Max Holden is a fictional character from the American soap opera ''
One Life to Live
''One Life to Live'' (often abbreviated as ''OLTL'') is an American soap opera broadcast on the ABC television network for more than 43 years, from July 15, 1968, to January 13, 2012, and then on the internet as a web series on Hulu and iTunes ...
''. The role was originated by
James DePaiva
James Paul DePaiva (born October 8, 1957) is an American soap opera actor.
Career
DePaiva is known for portraying Max Holden on the ABC Daytime soap opera ''One Life to Live'' from 1987 to 1990 and from 1991 to 2003. He made a brief return to th ...
.
Casting
Actor
James DePaiva
James Paul DePaiva (born October 8, 1957) is an American soap opera actor.
Career
DePaiva is known for portraying Max Holden on the ABC Daytime soap opera ''One Life to Live'' from 1987 to 1990 and from 1991 to 2003. He made a brief return to th ...
originated the role of Max Holden on the series episode first-run January 6, 1987, leaving the role in February 23, 1990. The character was then recast with Nicholas Walker in a
plastic surgery
Plastic surgery is a surgical specialty involving the restoration, reconstruction or alteration of the human body. It can be divided into two main categories: reconstructive surgery and cosmetic surgery. Reconstructive surgery includes craniofa ...
storyline (''see'' "
Larry Wolek
Larry Wolek is a fictional character from the American soap opera ''One Life to Live'', played for List of longest-serving soap opera actors#United States, 35 years by actor Michael Storm. Storm is the second longest running cast member of the ABC ...
") in March 5 of that year. DePaiva returned to the series in October 1991, with no mention made of the character's return to his previous appearance, portraying Max through the character's on-air departure on October 27, 2003; he briefly returned for episodes from August 17 through August 20, 2007, for the on-screen funeral of lead character
Asa Buchanan
Asa Buchanan is a fictional character and patriarch of the Buchanan family on the American serial drama '' One Life to Live''. The Texan industrialist father of newly arrived characters Clint and Bo Buchanan, Asa was originated in late 1979 by Ph ...
(
Philip Carey
Philip Carey (born Eugene Joseph Carey, July 15, 1925February 6, 2009) was an American actor.
Early life and education
On July 15, 1925, Carey was born in Hackensack, New Jersey.Maria Roberts ( BarBara Luna), who agreed to give him the money he needed on the condition that Max lure
Tina Lord
Tina Lord Roberts is a fictional character from the American daytime soap opera ''One Life to Live'', originally and last played by Andrea Evans. The character is the daughter of original series patriarch Victor Lord, and sister to long-running ch ...
(
Andrea Evans
Andrea Lynn Evans (born June 18, 1957, in Aurora, Illinois) is an American actress and producer. She is most recognized for her portrayal of Tina Lord on the ABC soap opera ''One Life to Live'', a role she played from 1978 to 1981 and from 1985 ...
) away from her son,
Cord
Cord or CORD may refer to:
People
* Alex Cord (1933–2021), American actor and writer
* Chris Cord (born 1940), American racing driver
* Errett Lobban Cord (1894–1974) American industrialist
* Ronnie Cord (1943–1986), Brazilian singer
* Co ...
(
John Loprieno
John A. Loprieno (born October 7, 1960) is an American actor and writer. He has appeared on the soap operas ''Search for Tomorrow'' and ''As the World Turns'', but is perhaps best known for his role as Cord Roberts on the ABC soap opera '' One L ...
). Max soon falls for Tina, while she was still in love with Cord. While Max and Tina are marrying in ceremony, she accidentally says Cord's name during her vows, and Max then calls off his relationship with her. Max's brother Steve Holden (
Russ Anderson
Russell Vincent "Russ" Anderson (born February 12, 1955) is an American former professional ice hockey defenseman who played 519 games in the National Hockey League between 1976 and 1985. Anderson was a member of the United States National team ...
) comes to town in 1987 and soon becomes involved with and marries
Gabrielle Medina
Gabrielle Medina is a fictional character from the ABC soap opera ''One Life to Live''. The role was played by actress Fiona Hutchison, who debuted in the role February 20, 1987. Hutchison briefly reprised the role for the series finale January 6 ...
(
Fiona Hutchison
Fiona Hutchison (born 17 May 1960) is an American actress. She is known for her roles on the American soap operas '' One Life to Live'' and '' Guiding Light''.
Personal life
Hutchison was born in Miami, Florida, to British parents. She grew up i ...
