Max Ramsay
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| Max Ramsay | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Neighbours character | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Portrayed by | Francis Bell | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Duration | 1985–1986 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| First appearance | 18 March 1985 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last appearance | 2 May 1986 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Created by | Reg Watson | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Introduced by | Reg Watson | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Max Ramsay is a fictional character in the Australian television soap opera Neighbours, played by Francis Bell. Reg Watson created Max as one of the serial's twelve original characters. New Zealand actor Bell had wanted to appear in a major role in a long-running series for a while when he was cast as the head of the Ramsay family. He liked the serial's focus on ordinary people, and the comedy and drama of everyday life. Bell made his debut as Max in the show's first episode, which was broadcast on 18 March 1985. Max is portrayed as a rough, domineering, hard-headed man who makes sure his feelings are known. He has good intentions but is unsure of himself beneath his tough façade. Max is proud Ramsay Street was named after his grandfather, whose traditions he strives to uphold. Max is a self-employed plumber; Bell said he had wanted to play a working-class Australian because he came from a similar background.
Family life is central to Max's storylines. Writers Neil Wallis and Dave Hogan stated Max was "almost the father figure of Neighbours in the early days". Max lives with his wife Maria Ramsay (Dasha Bláhová), and their sons Shane (Peter O'Brien) and Danny (David Clencie). The family appear to be happy and Max wants nothing but the best for his sons, which is occasionally interpreted as bullying behaviour. Later scenes show Maria feels Max takes her for granted, and there is conflict between him and Shane, whom he trains to be an Olympic diver. Two months after Neighbours began, Maria says Max is not Danny's biological father; the storyline has lasting consequences for the whole family; Max resents Danny even more and his marriage comes to an end. Following Maria's departure from the show, Max's elder sister Madge Mitchell (Anne Charleston) was introduced.
Bell left Neighbours in March 1986, after he and the production company could not agree about a new contract. A back injury and difficulty getting into character also influenced Bell's decision to leave the show. He found the role was no longer a pleasurable experience but later stated he had no regrets about appearing in Neighbours. His sudden departure meant Max did not receive a farewell episode. Max's final appearance is in the episode broadcast on 2 May 1986, after which he reunites with Maria off-screen. Max's brother Tom Ramsay (Gary Files) was brought in to take over Max's storylines. Critics gave Max and his behaviour a mixed reaction but Bell's performance was praised; one critic from the British Burton Mail said Max was "excellent" while Thomas Myler of the Irish Evening Herald called him "a loud-mouthed ranting 'okker' with limited intelligence". According to Robin Oliver from The Sydney Morning Herald, Bell brought "a splendidly manic style of comedy" to the role of Max.
Max Ramsay is one of the twelve original characters conceived by Reg Watson, the creator and then-executive producer of Neighbours.[1] Casting director Jan Russ was tasked with casting the twelve characters; most of the cast were chosen for their comedic skills.[2] New Zealand actor Francis Bell was cast as Max, the head of the Ramsay family.[1] While auditioning him, Russ said she instantly knew that Bell was "perfect" for the role.[3] Bell had wanted to act in a major role in a long-running series but had previously rejected them.[4] However, he "leapt" at the chance to play Max as he wanted to distance himself from "the English upper crust type-casting" he had received while in Australia.[5] Once all of the roles were cast, the actors were given "a thumbnail sketch of their characters" and met to discuss how they would play their parts.[6] Bell told Tim Cribb of The Sydney Morning Herald; "One of the nice things about Neighbours is that it is about ordinary folk and the comedy/drama of everyday life without the melodrama. The range between the comedy and drama is enormous."[1] The cast recorded five half-hour episodes per week; according to Bell, the younger cast members "seem to flag faster"; he also said he thought the more-experienced actors were better at conserving their energy.[6] Bell made his debut as Max in the show's pilot episode, which was first broadcast on 18 March 1985.[1]
Development
Characterisation
Max was introduced as the head of the Ramsay family, who writer Josephine Monroe dubbed "the royal family of Neighbours".[7] He is extremely proud that Ramsay Street was named after his grandfather and takes personal pride in "his" street and its residents.[4] The Radio Times's Eithne Power noted Max is "determined" to uphold his grandfather's old traditions so Max is "practically apoplectic" when stripper Daphne Lawrence (Elaine Smith) moves to the street.[8] Up the street, Max's neighbour Jim Robinson (Alan Dale) offers "a bit of sanity" in comparison.[8] Neil Wallis and Dave Hogan of The Neighbours Factfile said Max was "almost the father figure of Neighbours in the early days".[9] They described him as "essentially a nice guy, but he can be domineering at times and seems hard-headed and unmoving".[9]
Neighbours: Behind the Scenes author James Oram also said Max likes to dominate situations, and is the type of man who will show his approval to those who agree with him and thinks those who resist are stupid.[4] According to Oram, if Max is accused of doing something wrong or thoughtless, he always defends and justifies his actions.[4] He called Max "a man with basically good intentions in life".[4] Laura Denby of the Radio Times said Max is "a loudmouthed, uncouth man who always made his feelings known".[10] Behind the character's "rough, tough façade, he is not sure of himself",[4] and he tries to keep his insecurities hidden.[11]
