Stan Shaw facts for kids

Stan Shaw is an American actor born on July 14, 1952. He started his career in Broadway musicals like Hair. Later, he moved to movies. Some of his well-known films include Rocky (1976), The Monster Squad (1987), Harlem Nights (1989), and Fried Green Tomatoes (1991). Stan Shaw has been acting for many years, from the 1970s until today.

About Stan Shaw

Early Life and Family

Stan Shaw was born in Chicago, Illinois. His father was a saxophonist named Eddie Shaw. Stan also has a brother, Vaan Shaw, who is a guitarist. Stan Shaw is married to Dr. Zoe Shaw, who is an author and a therapist.

Before Acting: Martial Arts

Before becoming a famous actor, Stan Shaw was a martial arts instructor in Chicago. He taught karate, judo, and jujutsu. He holds a first-degree black belt in judo and jujutsu. He also has a second-degree black belt in karate. This background helped him in some of his action roles!

Stan Shaw's Acting Journey

Starting on Stage and Screen

Stan Shaw began his acting career in Chicago. He performed in the musical Hair. He also appeared in the Broadway musical The Me Nobody Knows. In 1972, he starred in the rock musical Via Galactica.

His first movie roles were in 1974. He appeared in films like Truck Turner and TNT Jackson. The next year, he was in the musical movie Darktown Strutters.

Famous Movie Roles

In 1976, Stan Shaw starred in the sports comedy The Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars & Motor Kings. He played Joseph Vanderbilt "Esquire Joe" Calloway. He acted alongside stars like Billy Dee Williams and James Earl Jones.

Later that year, he appeared in the classic sports drama Rocky. He played "Big Dipper" Brown, a rival boxer. In 1978, he starred in the war drama The Boys in Company C. This movie was about United States Marine Corps recruits during the Vietnam War. In 1979, he had a supporting role in The Great Santini.

Stan Shaw also played Will Palmer in the TV miniseries Roots: The Next Generations in 1979. Will Palmer was the grandfather of Alex Haley, who wrote the book Roots.

TV Shows and More Movies

Stan Shaw has been in many television shows. From 1983 to 1984, he starred in the CBS legal drama The Mississippi. He also appeared in popular shows like Hill Street Blues, Fame, and Murder, She Wrote.

He often played professional fighters in movies. These include Tough Enough (1983), Busted Up (1986), Harlem Nights (1989), and Snake Eyes (1998).

In 1991, he was in the comedy-drama Fried Green Tomatoes. He also appeared in Houseguest (1995) and as a pirate in Cutthroat Island (1995). In 1996, he played George Tyrell in the disaster film Daylight.

Recent Work

In the 2000s and early 2010s, Stan Shaw took a break from acting. He made only a few appearances in TV shows like The X Files and CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.

He returned to the big screen in 2017 in the horror film Jeepers Creepers 3. In 2020, he appeared in another horror film called The Pale Door. More recently, in 2022, he joined the cast of the BET+ drama series The Family Business. He plays Larry Duncan in the show. In 2023, he had a recurring role in the NBC medical drama Chicago Med.

Filmography

Television and film roles