
Sebastian Shaw
Sebastian Lewis Shaw was an English actor, director, novelist, playwright and poet. During his 65-year career, he appeared in dozens of stage performances and more than 40 film and television productions. Shaw was born and brought up in Holt, Norfolk, and made his acting debut at age eight at a London theatre. He studied acting at Gresham's School and the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. Although he worked primarily on the London stage, he made his Broadway debut in 1929, when he played one of the two murderers in Rope's End. He appeared in his first film, Caste, in 1930 and quickly began to create a name for himself in films. He described himself as a "rotten actor" as a youth and said his success was primarily due to his good looks. He claimed to mature as a performer only after returning from service in the Royal Air Force during World War II. Shaw was particularly known for his performances in productions of Shakespeare plays which were considered daring and ahead of their time. In 1966, he joined the Royal Shakespeare Company, where he remained for a decade and delivered some of his most acclaimed performances. He also wrote several poems and a novel, The Christening, in 1975.
42Credits12 TV · 30 films
1930–2004Years activefirst to latest
10.0 Highest ratedAll's Well That Ends Well
7.5 Average ratingacross 42 titles
Top TV shows 12best Sebastian Shaw shows
- 1Armchair Mystery TheatreWriter · 1 ep · 1960
- 2
The Great War26 eps · 1964 - 3
Dead of NightPowys Jubb · 1 ep · 1972 - 4
The Old Curiosity ShopGrandfather · 9 eps · 1979 - 5
Theatre 6251 ep · 1964 - 6
Out of the UnknownMajor Gregory · 1 ep · 1965 - 7
Reilly: Ace of SpiesReverend Thomas · 1 ep · 1983 - 8
Rumpole of the BaileyMr. Justice Skelton · 1 ep · 1975 - 9
PlayhouseCrusty Old Party · 1 ep · 1974 - 10
BBC2 Play of the WeekCarl Fiodorich · 1 ep · 1977 - 11
CasualtyCharles Howlett · 1 ep · 1986 - 12
ChimeraDr. Liawski · 1 ep · 1991
Top movies 30best Sebastian Shaw movies
- 1All's Well That Ends WellKing of France · 1968
- 2
CasteHon. George d'Alroy · 1930 - 3Jury's EvidencePhilip · 1936
- 4The Way of YouthLieut. Alan Marmon · 1935
- 5Little Miss NobodyPat Carey · 1933
- 6
Timon of AthensOld Athenian · 1981 - 7Brewster's MillionsFrank · 1935
- 8Julius CaesarMarcus Brutus · 1938
- 9Prison Without Bars1939
- 10Birds of a FeatherJack Wortle · 1936
- 11
Now You're TalkingCharles Hampton · 1940 - 12
Return of the JediAnakin Skywalker · 1983 · Adventure - 13
LandfallWing Commander Dickens · 1949 - 14
Tomorrow We LiveEric Morton · 1936 - 15
The Story of Star WarsAnakin Skywalker (archive footage) · 2004 - 16Laxdale HallHugh Marvell, M.P. · 1953
- 17Department StoreJohn Goodman Johnson · 1935
- 18Adventure Ltd.Bruce Blandford · 1935
- 19
It Happened HereDr. Richard Fletcher · 1966 - 20
The Glass MountainBruce McLeod · 1949 - 21
Journey TogetherSquadron Leader Marshall · 1945 - 22
Farewell AgainCapt. Gilbert Reed · 1937 - 23
The Ace of SpadesTrent · 1935 - 24
The Spy in BlackAshington · 1939 - 25
A Midsummer Night's DreamQuince · 1968 - 26
The SqueakerFrank Sutton · 1937 - 27
East of PiccadillyTamsie Green · 1941 - 28
The Flying SquadInspector Bradley · 1940 - 29
The LadJimmy · 1935 - 30
Three WitnessesRoger Truscott · 1935