Max is a self-employed plumber.[11] Monroe branded him "a real larrakin" and said those who employed him could often find Max enjoying a beer break.[12] Bell told Thomas Myler of the Evening Herald he had wanted to play a working-class Australian because he came from a working-class family, and he based Max on two uncles, who were a panel beater and a butcher.[13] In Oram's 1988 book, Bell said Max was also based on a man who helped raise him in New Zealand. Oram stated; "Max is based on a man whom I loved, but who gave me a very hard time. Playing Max is going back to my roots in a way. I was brought up in a working-class extended family and it was only through scholarships and a lot of hard work that I broke the cycle."[4] Some British television critics said Max would not be able to afford the "comfortable" lifestyle Ramsay Street provided but at the time, plumbers in Australia earned as much as doctors and lawyers.[4]
Family
Family is central to the character. As the series begins, Max lives with his wife Maria Ramsay (Dasha Bláhová) and their sons, Shane (Peter O'Brien) and Danny (David Clencie).[7] Monroe said they initially appear to be "a happy, strong family. Max was hard working, Maria was beautiful, Shane was athletic and Danny was academic."[7] Max wants nothing but the best for his sons; according to Monroe, he is the type of man who would tell them to "Do what I say, not what I do".[12] Max occasionally appears as a bully; unlike Shane, Danny cannot deal with his father's behaviour so Max thinks he is a "wimp" and often expresses his wish Danny was more like his older brother.[12] Problems for the family soon arise when Maria feels Max takes her for granted and Shane starts to resent his father for pushing him to train for the Olympic diving team.[7] Max is "brutally single-minded" as he trains Shane; Margaret Koppe of TV Radio Extra wrote there is "deep-rooted conflict" between father and son.[11] There are also tensions between Max and Danny, who are always getting at each other.[7]
In episodes broadcast in April 1985, Maria informs Max Danny is not his biological son. Andrew Mercado of Supper Aussie Soaps said Max had long suspected Danny was not a "real Ramsay".[14] In the family's backstory, Max and Maria had briefly separated and Danny was born ten months later.[11] Monroe noted Max's pride is "fatally wounded" by the revelation,[12] and it leads him to resent Danny even more and Max soon moves out to live in a bedsit. A further blow comes when Shane is injured in a car accident, ending his Olympic hopes.[7] Shortly after, Max's and Maria's marriage end when Max becomes "so totally wrapped" in his plumbing business a "neglected" Maria leaves him and moves to Hong Kong, marking Bláhová's departure from the serial.[9]
Following Maria's departure, producers introduced Max's elder sister Madge Mitchell (Anne Charleston) in early 1986.[15] Patrice Fidgeon of TV Week noted that Max had enough problems when Maria walked out, but "his troubles are just about to start" because Madge is going to make his life "a misery".[15] Charleston explained that off-screen Madge learns about Max and Maria's separation from a friend, so she immediately gets on a plane and arrives on his doorstep with a lot of luggage. Madge is convinced that Max needs looking after and she is the person to do that, much to his horror.[15] Charleston continued by saying "Max doesn't want his sister anywhere near him, let alone in his own house, and he's horrified to think she's going to spend even one night under the same roof..."[15] The story outline stated Max had always found Madge to be "formidable, and he never wins with her around".[16] Madge has no time for frivolity, waste or laziness, and she often fails to find things funny, especially jokes made at her expense, which Max thrives on.[16] According to a writer for NZ On Screen, Max's and Madge's fights showcased "the culture clashes that drove the show's early days".[17]
Departure
Bell left Neighbours in March 1986.[18] It was rumoured he had asked the production company Grundy's for more money and they said no; however, Bell and the company could not agree on a new contract. A back injury also influenced Bell's decision to leave the show.[4] He said; "I was considering resigning before my back problems flared up. Negotiations had been under way between my agent and Grundy's for some time and I had decided I didn't want to do the show any more."[4] Bell was also finding difficulty slipping into his character; according to Oram, Bell had to "psych himself up each day".[4] The role was no longer a pleasurable experience for Bell, who said; "I can't just sort of drop into Max. I can do his voice, but to preserve the integrity of the character while churning out two and a half hours of television a week was always hard."[4] Bell had no regrets about appearing in Neighbours and called his time there "a good experience".[4] He added he had learnt what it took to make a soap opera, which was invaluable.[4] In 1989, Bell later commented he did the show "to prove that I could be an Australian".[18]
Bell's sudden departure meant Max did not receive a farewell episode.[17] Max leaves to reunite with Maria off-screen and the pair settle in Brisbane.[10] Producers introduced Max's brother Tom Ramsay, who was played by Gary Files, to take over Max's stories and lines. There was no time to rewrite the scripts so Max's name was crossed out and Tom's written in his place.[19] Clencie said Bell's departure led to his own; he felt Danny had "nowhere to go" after losing both his best friend and father, leaving his character "a little adrift".[20] Clencie said Bell was "the complete polar opposite of Max" and he felt Bell was "responsible for putting Neighbours on the map".[20]
In 2009, producers introduced a new generation of the Ramsay family to Neighbours. In an unexpected plot twist, it emerges Max had an affair with Anne Robinson, the wife of Jim Robinson, and they had a daughter, Jill Ramsay (Perri Cummings), who gave birth to three children Kate Ramsay (Ashleigh Brewer), Harry Ramsay (Will Moore), and Sophie Ramsay (Kaiya Jones). The storyline also hinted Max had died; any mention of him was made in the past tense.[10][21] On 1 October 2024, it was announced that Max's grandson and Shane's son, Max Ramsay, would be introduced to the serial, played by Ben Jackson.[22]
