Ian McShane

Early life

McShane was born in Blackburn, Lancashire on 29 September 1942. He is the child of professional footballer Harry (1920–2012) and Irene McShane (née Cowley; 1922–2020). His father was Scottish, from Holytown, Lanarkshire. His mother, who was born in England, was of Irish and English descent. McShane grew up in Davyhulme, Manchester and attended Stretford Grammar School. After being a member of the National Youth Theatre, he studied at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA), with Anthony Hopkins and John Hurt. McShane shared a flat with Hurt, whom he called his "oldest friend in the business", and was still a student at RADA when he appeared with Hurt in his first film The Wild and the Willing in 1962. He later played Satan in the York Mystery Plays in 1963.

Career

In the United Kingdom, McShane's best known role is antiques dealer Lovejoy in the eponymous series (1986, 1991–1994). If It's Tuesday, This Must Be Belgium, Battle of Britain (both 1969), Pussycat, Pussycat, I Love You (1970), Sitting Target (1972), The Last of Sheila (1973), and The Fifth Musketeer (1979).

He has also enjoyed success in the United States as Don Lockwood in Dallas, and is known for the role of 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 at the 2005 Emmy Award and Screen Actors Guild Awards.

Among science fiction fans, McShane is known for playing Robert Bryson in Babylon 5: The River of Souls. In a 2004 interview with The Independent, McShane stated that he wished he had turned down the role of Bryson as the technical dialogue was a struggle. and he found looking at Martin Sheen, who wore an eye in the middle of his forehead, to be the most embarrassing experience that he had ever had while acting.

In 1985, McShane appeared as MC on Grace Jones' Slave to the Rhythm, a concept album featuring his narration interspersed throughout. It sold over a million copies worldwide.

In 1992, he recorded and released a solo studio album, From Both Sides Now, in which he sang cover versions of popular songs. The album reached number 40 in the UK Albums Chart.

His other roles include that of armed robber and gangland boss Jack Last in the Minder episode The Last Video Show. As Captain Hook in Shrek the Third, Ragnar Sturlusson in The Golden Compass, Tai Lung in Kung Fu Panda (for which he received an Annie Award nomination), crime boss Teddy Bass in Sexy Beast, and Mr. Bobinsky in Coraline. In live-action, he has performed in Hot Rod, the action/thriller Death Race, and The Seeker. He has appeared in 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 (16 December 2007 – 13 April 2008).

In 2009, he appeared in Kings, which was drawn from the biblical story of David. His portrayal of King Silas Benjamin, an analogue of King Saul, was highly praised, with one critic writing: "Whenever Kings seems to falter, McShane appears to put bite marks all over the scenery."

In 2010, McShane starred in 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. That same year, it was confirmed that McShane would portray Edward "Blackbeard" Teach in the Walt Disney Company/Jerry Bruckheimer film Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides. McShane reprised the role of Blackbeard in Pirates of the Caribbean in Disneyland and Walt Disney World, as well as the interactive quest A Pirate's Adventure: Treasure of the Seven Seas at Magic Kingdom.

In 2013, he 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. In 2016, he joined the cast of Game of Thrones in Season 6 as Septon Ray.

McShane announced in 2017 that a script for a two-hour Deadwood film was submitted by creator David Milch to HBO and that a film was close to happening. "[A] two-hour movie script has been delivered to HBO. If they don't deliver [a finished product], blame them," McShane said. The film began production in October 2018. Deadwood: The Movie was released on 31 May 2019, concluding the story of the series.

Personal life

In 1965, McShane married English actress Suzan Farmer and they divorced in 1968. He married his second wife, English model Ruth Post, on 8 June 1968, and they had two children, Kate and Morgan. the affair ended his marriage to Post. On 30 August 1980, McShane married American actress Gwen Humble. They live in Venice, California. Through his elder daughter, McShane has three grandchildren.

