Max Wright (born August 2, 1943) is an American actor, perhaps best known for his role as Willie Tanner in the sitcom ALF.
Wright was born George Wright in Detroit, Michigan. He had previously made appearances in TV shows such as WKRP in Cincinnati, and was a regular cast member in Misfits of Science, Buffalo Bill and The Norm Show as well as appearing in the made for TV adaptation of Stephen King's The Stand. He has also appeared in the first two seasons of the sitcom Friends, as Terry, the manager of Central Perk, and played Guenter Wendt in the 1998 "HBO" miniseries "From the Earth to the Moon". He also had a role in All That Jazz (1979).
Wright has also enjoyed a distinguished stage career. He received a Tony nomination in 1998 for Ivanov. Another Broadway appearance of note was in Twelfth Night at Lincoln Center as Sir Andrew. He was in the original production of The Great White Hope at The Arena Stage in Washington. He has also acted with distinction at regional theaters around the country.
He was arrested for drunken driving in 2000 and again in 2003.
Has a son Ben and a daughter Daisy.
Was arrested and booked January 10, 2000 for drunken driving following a non-injury accident in Hollywood, California.
Bears an uncanny resemblance to Colonel Oliver North's lawyer during the Iran-Contra hearings. So much so, he and the ALF puppet did a short made-for-TV spoof of the Senate Commitee hearings, in which ALF was being questioned on whether or not he was an alien, and he would lean over to hear the whispered advice from Willie (played by Wright), just like Oliver North was doing during his own questioning.
Lost driving privileges in New York state for 6 months following a guilty plea to a drunken-driving charge. Wright was visiting his adult daughter upstate when he ran afoul of local authorities by running into some mailboxes and a traffic sign. September 2003
Was nominated for Broadway's 1998 Tony Award as Best Actor (Featured Role - Play) for "Ivanov."
Was diagnosed with Lymphoma in 1995 and has been in remission ever since.
