
Person
Denis Shaw
Acting · 1921–1971 · Dulwich, London, England, UK
Biography
Douglas "Denis" Findlay Shaw (7 February 1921 – 28 February 1971) was a British character actor who specialized in portraying villains. Shaw was born in Dulwich on 7 February 1921. In the 1950s and 1960s, he was frequently cast as villains in films and television shows, most notably as the German guard Priem in The Colditz Story (1955), as well as a number of British horror films including Jack the Ripper (1959), The Mummy (1959) and The Curse of the Werewolf (1961). He was cast in the leading role of The Great Van Robbery (1959) as the judo-throwing Interpol detective Caesar Smith. Shaw's television credits include The Adventures of Robin Hood, The Avengers, Danger Man, Dixon of Dock Green, The Prisoner, Sherlock Holmes and Z-Cars. Shaw died from a heart attack in London on 28 February 1971, at the age of 50. A familiar face around the bars of Soho in London, he is mentioned in Keith Waterhouse's play Jeffrey Bernard Is Unwell.
Known for

The Avengers
Murray

Theatre 625
Matvei

The Adventures of Robin Hood
Butcher

The Prisoner
Shopkeeper
Bright's Boffins
1970

Sherlock Holmes
1964

Espionage
Frohlich
International Detective
Horse Carlucci

Londoners
Louie

The Adventures of the Scarlet Pimpernel
Biggs
Filmography
- 1970Bright's Boffins
- 1970The MisfitAircraft Passenger
- 1969The File of the Golden GooseVance
- 1969The Magnificent Six and ½: It's Not CricketHeavyset Workman
- 1969The Mind of Mr. J.G. ReederWu Tong
- 1968The Magnificent Six and ½: Kontiki KidsNasty Workman
- 1967The PrisonerShopkeeper
- 1967The Viking QueenOsiris
- 1967The Deadly AffairWolfe - Publican
- 1965LondonersLouie
- 1964Sherlock Holmes
- 1964Theatre 625Matvei
- 1963EspionageFrohlich
- 1962The Pirates of Blood RiverSilver (uncredited)
- 1961Stryker of the Yard
- 1961Nothing BarredConvict
- 1961The Curse of the WerewolfGaoler
- 1961Carry On RegardlessSinister Passenger (uncredited)
- 1961The Hellfire ClubSir Richard Benlow
- 1961The AvengersMurray
- 1961Ticket to ParadiseGiuseppe
- 1960The Night We Got the BirdWolfie's Stooge
- 1960The CriminalTaxi Customer at Racetrack (uncredited)
- 1960Beyond the CurtainKrumm
- 1960Trouble with EveGeorge Rigby
- 1959International DetectiveHorse Carlucci
- 1959The MummyMike
- 1959The Man Who Could Cheat DeathTavern Customer
- 1959Jack the RipperSimes
- 1959Innocent MeetingUncle
- 1959The Great Van RobberyCaesar Smith
- 1959Naked FuryCaptain Horst
- 1958Passport to ShameMac
- 1958Links of JusticeHeath
- 1958A Woman PossessedBishop
- 1958Moment of IndiscretionInspector Marsh
- 1958Soapbox DerbyLender
- 1957The DepravedInspector O'Flynn
- 1957Seven ThundersFat German Soldier
- 1957Let's Be HappyFat Man in Train Corridor (uncredited)
- 1956The WeaponGroggins
- 1956Armchair TheatreZiggy
- 1956Port AfriqueGrila
- 1956Who Done It?Professor Stumpf
- 1955The Adventures of the Scarlet PimpernelBiggs
- 1955The Adventures of Robin HoodButcher
- 1955The PrisonerPlainclothesman (uncredited)
- 1955The Colditz StoryPriem
- 1954Forbidden CargoShip's Cook
- 1953House of BlackmailBassett
- 1953The Long MemoryShaw (uncredited)
- 1952Girdle of GoldChoirmaster
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