Max Hodge
Encyclopedia
Max Hodge was an American
television
writer who worked on shows including The Girl From U.N.C.L.E.
, CHiPS
and Mission: Impossible
, and is perhaps best known for creating Mr. Freeze
for Batman
.
Hodge grew up in Illinois
and Michigan
, later graduating from the University of Michigan
then enlisting in the Navy
during World War II
. He then attended Pasadena Playhouse College of Theater Arts and began his television career in the 1950s as a producer working on industrial shows for Oldsmobile
.
His writing career spanned the 1960s through the early 1980s, with Hodge writing for Dr. Kildare, The Wild Wild West
, Marcus Welby, M.D.
, Ironside
, The Waltons
, The Amazing Chan and the Chan Clan
in addition to the aforementioned ChiPS, Mission: Impossible, The Girl From U.N.C.L.E. and Batman. He also served as an associate producer on The Girl From U.N.C.L.E.
Hodge is credited for creating Mr. Freeze for the Batman show, having taken the existing Batman
comic character Mr. Zero which was created by Bob Kane
and modifying elements to him. Mr. Zero first appeared in Batman
#121 in February 1959, but Hodge took the character and introduced the trademark ice suit which he needed to survive, added the name Victor Fries, allowing for the new name Mr. Freeze, first appearing in the Deep Freeze episode. Due to the popularity of the series these traits transitioned back into the comic series.
Hodge died August 17, 2007 in Woodland Hills, California. He was 91 years old.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
writer who worked on shows including The Girl From U.N.C.L.E.
The Girl from U.N.C.L.E.
The Girl from U.N.C.L.E. is an American spy-fi TV series that aired on NBC for one season from September 16, 1966 to April 11, 1967. The series was a spin-off from The Man from U.N.C.L.E. and used the same theme music composed by Jerry Goldsmith, which was rearranged into a slightly different,...
, CHiPS
CHiPs
CHiPs is an American television drama series produced by MGM Studios that originally aired on NBC from September 15, 1977, to July 17, 1983. CHiPs followed the lives of two motorcycle police officers of the California Highway Patrol...
and Mission: Impossible
Mission: Impossible
Mission: Impossible is an American television series which was created and initially produced by Bruce Geller. It chronicled the missions of a team of secret American government agents known as the Impossible Missions Force . The leader of the team was Jim Phelps, played by Peter Graves, except in...
, and is perhaps best known for creating Mr. Freeze
Mr. Freeze
Mr. Freeze, real name Dr. Victor Fries , is a DC Comics supervillain, an enemy of Batman. Created by Bob Kane, he first appeared in Batman #121 ....
for Batman
Batman (TV series)
Batman is an American television series, based on the DC comic book character of the same name. It stars Adam West as Batman and Burt Ward as Robin — two crime-fighting heroes who defend Gotham City. It aired on the American Broadcasting Company network for three seasons from January 12, 1966 to...
.
Hodge grew up in Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
and Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
, later graduating from the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
then enlisting in the Navy
Navy
A navy is the branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake- or ocean-borne combat operations and related functions...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. He then attended Pasadena Playhouse College of Theater Arts and began his television career in the 1950s as a producer working on industrial shows for Oldsmobile
Oldsmobile
Oldsmobile was a brand of American automobile produced for most of its existence by General Motors. It was founded by Ransom E. Olds in 1897. In its 107-year history, it produced 35.2 million cars, including at least 14 million built at its Lansing, Michigan factory...
.
His writing career spanned the 1960s through the early 1980s, with Hodge writing for Dr. Kildare, The Wild Wild West
The Wild Wild West
The Wild Wild West is an American television series that ran on CBS for four seasons from September 17, 1965 to April 4, 1969....
, Marcus Welby, M.D.
Marcus Welby, M.D.
Marcus Welby, M.D. is an American medical drama television program that aired on ABC from September 23, 1969, to July 29, 1976. It starred Robert Young as a family practitioner with a kind bedside manner, and was produced by David Victor and David J. O'Connell...
, Ironside
Ironside (TV series)
Ironside is a Universal television series which ran on NBC from September 14, 1967 to January 16, 1975. The show starred Raymond Burr as the wheelchair-using Chief of Detectives, Robert T. Ironside. The character's debut was in a TV-movie on March 28, 1967. The original title of the show in the...
, The Waltons
The Waltons
The Waltons is an American television series created by Earl Hamner, Jr., based on his book Spencer's Mountain, and a 1963 film of the same name. The show centered on a family growing up in a rural Virginia community during the Great Depression and World War II. The series pilot was a television...
, The Amazing Chan and the Chan Clan
The Amazing Chan and the Chan Clan
The Amazing Chan and the Chan Clan The voice of Mr...
in addition to the aforementioned ChiPS, Mission: Impossible, The Girl From U.N.C.L.E. and Batman. He also served as an associate producer on The Girl From U.N.C.L.E.
Hodge is credited for creating Mr. Freeze for the Batman show, having taken the existing Batman
Batman
Batman is a fictional character created by the artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger. A comic book superhero, Batman first appeared in Detective Comics #27 , and since then has appeared primarily in publications by DC Comics...
comic character Mr. Zero which was created by Bob Kane
Bob Kane
Bob Kane was an American comic book artist and writer, credited as the creator of the DC Comics superhero Batman...
and modifying elements to him. Mr. Zero first appeared in Batman
Batman (comic book)
Batman is an ongoing comic book series featuring the DC Comics hero of the same name. The character first appeared in Detective Comics #27, published in May 1939. Batman proved to be so popular that a self-titled ongoing comic book series began publication in the spring of 1940...
#121 in February 1959, but Hodge took the character and introduced the trademark ice suit which he needed to survive, added the name Victor Fries, allowing for the new name Mr. Freeze, first appearing in the Deep Freeze episode. Due to the popularity of the series these traits transitioned back into the comic series.
Hodge died August 17, 2007 in Woodland Hills, California. He was 91 years old.