Ian David McShane is an English actor, director, producer and voice artist.
Despite appearing in numerous films, McShane is best known for his television roles, particularly
BBC's Lovejoy and HBO's drama series Deadwood.
McShane starred as King Silas Benjamin in the NBC series Kings, Bishop Waleran in The
Pillars of the Earth, Tai Lung in Kung Fu Panda, and as Blackbeard in Pirates of the
Caribbean: On Stranger Tides.
Early life McShane was born in Blackburn, Lancashire,
on 29 September 1942, the son of Irene and footballer Harry McShane.
His father was Scottish and his mother, who was born in England, was of Irish and English
descent.
McShane grew up in Urmston, Lancashire, and attended Stretford Grammar School.
He studied at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and was still a student there when he
appeared in his first film, 1962's The Wild and the Willing.
Career In the United Kingdom, McShane's best known
role may be that of antiques dealer Lovejoy in the hit BBC drama series of the same name.
He also enjoyed fame in the United States as English cad Don Lockwood in the soap opera
Dallas and as an English cockfighting aficionado in the miniseries Roots.
Even before Lovejoy, McShane was a pin-up as a result of appearances in television series
such as Wuthering Heights, If It's Tuesday, This Must Be Belgium, Jesus of Nazareth, and
Disraeli — as well as films like Sky West and Crooked and Battle of Britain.
In the United States, he is perhaps best known for the role of historical figure Al Swearengen
in the HBO series Deadwood, for which he won the 2005 Golden Globe Award for Best Actor
in a Television Drama.
He was also nominated for at the 2005 Emmy Award and Screen Actors Guild Awards.
Within the science fiction community, McShane is best known for playing the character Robert
Bryson, Ph.D. in Babylon 5: The River of Souls.
In 1985, he appeared as an iconic MC on Grace Jones' Slave to the Rhythm, a concept album
which featured his narration interspersed throughout, and which sold over a million
copies worldwide.
Other recent roles include Captain Hook in Shrek the Third, Iofur Raknison in The Golden
Compass, Tai Lung in Kung Fu Panda, and Mr. Bobinsky, the strange Russian neighbor in
Coraline.
In live-action, he has performed in the comedy Hot Rod, the action/thriller Death Race, and
The Seeker.
He has appeared on the NBC television drama series The West Wing as a Russian diplomat.
During 2007–08, he starred as Max in the 40th anniversary Broadway revival of Harold
Pinter's The Homecoming, co-starring Eve Best, Raúl Esparza and Michael McKean, and directed
by Daniel Sullivan, at the Cort Theatre.
In 2009, McShane appeared on the short-lived NBC television drama series Kings, which was
based on the biblical story of David.
His portrayal of King Silas Benjamin, an analogue of King Saul, was highly praised, with one
critic saying, "Whenever Kings seems to falter, McShane appears to put bite marks all over
the scenery."
In 2010, McShane starred in the miniseries The Pillars of the Earth as Bishop Waleran
Bigod.
The series was a historical drama set in 12th century England and adapted from Ken Follett's
novel of the same name.
Also in 2010, The Walt Disney Company confirmed that McShane would play Blackbeard in the
fourth installment of the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, On Stranger Tides.
In 2013, McShane played King Brahmwell in Bryan Singer's Jack the Giant Slayer.
Since 2010, McShane has narrated the opening teases for each round of ESPN's coverage of
The Open Championship.
In 2012, McShane had a guest role for two episodes as Murder Santa, a sadistic serial
killer in the 1960s in the second season of American Horror Story, alongside Jessica Lange
and Zachary Quinto.
Personal life In 1977, McShane began a relationship with
actress Sylvia Kristel after meeting her on the set of The Fifth Musketeer.
The affair ended his marriage to his second wife, the model Ruth Post, who is the mother
of his two children, Kate and Morgan.
In 1980, he married actress Gwen Humble.
They live in the Venice Beach community of Los Angeles.
Filmography Film
Television References
External links Ian McShane at the Internet Movie Database
Ian McShane at the Internet Broadway Database "A Conversation with Actor Ian McShane" – The
Charlie Rose Show, PBS, broadcast of 24 March 2008.
Accessed 25 March 2008.
The Homecoming on Broadway – Official site of the 40th anniversary Broadway revival at
the Cort Theatre.
Accessed 25 March 2008.