- Born
- Died
- Birth nameSebastian Lewis Shaw
- Height1.83 m
- Though primarily a stage actor, Sebastian Shaw appeared in some forty film and television productions from 1930 to 1991. Born in Holt, Norfolk, England, he first appeared on stage as a child in 1913, graduating to lead roles by the late 1920s. It was in 1930 that he made his first film appearance in Caste (1930). His most notable film roles of this period were as an aspiring actor opposite Miriam Hopkins and Rex Harrison in the Alexander Korda-produced Les Hommes ne sont pas des dieux (1936); as a crime suspect in another Korda production, Le receleur (1937); and opposite Conrad Veidt and Valerie Hobson in Michael Powell's L'Espion noir (1939). His later films included Roy Boulting's documentary-style La grande aventure (1945), La montagne de verre (1949) (in which he played an eccentric Scottish lyricist), and Laxdale Hall (1953).
In the 1960s, he appeared in Kevin Brownlow and Andrew Mollo's imaginative En Angleterre occupée (1964), made in semi-documentary style showing Britons coping during a Nazi persecution. Mostly stage and television work followed (including an appearance as a judge in Rumpole of the Bailey (1978)). In 1982, Shaw was approached by George Lucas to make an appearance in the final episode of his Star Wars films, Le Retour du Jedi (1983). The role was the small but crucial one at the film's climax of the unmasked Darth Vader (Anakin Skywalker) and in the final scene as Anakin's ghost. The role has since made him a cult figure all over the world. Much of Shaw's remaining career was spent playing distinguished elderly gent roles, such as cold war spy-cum-art critic Basil Sharpe in Soleil grec (1987). Shaw continued to act on stage, film and television well into his eighties. Sebastian Shaw died at age 89 of natural causes on December 23, 1994.- IMDb mini biography by: ChrissyJJ
- SpouseMargaret Kate S Wellesley Lynn (stage name Delamere)(1929 - 1956) (her death, 1 child)
- ChildrenDrusilla MacLeod
- ParentsDr. Geoffrey Shaw,
- RelativesMartin Shaw(Aunt or Uncle)Susan Bonner-Morgan(Sibling)Penelope Harness(Sibling)
- Had worked on stage, and was very good friends with fellow Star Wars cast member Ian McDiarmid. He was also very unfamiliar with Star Wars when he was cast, and was not aware that his friend McDiarmid had been cast. When they ran into each other while doing their respective make-up tests, McDiarmid asked what he was doing there, to which Shaw replied, "I don't know, Ian. I think it's something to do with science fiction.".
- In a 1987 interview, he revealed that, while under consideration for Le Retour du Jedi (1983), he was not informed about the role of Anakin Skywalker until the producers were certain that he would be playing the character. Because the role was being kept a secret during production of the movie, he was under contract not to disclose it to anyone. He honored that deal, and after the film's release, he was finally permitted to talk about his role. Despite the fact that the role was only two minutes long with only 24 words of dialogue, Shaw enjoyed the experience, which earned him legions of young fans, and found having an action figure made in his likeness oddly flattering.
- Served in the Royal Air Force in World War II.
- The eight-year-old Shaw made his first stage appearance on January 1, 1914, as one of the Juvenile Band in "The Cockyolly Bird".
- His father was composer and music teacher, Geoffrey Shaw (1879-1943).
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