Maxwell Marshall
Character Background[edit]
The man known to the world as Maxwell Marshall grew up in the heart of Texas in the mid 20's. From an early age Maxwell showed signs that he was intended for something more than the mundane life of your average Joe. His Father was a oil drill mechanic and from an early age told his son that it would brek his heart if he folled in his footsteps. "Son," he said. "You can be so much more than me. I want you to promise me that you will do better." And to that end, his Father did his best to contribute. He made sure that his son went to school until he graduated.
In the summers he work at his uncles horse ranch learning to ride and care for his uncles prize racers. And from his uncle and his Father he learned his greatest skill. Sharpshooting. Every year his uncle and Father took first and second place in the statewide fastdraw and sharpshooting competitions. A skill they picked up from their Father and his Father before him, all the way back to the old west when Maxwell's many times great grandfather was a renowned U.S. Marshall. Maxwell learned fast and well. At fifteen, he entered the competition and took second place, displacing his uncle. Maxwell entered every year after that and always took second place. He could not bring himself to take away from his Father the one thing he was best at. After the third year his Father confronted MAxwell about this. "Son, I know that you are better than that! I've watched you at practice. You could have beaten me your first year. Why won't you?" When Maxwell eplained his reasoning, his Father practically exploded. "Damn it son!! Why the hell would you do that?! First of all, it dosen't make me prowd to know that you have been throwing the competitions every year. That is an insult to me and every person that ever enters. They are out there doing their best and you don't even have the respect to do the same!" Atfter that outburst, he seemed to deflate a bit. "Besides, don't you know that it is my dearest wish to see you surpass me? Don't you know that is the measuring stick that every Father uses to determine if he has been a success? Now, I don't want you entering the contest this year unless you swear to me now that you will do your best. Promise me." Maxwell promised, and that year he won the fastdraw competition by nearly a quarter of a second, and the marksmen competition with a perfect score.
When Maxwell was ninteen, the United States entered World War Two. When he call went out, Maxwell was one of the first to answer. Maxwell was one of the first to join what was later to be the famed Commandos. His service record is incomplete, but it is known that he distinguished himself on the field on battle and was awarded several commendations for his actions. Much of his years in the service are unknown and he is very reluctant to talk about it to anybody. In Febuary 1945 his Father died and Maxwell was not able to be told for several weeks. After Germany's surrender in May, Maxwell was given leave to return home and was given a honerable discharge.
Little is known about what happened or he did next, but almost six monthes after the Japanese surrendered Maxwell showed up at a Hollywood audition for a part in a new western show, called the Masked Marshall. He showed up wearing an old cowboy costume anda strange double holster carrying four revolvers. He later revealed that the guns had bylonged to his Father and uncle (who died in 1942). When he told the producers that he had no acting experience they laughed and demanded to know why he thought he should be given the part of the Marshall. I responce, Maxwell pulled out a brand new deck of cards, pulled them from the box and hurled them into the air. With a speed that completely defied description, he pulled each gun and fired once into the air. When the cards floated down, each ace had been piped through the center...and only the aces were hit. This became the trademark move of the Marshall. Although it was only done on camera twice during the seven years The Masked Marshall ran, the shot ace became a standard symbol for the show.
Character Sheet[edit]
