{{short description|American film and television actor}} {{BLP more footnotes|date=January 2008}} {{infobox person |birth_date={{birth year and age|1947}} |occupation=Film and television actor |birth_name= |spouse=Sherie Maxwell<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/663654893/?clipping_id=136487974&fcfToken=eyJhbGciOiJFUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJmcmVlLXZpZXctaWQiOjY2MzY1NDg5MywiaWF0IjoxNzc0MTkxNTM3LCJleHAiOjE3NzQyNzc5Mzd9.wvsTXmfr-Pnt1zzg6bkhBThw97aLITeg-Gm1DwuRs3Uxl-Fk51yM41XnBoWgKTKaF2nPsQfPnZ8y1CNbhN3vpw|title=Igor proves his culinary skills: Man who played character on TV's 'M*A*S*H' pens book|work=Bangor Daily News|location=Bangor, Maine|date=September 22, 1999|access-date=March 22, 2026|page=19|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> }}
'''Jeff Maxwell''' (born 1947)<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dtCGDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT264&dq|title=MASH FAQ: Everything Left to Know About the Best Care Anywhere|first=Dale|last=Sherman|publisher=Bloomsbury Publishing|page=264|ISBN=9781495063800|via=Google Books}}</ref> is an American film and television actor and comedian. He is best known for playing Pvt. Igor Straminsky, a recurring character in the American war comedy drama television series ''M*A*S*H''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.metv.com/stories/jeff-maxwell-once-explained-why-igor-s-name-changed-on-m-a-s-h|title=Jeff Maxwell explained why Igor's name changed on M*A*S*H|website=MeTV|date=June 22, 2020|access-date=February 28, 2022}}</ref> Initially hired as an extra during the first season, but was quickly hired as Alan Alda's stand in after the original stand in was fired. He remained in this role for the remainder of the series until its end in 1983. He appeared in 83 episodes, including the series finale ''Goodbye, Farewell and Amen.''<ref>{{cite web|title=8 things you might not know about the M*A*S*H finale|url=http://metv.com/lists/8-things-you-might-not-know-about-the-m-a-s-h-finale|website=MeTV|date=November 5, 2021|access-date=February 28, 2022}}</ref>
In 1967, Maxwell printed screenplays as a teenager.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=v1S9DwAAQBAJ&pg=PA46&dq|title=Dolls! Dolls! Dolls!: Deep Inside Valley of the Dolls, the Most Beloved Bad Book and Movie of All Time|pages=46-47|first=Stephen|last=Rebello|publisher=Penguin|date=2020|ISBN=9780525505297|via=Google Books}}</ref> His film debut was in the 1974 Mel Brooks comedy film ''Young Frankenstein''. He played one of the title character's medical students. He was also featured in the 1977 sketch comedy film ''Kentucky Fried Movie'' in a solo scene titled "Feel-A-Round." His television roles include guest appearances on television series such as ABC's ''Eight is Enough'', CBS's ''The Waltons'' and ''House Calls'' and NBC's ''CHiPs''. He also hosted the short-lived game show ''Shopper's Casino'' in the 1987–88 season. In 1997, his cookbook, inspired by years of playing a mess hall cook on ''M*A*S*H'', titled ''Secrets of the M*A*S*H Mess: The Lost Recipes of Private Igor'', was published and he made an appearance on NBC's Today Show to promote it.<ref>{{cite web|title=Creamed weenies, gas passer chili!|url=http://www.today.com/food/creamed-weenies-gas-passer-chili-1D80351408|work=Today|date=September 27, 2005|access-date=June 15, 2016}}</ref>
Maxwell was a regular participant on the alt.tv.mash newsgroup where, along with series writer Larry Gelbart (up until Gelbart's death in 2009),<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/12/arts/12gelbart.html|title=Larry Gelbart, Writer of Comedy, Dies at 81|first=Robert|last=Berkvist|newspaper=The New York Times|date=September 11, 2009|access-date=February 28, 2022|url-access=subscription}}</ref> answers fan questions about the behind-the-scenes workings of ''M*A*S*H''. Before he began his acting career on ''M*A*S*H'', Maxwell was one-half of a comedy team called "Garrett & Maxwell." They performed at clubs throughout the United States for seven years before parting ways.<ref>{{cite web|title=M*A*S*H The 4077th|url=http://orkut.google.com/c38160-tce255ce3d37f840c.html|work=M*A*S*H The 4077th|first=Narayan|last=Radhakrishnan|date=June 18, 2008|access-date=June 15, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160807070342/http://orkut.google.com/c38160-tce255ce3d37f840c.html|archive-date=August 7, 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref> Maxwell (according to journalist Peter Palmiere) has been working on a video documentary about female judges and referees in the sport of boxing. Since September 2018, Maxwell has served as a host for the ''M*A*S*H'' podcast ''MASH Matters'', alongside co-host Ryan Patrick.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://mashmatterspodcast.com/hosts/|title=Hosts|work=M*A*S*H Matters|access-date=February 28, 2022}}</ref>
== Filmography ==
=== Film ===
* ''Young Frankenstein'' (1974, as Medical Student) * ''Kentucky Fried Movie'' (1977, as Movie Goer in segment "Feel-a-Round") * ''Divorce: The Musical'' (2001, as Harvey)<ref>{{Cite web |last=Koehler |first=Robert |date=2002-04-21 |title=Divorce: The Musical |url=https://variety.com/2002/film/reviews/divorce-the-musical-2-1200550200/ |access-date=2026-03-22 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}</ref>
=== Television ===
* ''M*A*S*H'' (1973-1983, 83 episodes, as Igor Straminsky) * ''Eight is Enough'' (1977-1981, 4 episodes, as various characters) * ''The Waltons'' (1977, 1 episode, as Used Car Salesman) * ''CHiPs'' (1979, 1 episode, as Motorist)
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *{{IMDb name|0561722}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Maxwell, Jeff}} Category:Living people Category:American male television actors Category:American male film actors Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:20th-century American male actors