MTV’s The Maxx Star Michael Haley Dies at 67

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Michael Haley, renowned for giving voice to the purple guardian of the fantastical Outback in the MTV animated series The Maxx, tragically passed away at the age of 67. His son, Brendan Haley, shared with Entertainment Weekly that his father succumbed to a sudden and aggressive battle with cancer.

On Saturday morning, my beloved father, Michael Haley, unexpectedly lost his fight against cancer that was diagnosed just a few months ago. As a family, we are still reeling from the suddenness of his illness. Yet, amidst this heartbreaking situation, we stayed together to keep him comfortable and surrounded by those he adored until the end of his life’s journey. I will always remember my father for his gentle nature and quirky sense of humor, qualities that never left him even during these final weeks. These characteristics were also evident in his career in television, film, and radio.

Brendan goes on to say, “My father was naturally kind-hearted and had a quirky sense of humor, qualities he carried right up until his last days. These traits shone brightest in his work on television, film, and radio. He was an exceptional and original talent, best known for lending his voice to the main character Maxx in MTV’s animated series The Maxx (1995). Although we deeply mourn him, Dad continues to make a difference as he journeys through the wilds of another world with the Leopard Queen, displaying heroic deeds.

Back in the mid-90s, I was utterly captivated by a groundbreaking animated series that I had the pleasure of witnessing – the MTV adaptation of the mind-blowing Image Comic Book, co-created by Sam Keith and brilliantly penned by the duo of Keith and Bill Messner-Loebs. This visually stunning masterpiece graced our screens for a whopping 13 episodes!

In New York City, a homeless man portrayed by Haley navigated the city streets, but in his dreams, he transformed into the purple-attired hero, The Maxx, in a brutal realm known as the Outback. His friend, social worker Julie (voiced by Glynnis Talken), also ventured through the Outback assuming the role of the Leopard Queen. The massive, aggressive character of the Maxx, adorned with a large, menacing purple and yellow mask, used his sharp claws to combat villains such as telepathic murderer Mr. Gone (Barry Stigler). Keith once likened the Outback to “the Australian outback under the influence of LSD.

Previously, Haley has been seen in minor roles for the movie “King Kong” remake featuring Jessica Lange and Jeff Bridges in 1976, as well as the popular musical film “Grease” from 1978, which starred John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John. (Fangoria reports this information)

Later on, Haley took up voice acting in the video game series like World of Warcraft and Diablo, and more recently lent his voice to Crunch Munch – a ravenous cereal mascot with a destructive streak – for an episode of Brendan’s podcast series It Listens from the Radio in 2022. This podcast series is about The Radio Entity, an alien with a potty mouth who crash-lands on 1950s Earth and starts broadcasting bizarre, campy, and eerie horror stories. Between 2020 and 2022, the series released 19 episodes.

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2025-04-09 04:12