Actor/Novelist/Playwright Robert Shaw was born in Lancashire, England.
Shaw was a giant in the cinema of the 20th century…Stage, Screen, or Televison
Shaw’s career started with Shakespeare attending The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and then the famed Royal Shakespeare Company he would dominate Shakespeare stages for the better part of a decade at the Old Vic and then broke out in the West End production of the non Shakespearean work ‘The Long and the Short and the Tall’ staring alongside Peter O’Toole.
After breaking into television and writing two novels his break into film came alongside Sean Connery’s 007 in 1963’s ‘From Russia With Love’ playing the formidable and deadly villain Donovan “Red” Grant. The memorable fight scene on “The Orient Express” is still considered by many to be one of the greatest ever filmed both from a acting and technical perspective.
Shaw would go on to several Academy Award nominated work including the role of a young Henry VIII in ‘A Man For All Seasons’ which would garner Shaw his only Oscar win for Best Supporting Actor in 1966. Shaw would continue to shine in both independent and blockbusters alike playing seminal roles such as Doyle Lonnegan in 1973’s ‘The Sting’ and probably his most famous role as Quint in the 1975 blockbuster ‘Jaws’ – movies were never the same again. Shaw was one of the greatest to ever light up the silver screen and we lost him far too early in 1978 at the age of 51 – he forever lives on in the stories he made better!
Did you know that many still consider Shaw’s Red Grant as the most dangerous Bond villain ever?
Of course, Shaw is best known to Gen X’ers and beyond as Quint – the mercenary captain of the Orca – docked in Amityville Habor.
Shaw helped write the famous USS Indianapolis scene in ‘Jaws’ between himself, Richard Dreyfuss, John Milus, and Roy Scheider?
Want to learn more about Robert Shaw and Bond?
Check out our “Breaking Bond Episode IV: From Russia With Love”
And listen to all the seasons of The Latch Key Kids Podcast streaming now on Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, Stitcher, Audible, and Apple Podcasts on iTunes.