Max Talk Shows: Channel 4 and Cinemax

Max Headroom Talk Shows - Press Photos

Cinemax Sweepstakes

Key Links – Max Headroom Shows on Channel 4 and Cinemax

“The Max Headroom Show” on Wikipedia. The Wikipedia entry on the first Max VJ/talk show gives a comprehensive listing of episodes for both seasons (1985, 1986), including the music videos “spun,” guest stars, and topics of conversation. It does not include original broadcast dates for episodes.

Chrysalis Visual Programming on IMDB. Chrysalis was the production company for the Max Headroom talk shows. These shows were distributed by Channel 4 in the UK and by Cinemax in the USA.

“The Max Headroom Show” (1985) on IMDB.

• Season 1 – 1985 – 6 episodes
• Season 2 – 1986 – 11 episodes, including the Christmas Special

“Max Headroom as Host of an Interview Show” – TV review published August 6, 1987, in the New York Times.

“The Best of Max Headroom” (1987) on Laserdisc Database.

“The Original Max Talking Headroom Show” (1987) on IMDB.

• Season 1 – 1987 – 6 episodes

Introduction: Max on Channel 4 (UK distributor) and Cinemax (USA distributor)

From 1985-1986, Max Headroom hosted two seasons of half-hour music video and talk show programs in the UK. In 1987, the format was changed to mostly a talk show and filmed in New York. I am still doing research to piece together a comprehensive list of guests from the various seasons, and the original broadcast dates. So far, it includes the following celebrities, who’ve been referenced on various online sites, and dates compiled from websites, press releases, reviews, and the chapter list on The Best of Max Headroom laserdisc from 1987. (I haven’t seen the series myself, or found a complete recording of either series, and so I can’t confirm the completeness or accuracy of this list yet.) Links on guest names refer to webpages on IMDB – the Internet Movie DataBase.

“The Max Headroom Show” – Guests in Season 1 (1985)

Episode 1        Sting

Episode 2        No guest

Episode 3        Simon LeBon, Nick Rhodes

Episode 4        Roger Daltrey

Episode 5        No guest

Episode 6        Boy George

“The Max Headroom Show” – Guests in Season 2 (1986)

Episode 1        Michael Caine (According to press photos, the season debuted Friday, August 1, airing from 11:30 pm to midnight, Eastern Standard Time).

Episode 2        Vidal Sassoon

Episode 3        Oliver Reed

Episode 4        Tracey Ullman

Episode 5        Rutger Hauer

Episode 6        David Byrne

Episode 7        Howie Mandel

Episode 8        Jack Lemmon

Episode 9        Jackson Browne

Episode 10      Jackie Collins

Episode 11      Dave Edmunds, Bob Geldof, Robin Williams, Tina Turner (Christmas Special)

Other guests (episode number and dates not yet known):

• Luis Cardenas (Source: imdb, The Max Headroom Show – possibly a guest, but definitely had a music video presented.)

“The Original Max Talking Headroom Show” – Guests (1987)

Episode 1        Jerry Hall, Penn & Teller

Episode 2        Mary Tyler Moore, Robin Leach (August 6, 1987)

Episode 3

Episode 4

Episode 5

Episode 6

Other guests (episode number and dates not yet known):

• Don King, Emo Philips, Madeline Kahn
• Ron Reagan (not the President … his son), Paul Schaffer (?)
• William Shatner, Grace Jones (guest on October 1, 1987, according to a Cinemax publicity photo), Gilbert Gottfried

Recorded Material

The Other Max Headroom Shows. This webpage compiles a series of audio clips selected by Charles McGrew. The clips are taken “from (very old) videotapes of Max Headroom non-movie, non-ABC ‘Max Headroom’ shows on British TV and Cinemax. These shows were great fun, and are almost unknown in ‘Max Lore’ — so here’s a bit of it!”

Also, if you are interested in seeing recorded segments from “The Max Headroom Show,” check out the laserdisc of The Best of Max Headroom. Here’s the track listing for the disc, plus the episode season and number if that is known:

1. Opening: Welcome to the Max Headroom Show!
2. Hollywood Scandal: Sexy Talk With Jackie Collins (Episode 2-10)
3. Born to Play Wild!? Pianist: Max
4. Sting & Max in Controversy: Golf vs Tennis (Episode 1-1)
5. Wanna Date? Max on Video Dating
6. Sour But Tasty: Lemon, Jack Lemmon (Episode 2-8)
7. Free Spirit: Jackson Browne Under Arrest (Episode 2-9)
8. Tina’s Hot Christmas Present (Episode 2-11)
9. Max Aid?! With Help from Bob Geldof (Episode 2-11)
10. Max in Harmony: I Love My Shades
11. Why Own Clubs for a Walk on the Course: Rutger Hauer (Episode 2-5)
12. Stack of Vouchers for Millionaires: Tracy Ullman (Episode 2-4)
13. Superstar in Disguise: Michael Caine’s Best Pal (Episode 2-1)
14. Tell’ Em All! Censored Max Edition
15. Max, Live on Stage!
16. Mystery Voice of GREMLIN in Person: Howie Mandell (Episode 2-7)
17. Ending: Never Can Say Goodbye