Filmography

Film

Television

Video games

Theme park attractions

Awards and nominations

References

References

1. (2009). "Ian McShane, Esq's Biography". Debrett's.
2. Gilbey, Ryan. (16 March 2013). "Ian McShane: rogue trader". The Guardian.
3. Vagg, Stephen. (20 July 2025). "Forgotten British Film Studios: The Rank Organisation, 1962".
4. (3 June 2017). "Ian McShane: 'Believe me, the hell-raising years were a lot of fun'". [[The Times]].
5. Stevens, Christopher. (2010). "Born Brilliant: The Life of Kenneth Williams". John Murray.
6. "Ian McShane biography". Film Reference.
7. . ["Start building your family tree today"](http://www.thegenealogist.co.uk/treeview/tree_view.php?&&tree_id=2485). *Thegenealogist.co.uk*.
8. NIGHT, DAY &. (7 March 2016). "Ian McShane: Working-class actors must get more help". Express.co.uk.
9. Vagg, Stephen. (11 August 2025). "Forgotten British Film Studios: The Rank Organisation, 1965 to 1967".
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12. (13 January 2010). "Babylon 5: The River of Souls".
13. (15 September 2004). "Ian McShane: You Ask the Questions".
14. (22 November 1986). "Billboard – Google Livros".
15. (13 December 1986). "Billboard – Google Livros".
16. "Ian McShane - From Both Sides Now Album Reviews, Songs & More | AllMusic".
17. (21 July 1992). "Ian McShane - From Both Sides Now".
18. (21 November 1992). "IAN MCSHANE | Official Charts".
19. "#7.4 the Last Video Show".
20. "The Golden Compass Movie Review (2007) {{!}} Roger Ebert".
21. "Kung Fu Panda - Ian McShane Interview".
22. "Coraline - Ian McShane Interview".
23. (18 June 2006). "Ian McShane Joins The Cast of Hot Rod".
24. (8 August 2007). "Ian McShane Enters The Death Race".
25. (4 October 2007). "Interview: Ian McShane, Star of 'The Seeker: The Dark is Rising'".
26. (22 October 2014). "35 People You Might Not Realize Appeared on 'The West Wing'".
27. "The Homecoming @ Cort Theatre {{!}} Playbill".
28. Gordon Haber, [http://www.forward.com/articles/104244/ David, My David: Israel's Most Charismatic King Comes to TV], forward.com, 25 March 2009.
29. Hale, Mike. (22 July 2010). "Ian McShane in Starz Mini-Series of Ken Follett Book". The New York Times.
30. MacInnes, Paul. (16 October 2010). "The Pillars of the Earth: episode one". The Guardian.
31. "EXCLUSIVE: 'Pirates 4' Producer Jerry Bruckheimer Confirms Geoffrey Rush Return, Penelope Cruz As Blackbeard's Daughter » MTV Movies Blog".
32. "Blackbeard Comes Aboard at Disneyland Park and Magic Kingdom Park May 20 « Disney Parks Blog".
33. (10 August 2011). "Lights! Camera! Attraction! - D23".
34. Kit, Borys. (21 March 2011). "Ian McShane Joins Bryan Singer's 'Jack the Giant Killer'". [[The Hollywood Reporter]].
35. {{YouTube. sTOR55_UsPg. 2010 BRITISH OPEN THURSDAY
36. Mitovich, Matt Webb. (10 October 2012). "Horror Story Taps Deadwood's Ian McShane to 'Tussle' With Jessica Lange".
37. (1 August 2015). "Ian McShane cast in Game of Thrones season 6". Watchers on the Wall.
38. (24 July 2016). "Ian McShane Has No Regrets About Spoiling Game of Thrones".
39. Gunderman, Dan. (20 April 2017). "Actor Ian McShane says 'Deadwood' creator submitted revival movie script to HBO". Collider.
40. "'Deadwood' Movie Starts Filming with Majority of Cast Returning". The Hollywood Reporter.
41. HBO PR. (21 March 2019). "HBO Films' DEADWOOD Debuts May 31".
42. "Ian McShane (visual voices guide)". Behind The Voice Actors.
43. "The Sorcerer's Apprentice".
44. (5 October 2017). "Lily Collins, Ian McShane, Toby Kebbell to voice 'Here Comes The Grump' (exclusive)". Screen Daily.
45. Sachdeva, Maanya. (29 December 2024). "Kung Fu Panda fans praise 'legendary' new villain as trailer for fourth film released".
46. (21 January 2015). "'Deadwood' Star Ian McShane Joins Showtime's 'Ray Donovan'".
47. (7 March 2016). "Ian McShane: why he'll always be an antiques dealer with a mullet".
48. (2 March 2016). "Ian McShane to Star in 'American Gods' for Starz".
49. "Episode Title: (SI-3215) "The Last Barfighter"".