Here is the biography of Robert Shaw:
Robert Archibald Shaw was born on August 9, 1927, in Westhoughton, Lancashire, England, to Thomas Archibald Shaw, a doctor, and Doreen Nora (Avery),a nurse. His paternal grandfather was Scottish, from Argyll. Shaw's mother was born in Piggs Peak, Swaziland, and met his father while working at a hospital in Truro, Cornwall. His father was an alcoholic and a manic depressive, and he committed suicide when Robert was 12.
Shaw attended school in Truro and was an athlete, competing in rugby, squash, and track events. He turned down a scholarship to study medicine at 17 to pursue a career in acting. He was inspired by his schoolmaster, Cyril Wilkes, who encouraged him to read classical literature. Shaw attended the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts with a £1,000 inheritance from his grandmother.
After two years at the Academy, Shaw went to Stratford-on-Avon, where he was directed by Sir John Gielgud. He made his professional stage debut in 1949 and toured Australia with the Old Vic. He joined the Old Vic at the invitation of Tyrone Guthrie and played lesser Shakespearean roles.
Shaw was discovered by Sir Alec Guinness while performing in "Much Ado About Nothing" in 1950. He made his film debut in "The Lavender Hill Mob" (1951) with Guinness and married his first wife, Jennifer Bourne, in 1952. They had four daughters together.
Shaw's breakthrough role came in 1963 with "From Russia with Love," where he played the role of Donald "Red" Grant. He went on to star in several films, including "The Luck of Ginger Coffey" (1964),"Battle of the Bulge" (1965),and "A Man for All Seasons" (1966).
Shaw wrote his first novel, "The Hiding Place," which was a success, and he went on to write three more novels. He also wrote a dramatization of "The Hiding Place" that was produced on commercial television in England and aired on Playhouse 90 in America.
Shaw's personal life was marked by his marriage to Mary Ure in 1963, with whom he had four children. He was known for his love of adventure and travel, and he spent time in Ireland, where he owned a home.
Shaw's acting career continued to thrive, with notable roles in "Jaws" (1975),"The Deep" (1977),and "Force 10 from Navarone" (1978). He died on August 28, 1978, at the age of 51, due to a heart attack while driving in Ireland.
