**Max Phipps (1939-2000)** was an Australian actor known for his intense screen presence and his ability to portray complex characters, often with an ambiguous or menacing aura.

His film career included memorable roles, particularly as the Nightrider in the dystopian cult film *Mad Max* (1979), and subsequently as Toadie in *The Road Warrior* (1981), where he reprised his iconic and unsettling style. Phipps also distinguished himself in dramatic films such as Fred Schepisi's *The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith* (1978), demonstrating remarkable versatility beyond 'villain' roles.

Another notable role was that of Detective Bumstead in the sci-fi neo-noir *Dark City* (1998), shortly before his passing. With his chiseled face and penetrating gaze, Phipps became a recognizable face in Australian cinema and beyond, specializing in authoritarian, often ambiguous or antagonistic figures, who left a lasting impression.