Sebastian Shaw (actor) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Sebastian Shaw
Shaw in a 1979 episode of Rumpole of the Bailey
Born	Sebastian Lewis Shaw (1905-05-29)29 May 1905 Holt, Norfolk, England
Died	23 December 1994(1994-12-23) (aged 89) Brighton, Sussex, England
Education	Slade School of Fine Art
Alma mater	Royal Academy of Dramatic Art
Occupation	Actor theatre director novelist playwright poet
Years active	1914–1991
Spouse(s)	Margaret Kate Wellesley-Lynn ​ ​ (m. 1929; died 1956)​
Children	1
Parent(s)	Geoffrey Turton Shaw (father)
Relatives	Martin Shaw (uncle) Mont Campbell (nephew)

Sebastian Lewis Shaw (born May 29, 1905 – died December 23, 1994) was a talented English actor. He also directed plays, wrote novels, plays, and poems. Over 65 years, he acted in many plays and more than 40 movies and TV shows.

Shaw grew up in Holt, Norfolk. He started acting at age eight in a London theater. He studied acting at Gresham's School and the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. He mostly worked on stage in London. His first role on Broadway was in 1929. He played a murderer in the play Rope's End.

His first movie was Caste in 1930. He quickly became well-known in films. Shaw once said he was a "rotten actor" when he was young. He felt his success was mostly due to his good looks. He believed he became a better actor after serving in the Royal Air Force during World War II.

Shaw was famous for his performances in Shakespeare plays. His acting was seen as bold and ahead of its time. In 1966, he joined the Royal Shakespeare Company. He stayed there for ten years and gave some of his best performances. He also wrote several poems and a novel called The Christening in 1975.

In 1983, he appeared in Return of the Jedi. This was the third movie in the original Star Wars series. He played the unmasked Anakin Skywalker. He also appeared as Skywalker's ghost in the original 1983 movie release.

Early Life and Education

Sebastian Shaw was one of three children. His father, Geoffrey Shaw, was a music teacher. He taught at Gresham's School, a boarding school in Norfolk. Sebastian started his education there. His uncle, Martin Shaw, was a composer of church music. His family's love for music greatly influenced Sebastian's career.

Shaw first acted at age eight in London. He was in The Cockyolly Bird at the Royal Court Theatre. This was on New Year's Day in 1914. At Gresham's, he played Petruchio in The Taming of the Shrew. This was his first of many Shakespeare roles. His schoolmate W. H. Auden, who became a famous poet, played Katherina opposite him.

After Gresham's, Shaw wanted to be a painter. He spent two years at the Slade School of Fine Art. Then he changed his mind and decided to act. His father told him, "I wondered when you would come to your senses." He won a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London. Actor Charles Laughton joined the academy at the same time. Shaw later said his first thought of Laughton was "a poor fat boy." Shaw and his classmates were soon very impressed by Laughton's talent.

Acting Career Highlights

Early Stage and Film Roles

Shaw acted in regional theaters in Bristol, Liverpool, and Hull. In 1925, he performed in London. He played the Archangel in The Sign of the Sun. He also played roles in The Constant Nymph. He learned about speaking verse from director William Bridges-Adams. This was at the Stratford Festival Company.

He played early Shakespeare roles there in 1926. These included Romeo in Romeo and Juliet. He was also Ferdinand in The Tempest. And he played Prince Hal in Henry IV. His performance as Prince Hal was seen as daring. When Prince Hal becomes king, he rejects Falstaff. People usually played Prince Hal as arrogant. But Shaw showed his character's inner sadness. He felt regret about leaving Falstaff and taking on new duties. This was criticized then, but later became the usual way to play the role.

Shaw made his Broadway debut in 1929. He played Wyndham Brandon in Rope's End. In 1929, he married Margaret Delamere. They lived in Albany, London. They had a daughter named Drusilla in 1932. He returned to Shakespeare in 1931. He played Claudio in Measure for Measure. In 1932, he played Romeo again.

His first movie was Caste in 1930. He became known in films like Brewster's Millions (1935). Other films were Men Are Not Gods (1936) and Farewell Again (1937). He earned a good amount of money during this time. He played a "smooth villain" in The Squeaker (1937). In 1939, he played the hero Cdr. David Blacklock in The Spy in Black. Shaw loved movies. He called Spencer Tracy his "great god of all screen actors."

World War II and Later Career

When World War II started, Shaw stopped acting. He joined the Royal Air Force. He became an Acting-Pilot Officer in 1941. He was quickly promoted to Flight Lieutenant. He saw little action during his service. Some fellow airmen asked for his autograph. Others made fun of his fancy accent. He would imitate their speech back to them. He kept his commission after the war. He resigned it in 1954.

After the war, Shaw had to restart his acting career. He had made twenty films before the war. He was known as a strong leading man. But he later called himself "a rotten actor" in the 1930s. He felt he got roles mainly because of his good looks. He said he was "a piece of cinema beefcake" then. He believed he learned to act properly after the war. He started to mature as a performer. His Royal Air Force experience helped him. He played a pilot in Journey Together (1946). This was an RAF training film.

In 1945, Shaw directed The Gambler. He played important theater roles in the 1940s and 1950s. These included Hercules in The Thracian Horses (1946). He was also Sir James Kirkham in His Excellency (1950). In 1956, he played the main role in Everyman. That same year, he wrote lyrics for his father's opera, All at Sea.

As Shaw got older, his reputation as a dramatic actor grew. He became known for his sharp mind and dignified style. Reviewers felt he used his face well. He showed grandeur and confidence in roles like generals and priests. He also played many Shakespearean parts. His wife, Margaret Delamere, died in 1956. They had a daughter, Drusilla.

