Born in the dawn of the 20th century, in the city of Yonkers, New York, Robert Shayne, originally known as Robert Shaen Dawe, embarked on a diverse array of occupations before his interests ultimately shifted towards the world of acting. He appeared in a succession of legitimate theater productions throughout the 1930s, with his early career also including appearances in a few films.
In 1929, Shayne made a comedy short film in New York, followed by two feature-length films in 1934 and a comedy short shot in New York in 1937. In 1942, he signed a contract with Warner Brothers and made the journey to Hollywood, where he became a contract player at their Culver City studios.
Warner Brothers initially showcased the newly-arrived stage actor in a series of two-reel Westerns before promoting him to supporting roles in "A"-level feature films. However, in 1946, Shayne left the studio to pursue freelance opportunities.
Several years later, he became involved in the emerging medium of television, where he played the iconic role for which he is most remembered - Inspector Henderson in the series Adventures of Superman, which premiered in 1952.
