C. Montague Shaw, a distinguished-looking individual, embodied the stereotype of the tweedy but intellectual British scholar or professorial type in numerous films, exceeding 150 in total. However, this Australian-born actor, born in Adelaide in 1884, defied expectations. He started his stage career in Australia with a repertory company, touring the country before traveling to Great Britain with the same company.
Eventually, he began performing in plays on the London stage, showcasing his acting skills. Additionally, Shaw was an "elocution" teacher, instructing actors, business executives, and others on effective language and speech exercises. His expertise earned him recognition, and he traveled extensively throughout British Colonial Africa, Canada, and the United States, sharing his knowledge with others.
Shaw's film career began in 1926 with two-reel shorts, but he soon transitioned to full-length features. He appeared in many notable productions of the 1930s, including David Copperfield (1935) and A Tale of Two Cities (1935). Although his roles were often smaller and sometimes unbilled, he had more substantial parts in serials, playing scientists, villains, and the heroine's father in classic chapter plays such as Daredevils of the Red Circle (1939),Ace Drummond (1936),Undersea Kingdom (1936),and Zorro's Fighting Legion (1939).
Shaw's final film appearance was in The Pilgrimage Play (1949),and he passed away on February 6, 1968, at the Motion Picture Country Home in Woodland Hills, California, at the age of 85.