In 1965, director William Gaskill asked Shaw to return to the Royal Court Theatre. Shaw had started his acting career there. He gave several performances over the next year. These included General Conrad von Hotzendorf in A Patriot for Me. He also played Pte Atterclife in Serjeant Musgrave's Dance.

Royal Shakespeare Company

In 1966, Shaw joined the Royal Shakespeare Company. He stayed there for ten years. He became an associate artist. He mostly appeared in Shakespeare plays. He played the main role in Cymbeline. He was also Edmund of Langley in Richard II. He played the King in All's Well That Ends Well. And he was Ulysses in Troilus and Cressida.

The Times called his performance in Cymbeline "awe-inspiring." The Independent said his Polonius in Hamlet was "unrivalled." The Telegraph called his Gloucester in King Lear "doleful." His Duncan in Macbeth was "decent." Many of the company's Shakespeare plays were modern. Some traditionalists criticized this. But Shaw defended the experimental nature of the shows. He believed plays should not be limited to old ideas.

He also showed a "crusty charm" in The Thwarting of Baron Bolligrew. This was a children's play by Robert Bolt. He was also known for his dry comedy. This was seen in plays by Maxim Gorky. He was especially good at Russian comedy. This was in Anton Chekhov's plays Three Sisters and Ivanov.

In 1978, Shaw was praised for playing a judge. This was in the play Whose Life Is It Anyway?. The play won awards. Shaw was 73, but his age did not slow him down. A mugger tried to steal his money. Shaw chased him, tackled him, and got his money back. Later, his nephew Brian Ocean painted him. In his later years, Shaw had a tremor. This affected his TV roles, especially when holding things.

One of his last TV roles was in The Old Curiosity Shop (1979). This was a mini-series based on a Charles Dickens novel. He also voiced Squire Beltham in a radio play. He lent his voice to many radio performances. These included Shakespearean and modern plays.

Writing and Star Wars

Shaw wrote Take a Life, his first play, in 1961. He directed it at London's Mermaid Theatre. He also played the lead role of the Detective. That same year, he played two lead roles in George Bernard Shaw plays. These were Mrs. Warren's Profession and Candida.

He also wrote an idea for a television comedy series. It was about four girls sharing a flat. This was inspired by his daughter. The idea was given to Granada Television. They were interested, but chose another show. That show became the long-running British soap opera Coronation Street.

Shaw sometimes agreed to roles only if he could rewrite his lines. In the 1966 World War II film It Happened Here, he wrote many of his own lines. The filmmakers said this "enhanced his performance." He also helped with casting. He introduced them to Fiona Leland, who played his character's wife. He wrote other plays, like The Ship's Bell. He also wrote Poems, a collection of his poetry.

Shaw wrote The Christening, his only novel, in 1975. The book cover said it was a "tender, sensitive and blackly comic novel." It explored "emotional encounters." Shaw first wanted to call it The Godfather. But he was glad he didn't, because of Mario Puzo's popular book of that name. He was said to be working on another novel, but it was never published. His memoirs were published after his death in 2016.

In 1982, Shaw was chosen for a small but important role. He played the redeemed, unmasked, and dying Anakin Skywalker in Return of the Jedi. This was the third Star Wars movie. David Prowse played the costumed scenes. James Earl Jones provided Darth Vader's voice. Shaw was in one scene with Mark Hamill. This was when Luke Skywalker (Hamill) unmasked his dying father. This scene was a very emotional part of the movie. So, the casting team wanted an experienced actor.

Shaw knew the first two Star Wars films. He enjoyed them, especially the visual effects. He called them "brilliant techniques which, in many ways, were revolutionary." When he arrived for filming, he saw his friend Ian McDiarmid. McDiarmid played Emperor Palpatine. Shaw's role was kept secret. He could not talk about it, even to his family. The unmasking scene was filmed in one day. It needed only a few takes.

When the film was re-released on DVD in 2004, some changes were made. Shaw's eyebrows were digitally removed. This was to match Darth Vader's injuries from Revenge of the Sith. His brown eyes were also changed to blue. This matched Hayden Christensen, who played Anakin in other films. Star Wars creator George Lucas directed Shaw for the final scene. In this scene, he was a Force ghost of Anakin. Shaw's image in this scene was replaced with Christensen's in the 2004 DVD. This change was one of the most debated changes in the Star Wars re-releases.

Shaw's unmasking scene was only two minutes long. He spoke only 24 words. But he received more fan mail and autograph requests from Return of the Jedi than any other role. He really enjoyed filming for Return of the Jedi. He was very surprised that an action figure was made of him.

Final Years in Acting

Shaw remained active in his later years. He discussed acting with teachers and students in the 1980s. He appeared in fewer films. But he was praised for his role as the Cold War spy Sharp. This was in the film High Season (1987). The San Diego Union-Tribune said he played the role with "endearing, sweet gravity."

One of his last performances was in 1988 and 1989. He played the wizard in The Wizard of Oz on stage. The Times said audiences were "delighted to recognise his honeyed threats." Shaw became an honorary life-member at the Garrick Club. This club had famous past members like Charles Dickens and J.M. Barrie.

Death

Sebastian Shaw died on December 23, 1994. He was 89 years old. He passed away from natural causes in Brighton, Sussex, England. A memorial service was held on February 15, 1995. It took place at St Paul's, Covent Garden. This church is known as the Actors' Church. Actors Ian Richardson and Ben Kingsley read from Shakespeare. Actress Estelle Kohler read a poem by Elizabeth Barrett Browning. Actress Sheila Allen read a poem by George Herbert. And actor Kenneth Branagh read from Henry Scott Holland's works. One of Shaw's own poems, Gemini, was also read.

Filmography

See also

In Spanish: Sebastian Shaw para niños