Who Is Maxine Sneed?
Maxine Sneed is a Canadian editor and former wife of comedian Tommy Chong. She is not his mother, a mix-up that spreads often online.
Sneed built her own name in publishing long before most people connected her to Hollywood. She edited Black Radio Magazine, shaping coverage of Black music and culture.
Her marriage to Chong lasted a decade. Together they raised two daughters who later became known in film and modeling.
Maxine Sneed Wikipedia
No standalone Wikipedia page exists for Sneed. Her name appears only inside entries for Tommy Chong and her daughter Rae Dawn Chong.
Wikipedia confirms she married Chong in 1960 and divorced him in 1970. Her brother, drummer Floyd Sneed, played with the band Three Dog Night.
Here’s what public records and Wikipedia mentions confirm:
| Detail | Information |
| Full Name | Maxine Sneed |
| Nationality | Canadian-American |
| Spouse | Tommy Chong (m. 1960–1970) |
| Children | Rae Dawn Chong, Robbi Chong |
| Sibling | Floyd Sneed |
| Occupation | Editor, Black Radio Magazine |
Her exact birth date isn’t confirmed by any reliable source. Some sites list one, but it doesn’t match verified records.
Maxine Sneed Young
Little is documented about Maxine Sneed’s childhood years. No verified source covers her school life or early family details.
What’s confirmed comes through her brother, Floyd Sneed, the drummer for Three Dog Night. Public records tie the siblings together but skip their upbringing.
She entered public view mainly after marrying Tommy Chong in 1960. Everything before that stays largely private, a pattern she kept throughout her life.
Maxine Sneed Ethnicity
Maxine Sneed is of Black Canadian descent, according to Wikipedia’s entry on her daughter, Rae Dawn Chong.
Some entertainment sites add Cherokee ancestry to her background. That claim isn’t backed by any verified record, so treat it as unconfirmed.
Her Canadian roots are solid fact. Beyond that, her family heritage remains mostly undocumented in reliable sources.
Career
Maxine Sneed worked as an editor for Black Radio Magazine, reviewing and refining articles before publication.
Her role focused on quality control inside a publication built around Black music and culture. She helped shape stories that reached readers across the industry.
Public recognition came later, mostly through her marriage to Tommy Chong. Details about her work after their 1970 divorce stay thin.
Some sources claim she continued editing for corporate clients afterward. That part of her career isn’t independently confirmed.
Personal Life
Maxine Sneed married Tommy Chong in 1960 and divorced him in 1970, after ten years together.
The couple raised two daughters during that decade:
- Rae Dawn Chong — actress, born 1961
- Robbi Chong — actress and former model, born 1965
Sneed kept her personal life private after the divorce. She avoided interviews and public appearances that focused on her marriage.
Reports say she received a $230,000 settlement from the divorce. That figure appears across multiple entertainment sites, though it traces back to a single original source.
Net Worth
Maxine Sneed’s net worth is estimated between $1 million and $10 million, based on entertainment site reports.
That range comes from her editorial career and the divorce settlement she reportedly received from Tommy Chong. No verified financial records confirm the exact figure.
Treat these numbers as estimates, not fact. Celebrity net worth figures often get recycled across sites without real sourcing.
Is Maxine Sneed Still Alive?
No death records or obituaries confirm Maxine Sneed has passed away. Public information suggests she is still alive.
She hasn’t appeared in interviews or public events in recent years. Her age would put her in her 80s today, based on her 1960 marriage timeline.
Without an official statement or news report, her current status stays unconfirmed either way. That’s typical for someone who kept a low profile for decades.
Maxine Sneed Now
No recent updates exist about Maxine Sneed’s current life or whereabouts. She stays out of public records entirely.
She never returned to media attention after her divorce from Tommy Chong. That pattern has held for over five decades.
Her daughters, Rae Dawn Chong and Robbi Chong, occasionally speak about their upbringing. Neither shares direct updates about their mother’s present life.
Maxine Sneed 2025
There’s no news, interview, or public appearance tied to Maxine Sneed in 2025. Searches for this query return nothing specific.
That silence fits her long pattern of privacy. She hasn’t sought media coverage since her marriage ended in 1970.
Most “2025” search interest likely comes from people checking whether she’s still alive, not from new developments in her life.
Maxine Sneed Movies
Maxine Sneed has no film or TV credits of her own. She worked in publishing, not acting.
Her career stayed behind the scenes at Black Radio Magazine. Searches for her movies mostly reflect confusion with her daughter’s career.
Rae Dawn Chong, her daughter, built the acting career people associate with the family name. She starred in major 1980s films.
Commando Cast
Rae Dawn Chong, daughter of Maxine Sneed and Tommy Chong, played Cindy in the 1985 film Commando.
She starred opposite Arnold Schwarzenegger, with Alyssa Milano and Dan Hedaya rounding out the cast. The film became a commercial hit that year.
This role came the same year Rae Dawn also appeared in The Color Purple. Both credits boosted her visibility through the mid-1980s.
Owen Baylis
Owen Baylis married Rae Dawn Chong, Maxine Sneed’s daughter, in 1982. They divorced the same year.
Together they had one son, Morgan Baylis, Maxine Sneed’s grandson. He’s referenced across genealogy and celebrity family records.
Baylis himself isn’t a public figure. His only documented link to fame runs through his brief marriage into the Chong family.
Final Word
Maxine Sneed built a quiet legacy through editing, not celebrity. Her work at Black Radio Magazine shaped media long before her marriage made her a public name.
She stayed private after divorcing Tommy Chong in 1970. That choice defined her story more than any headline ever could.
Her daughters carried the family name into Hollywood. Rae Dawn Chong and Robbi Chong built careers Sneed herself never sought.
Confusion still follows her name online. Getting the facts right matters more than repeating old mix-ups about who she was.
FAQs
Was Maxine Sneed Tommy Chong’s mother or wife?
She was his first wife, married in 1960 and divorced in 1970. She was never his mother.
What did Maxine Sneed do for a living?
She worked as an editor for Black Radio Magazine, focused on Black music and culture coverage.
Who are Maxine Sneed’s children?
Her daughters are Rae Dawn Chong, an actress, and Robbi Chong, an actress and former model.
What is Maxine Sneed’s net worth?
Estimates range between $1 million and $10 million, though no official figure is confirmed.
Is Maxine Sneed still alive?
No death records exist. Public information suggests she’s alive, though her current status isn’t officially confirmed.
What is Maxine Sneed’s ethnicity?
She’s of Black Canadian descent. Claims of Cherokee heritage circulate online but aren’t independently verified.
Rizwan Sultan is a content writer with 4 years of experience covering USA celebrities’ net worth and biographies. He specializes in clear, research-driven profiles and currently contributes engaging, accurate content to CelebInfoHub, helping readers understand the stories behind fame and financial success.