, Alexander suffered a stroke and is in recovery. As of April 2009, Max is recovering quite well. He has been traveling the country doing motivational lectures with his stand-up style.

Filmography

Film
Year Film Role Notes
1983 Treasure of the Haunted House Melvin
1984 Garbo Talks Roger Kellerman Credited as Maxwell Alexander
1987 Roxanne Dean
1988 Punchline Mister Ball
1990 Honeymoon Academy Sack Alternative title: For Better or For Worse
1992 Brain Donors L.A. stage manager Alternative title: Lame Ducks
1998 A Fare to Remember
1999 Man on the Moon Harrah’s Booker
2007 Stand Up Leo Stein
2008 Forgetting Sarah Marshall Big Dracula Head Credited as Maxwell Alexander
Television
Year Title Role Notes
1989 Full House Dr. Wynager 1 episode
1990 Out of This World Older Billy 1 episode
1992 Matlock Max Sugarman 1 episode
1993 Doogie Howser, M.D. Louis 1 episode
1994 Hart to Hart: Crimes of the Hart Waiter Television movie
1996 Pearl Professor Millhouse 1 episode
1997 The Practice Benjamin Holsten 2 episodes
1998 Hang Time 1 episode
2002 My Wife and Kids Bartender 2 episodes