), Max's ex-girlfriend and mother to his son, Al. Gabrielle still cares for Max, however, and the relationship with Steve falls apart in 1988. Later in 1988, at the double wedding of Cord and Tina and Asa and
Renée Divine
This is a list of characters from the ABC Daytime soap opera '' One Life to Live'' that began their run between the beginning of 1980 and the end of 1989.
Austin Buchanan
Austin Buchanan is a fictional character on the ABC Daytime soap opera ...
(
Patricia Elliott
Patricia Elliott (July 21, 1938 – December 20, 2015) was an American theatre, film, soap opera, and television actress.
Early life
Elliott was born July 21, 1938, in Gunnison, Colorado to Clyde and Lavon (née Gibson) Elliott. She claimed dire ...
), Steve notices that the wedding cake has been wired to explode. Steve throws himself in front to the bomb and is killed when it explodes.
Max falls in love in 1991 with
Luna Moody
This is a list of characters from the ABC Daytime soap opera, ''One Life to Live'', that began their run between the beginning of 1990 and the end of 1999.
Nigel Bartholomew-Smythe
Nigel Bartholomew-Smythe is a fictional character on the Ame ...
( Susan Batten), with whom he would have twin children, son Francis Thomas and daughter Leslie Diana. During his marriage, Max engages in a torrid affair in 1993 and 1994 with
Blair Cramer
Blair Cramer (raised as Blair Daimler; formerly Buchanan, Manning, Holden, McBain, and Clarke) is a fictional character from the American daytime drama series ''One Life to Live''. The niece of leading antagonist Dr. Dorian Cramer Lord of the C ...
(
Kassie DePaiva
Katherine Virginia "Kassie" DePaiva (née Wesley; born March 21, 1961) is an American actress and singer. She is best known for her role as Bobby Joe in the horror film '' Evil Dead II'' (1987) and her work in American daytime soap operas. She ...
), who had previously married Asa in a marriage of convenience. Luna is killed in 1995, leaving Max widowed. Max goes on to enjoy relationships with Maggie Carpenter, as well as a reunion and marriage with Blair and a fling with
Kelly Cramer
Kelly Cramer is a fictional character on the long-running ABC soap opera ''One Life to Live''. The role was originated by actress Gina Tognoni, who debuted on February 17, 1995, and played the character in her last appearance on August 24, 2011. ...
(
Gina Tognoni
Gina Tognoni (born November 28, 1973) is an American actress, best known for her work with American daytime soap operas. Her most notable performances include Kelly Cramer on ''One Life to Live'', Dinah Marler on ''Guiding Light'' and Phyllis Su ...
). He also reunites with Gabrielle, but it does not last. From 1999 to 2001, he pretends to be the son of Asa and Renee before being exposed by Todd Manning. In 2002, in a drunken
Las Vegas
Las Vegas (; Spanish for "The Meadows"), often known simply as Vegas, is the 25th-most populous city in the United States, the most populous city in the state of Nevada, and the county seat of Clark County. The city anchors the Las Vegas ...
escapade, he awakes to find himself married to
Roxy Balsom
Roxy Balsom is a fictional character from ABC's daytime drama ''One Life to Live''. The character was played by Ilene Kristen from November 7, 2001, through the final episode on January 13, 2012.
The character is known for her constant malapropi ...
(
Ilene Kristen
Ilene Kristen (born Ilene Schatz; July 30, 1952) is an American actress. She is best known for her role as Delia Ryan in the ABC soap opera '' Ryan's Hope'' (1975–1979, 1982–1983, 1986–1989) and her Emmy-nominated performances as Roxy ...
), a union that quickly fizzles.
When son Al dies of liver failure in the fall of 2003, at the advice of Luna's spirit, Max leaves Llanview to be with his and Luna's twins Frank and Leslie in
North Carolina
North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and So ...
. Max returns in August 2007 for the funeral of Asa and reveals that he, Frank, and Leslie are all living in Gabrielle's home country of
Argentina
Argentina (), officially the Argentine Republic ( es, link=no, República Argentina), is a country in the southern half of South America. Argentina covers an area of , making it the second-largest country in South America after Brazil, th ...
. He invites Blair to join him there and kisses her, unaware of her continuing passion for
Todd Manning
Thomas Todd Manning is a fictional character from the American daytime drama ''One Life to Live'' (''OLTL''). Created by writers Michael Malone (author), Michael Malone and Josh Griffith, the role was originated in 1992 by actor Roger Howarth. T ...
. Blair gently rebuffs him. Wishing his best to Blair, Max returns to Argentina.