Max Ramsay

Max Ramsay was a character in Neighbours from the first episode on the 18 March 1985 to Episode 245 - 2 May 1986. He was the head of the Ramsay clan and was quite loud and uncouth, he had a bit of a bad boy edge to him in 1985 but begun to mellow by the end of the year and we saw a more comic side to him. Max also had a devious side to him, like when he pretended to be dying of heart disease after a doctor diagnosed indigestion so he could get full ownership of No 24 Ramsay Street. Max was the brother of Madge Bishop and Tom Ramsay. Max was played by the late Francis Bell.

Backstory
Max Ramsay was born in March 1940 in Erinsborough, the eldest son of Dan and Edna Ramsay. Max went to school with Jim Robinson. His sister Madge Ramsay went to school in Brisbane for a while. Max did an apprenticeship and later on started a career as a plumber and wed Italian immigrant Maria Rossi in 1963 when he was 23. They had a son Shane Ramsay in 1964 and Max assumed he was the father of their next child Danny Ramsay when actually Maria had a one night stand with a traveller Tim Duncan when she had temporarily split from Max in 1966. Danny was born in June 1967 and for years Max never knew he was not his father. Max and his family lived at No 24 Ramsay Street in Erinsborough.

In about 1969, when Max's best friend and neighbour Jim Robinson was away in Vietnam, Max had a brief fling with Jim's wife Anne Robinson. This resulted in a child, Jill Ramsay being born. The secret was hushed up and when Jim returned from Vietnam, he was kept in the dark about it all as was Maria Ramsay.

1985-1986
Max was the loud and uncouth plumber and the head of the Ramsay family. Max saw himself as the unofficial King Of Ramsay Street. In March 1985 he gatecrashed the bucks party for Des Clarke as it was making too much noise. He often argued with his wife Maria and was stubborn towards her. He then found he was not the genetic father of Danny Ramsay, in which his marriage to Maria dissolved. Max always suspected he was not Danny's father as Danny was born within 9 months of him and Maria getting back together all those years ago. Also max said he never felt close to Danny like he was to Shane.

Max later lost his driving license for driving under the influence of alcohol. In 1985 he held Gordon Miller at gunpoint for what he did to his son Shane. In November 1985, Max was chatting to Danny's coach Kate Drew about family secrets. Danny was stood nearby, he wondered if there was a spark between Max and Kate. Max said that he is not Danny's real father. Danny was shocked. He did not let on he was listening and ran off. Max later said that Danny is as much his son as Shane is and he loves Danny. They cleared the air once and for all and their relationship improved.

In March 1986, Max collapsed in pain after Danny lost all Max's money on a gamble. Max worried he had heart disease so went to the doctors. He had chronic indigestion and when given the all clear, he pretended he was dying so he could get waited on hand and foot. He even said his dying wish was to get full ownership of No 24, seeing as he owned only 51%. When Helen and Madge took Lucy Robinson to the doctors, they said they were saddened to hear Max had heart disease and the doctor said he is OK, all he has is chronic indigestion. Helen and Madge planned a revenge ploy on Max, and told several of her neighbours to play along with it. Des Clarke told Max they found out from the doctor he was fine and were plotting a hilarious revenge plot. Max said he pretended to be dying as he felt he was never noticed.

In early May 1986 Max, while trying to win a pancake competition, was called to see his wife Maria in Brisbane so had to book a last minute flight from Erinsborough to Brisbane. At first he did not tell anyone so Madge, Shane and Danny wondered where Max had gone, seeing as he had entered for the local pancake competition. The next day, Max called the Ramsay household to let them know he was at the airport and waiting for a flight to Brisbane, and told Madge he had been called there by Maria. He phoned up his brother Tom to come to Erinsborough and cover for him.

In early June 1986, a month after he left Erinsborough, Max rung Tom to say that he had reconciled with Maria and had got a 2 month contract for a job in Brisbane. There was debate as to when Max would be returning to Erinsborough, if he would be returning.

In August 1986, Max and Tom swapped ownership of their houses, Tom now owned Max's house in Erinsborough and Max now owns Tom's house in Brisbane. This confirmed that Max would not be returning to Erinsborough and was now staying in Brisbane for good.

Post 1986
Max has never been back to Erinsborough since he went to Brisbane in 1986, not even for a visit. He did send a telegram from Brisbane to Des and Daphnes wedding in 1986 and one to Scott and Charlene's wedding in July 1987.

Max did not even attend his sister Madge's funeral in 2001. His current whereabouts are unknown but it is possible he is still in Brisbane.

In 2009 it was revealed that Max had an affair with Anne Robinson in the 1960s. Max was not contacted by Paul Robinson to confirm this, and he was only mentioned in past tense, thus indicating that he may have died by then. As the actor Francis Bell had died in 1994, it was hinted in 2009 that Max had died.

Memorable info
Birthday: 24 March 1940

Died: Inbetween 1990 and 2009

Full Name: Max Ramsay

Behind The Scenes
Max Ramsay never got a proper farewell scene when he left suddenly. His last scene was in the kitchen of No 24 as usual, and he was bantering with Madge. Madge then got a phonecall from him to say he was at the airport on his way to Brisbane to see Maria. This is because actor Francis Bell had taken sick leave in early 1986 due to a back injury and his contract expired and was not renewed so Max never got a proper farewell scene. Francis has been considering resigning due to the daily grind of playing a major role in a 5 day a week soap opera.

Quotes
First Line: "Hahahahaha"

Final Line: "I am known for my reasonableness".

Family
Father Dan Ramsay

Mother Edna Ramsay

Grandfathers Jack Ramsay

Siblings Tom Ramsay, Madge Bishop

Spouse Maria Ramsay (1963-present)

Children Shane Ramsay (1964), Jill Ramsay (1969)

Grandchildren Kate Ramsay, Sophie Ramsay

Adoptive Children Danny Ramsay

Aunts/Uncles Maud Ramsay

Nieces Charlene Robinson, Moira Ramsay, Gemma Ramsay

Nephews Henry Ramsay