James Maxwell (23 March 1929 – 18 August 1995) was an American-British actor, theatre director and writer, particularly associated with the Royal Exchange Theatre in Manchester. Maxwell was seen in the films Private Potter (1962), The Evil of Frankenstein (1964), Otley (1968) and One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich (1970). The first and last of these directed by his friend and colleague Casper Wrede.