Shane Rimmer facts for kids

Shane Rimmer (born Shane Lance Deacon; May 28, 1929 – March 29, 2019) was a Canadian actor and writer. He spent most of his acting career in the United Kingdom. He was known for playing American characters in many British movies and TV shows.

Shane Rimmer appeared in over 160 films and TV shows from 1957 until he passed away in 2019. Some of his most famous roles include:

• Voicing Scott Tracy in the original Thunderbirds TV series.
• Playing Captain "Ace" Owens in Dr. Strangelove.
• Being the voice of Louie Watterson in the Cartoon Network series The Amazing World of Gumball.
• Appearing in several James Bond movies.
• Writing scripts for shows like Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons and Joe 90.

Early Life and Beginnings

Shane Rimmer was born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. His mother was British, and his father, Thomas Deacon, was a journalist. Shane started his career in Canada as a singer and a disc jockey on the radio. He later became a TV presenter. He chose to use his grandmother's last name, Rimmer, for his career.

A Career in Film

Shane Rimmer moved to England in 1959. He often played supporting roles, especially in movies and TV shows made in the United Kingdom. He was sometimes called the "Rent-A-Yank" because he often played American characters.

He appeared in many well-known films, including:

• Dr. Strangelove (1964)
• Rollerball (1975)
• The Spy Who Loved Me (1977)
• Gandhi (1982)
• Out of Africa (1985)
• Batman Begins (2005)

Shane Rimmer also had uncredited roles in famous movies like Star Wars (1977) and Superman II (1980). He even provided a voice for a character in the James Bond film Live and Let Die (1973).

Television Work

Shane Rimmer worked a lot with TV producer Gerry Anderson. He was the voice of Scott Tracy in the popular puppet series Thunderbirds (1964–1966). He even helped create the story for one episode called "Ricochet."

He also wrote scripts and provided voices for other Gerry Anderson shows, such as:

• Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons (1967–68)
• Joe 90 (1968–69)
• The Secret Service (1969)

Later, he appeared in live-action shows like UFO (1970) and The Protectors (1972–74). He also voiced characters in Space: 1999 (1975–77).

Shane Rimmer and American actor Ed Bishop often worked together. They joked about always playing American characters and called themselves "Rent-a-Yanks." They appeared together in movies like The Bedford Incident (1965) and You Only Live Twice (1967).

From 2014 to 2019, Shane Rimmer was the second voice for Louie Watterson in the Cartoon Network series The Amazing World of Gumball. The episode "The Agent" was his very last role before he passed away.

Other Projects

Shane Rimmer made an appearance in the classic British science fiction show Doctor Who in 1966. He also appeared twice in the popular soap opera Coronation Street.

In 2010, Shane Rimmer returned to the world of Thunderbirds for a fan-made film called Thunderbirds 2010. He provided the voice of Jeff Tracy in a special voiceover.

He also wrote a book about his life called From Thunderbirds to Pterodactyls. In 2014, he released his first fiction novel, Long Shot.

Personal Life

Shane Rimmer married Sheila Logan in 1963. They had three sons named Damien, Ben, and Paul.

Shane Rimmer passed away at Barnet Hospital in London on March 29, 2019, at the age of 89. He was survived by his wife and sons.

Selected Filmography