Max Hodge (February 12, 1916 – August 17, 2007)MAX HODGE (1916-2007), Social Security Death Index 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 East Moline, 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. In his time at University of Michigan- Ann Arbor, Hodge was chief editor of the student magazine the Gargoyle and president of the men's dramatic union, the Mimes.
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, first appearing in the episode Instant Freeze. Mr. Freeze is addressed once as "Dr. SchimmelTo the Batpoles podcast, episode 169, "'Instant Freeze' script: We don’t love a parade," published 2021-09-30, retrieved 2025-12-25 : https://tothebatpoles.libsyn.com/instant-freeze-script-we-dont-love-a-parade" by Batman in the episode. In the comics, Freeze's other identity became "Art Shivel" (apparently a mishearing of how he was addressed on "Batman"). His name in the comics was later changed to Victor Fries.
Hodge died August 17, 2007, in Woodland Hills, California. He was 91 years old. Most of his works, scripts, and related supplemental material(including his script for "Mr.Freeze") were donated to his alma mater and can be found in the Donald Hall Collection of University of Michigan.
Filmography
Films Year Film Credit Notes 1972The Night StalkerScreenplay By (Uncredited)Television Movie 1973A Dream For ChristmasScreenplay ByTelevision Movie
Television Year TV Series Credit Notes1965Dr. KildareWriter3 EpisodesValentine's DayWriter1 Episode 1966BatmanWriter4 Episodes 1966–67The Girl from U.N.C.L.E.Writer, Associate Producer29 Episodes 1967HondoWriter1 Episode1968Mission ImpossibleWriter1 EpisodeThe Wild Wild WestWriter1 Episode 1969–76Marcus Welby, M.D.Writer4 Episodes1970The Bold Ones: The New DoctorsWriter1 EpisodeMedical CenterWriter1 Episode1971MannixWriter1 EpisodeAlias Smith and JonesWriter1 Episode 1971–72IronsideWriter5 Episodes 1972The Amazing Chan and the Chan ClanWriter9 Episodes1974Apple's WayWriter, Story Editor2 EpisodesCannonWriter1 EpisodeMaudeWriter1 Episode1975Barbary CoastWriter1 EpisodeCaribeWriter1 Episode 1975–76The WaltonsWriter2 Episodes 1976–78Police WomanWriter3 Episodes 1978Quincy, M.E.Writer1 Episode 1978–80CHiPsWriter2 Episodes 1979SupertrainWriter1 Episode 1980Eight Is EnoughWriter1 Episode 1981Palmerstown, U.S.A.Writer1 Episode
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