Martin Shaw

Biography: An English actor. He is best known for his roles in shows such as The Professionals, The Chief, Judge John Deed and Inspector George Gently.

According to Shaw, his first stage appearance was at age three during an amateur show in which his parents were performing. At Great Barr School, where musician Steve Winwood was a classmate, he excelled in English literature and drama lessons. At sixteen, he was offered a scholarship to a Birmingham drama school. Declining the scholarship, he left school and, on the advice of his parents, began work. One job was in the office of a brass foundry. At eighteen, he moved to London to attend the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. He served his apprenticeship in repertory as an assistant stage manager at the Queen?s Theatre, Hornchurch and the Bristol Old Vic.

Shaw took key roles in the first revival of Look Back in Anger (Royal Court/Criterion, 1968); in the National Theatre?s Saturday, Sunday, Monday opposite Laurence Olivier (1973); and in A Streetcar Named Desire presented by the Piccadilly Theatre in 1974. He later acknowledged the role of Stanley Kowalski in the latter as a breakthrough in his career.

In the 1980s, Shaw played Elvis Presley in Alan Bleasdale?s critically acclaimed Are You Lonesome Tonight? It told the story of Elvis? last few hours. After a long run in London, the production visited Sydney and Melbourne in Australia.

After filming finished on the TV series Judge John Deed, Shaw took the role of Thomas More in Robert Bolt?s play A Man for All Seasons. Shaw?s daughter, Sophie, played opposite him as More?s daughter, Margaret. The production toured Britain?s cities before a run in London at the Theatre Royal Haymarket.

Shaw began television work in 1967. Parts in one-off plays for Granada Television led to his playing hippy student Robert Croft, Lucile Hewitt?s boyfriend in Coronation Street. Another early role was booze and football-loving Welsh medical student Huw Evans in the television comedy series Doctor in the House. Huw Evans later returned in the Doctor at Large episode "Mother and Father Doing Well" as a very nervous expectant father.

Shaw appeared with future co-star Lewis Collins in an episode of The New Avengers. Both played the roles of terrorists.

Shaw portrayed Ray Doyle in the British television series The Professionals (1977?1981). Shaw played another law-enforcement role in the 1990s ITV production The Chief.

Rhodes is an eight part serial that aired in 1996 and was filmed on location in South Africa. Shaw?s younger son, Joe, took early leave of his drama school course to play the part of the youthful Cecil Rhodes before Shaw completed Rhodes?s story from the statesman?s mature years to his death.

In 2001, he took the title role in the BBC drama Judge John Deed. Between seasons of Judge John Deed, Shaw took the role of poetic bespectacled forensic detective Adam Dalgliesh in P.D. James?s Death in Holy Orders in 2003 and The Murder Room in 2005.

After the sixth season of Judge John Deed had been filmed, Shaw appeared in the series Apparitions broadcast by the BBC in 2008. This was Shaw?s first project as executive director.

In the police drama Inspector George Gently, Shaw appears in the title role.

Shaw also appeared as Sir Charles Cartwright in a 2009 adaptation of Agatha Christie?s Poirot tale Three Act Tragedy.

In his youth, Shaw was involved in a drunken brawl with a friend, suffering broken teeth, injuries to his face and a fractured skull. A mid-face fracture involving the right cheekbone required surgical rebuilding.

In 1971, Shaw became a follower of Charan Singh, a master of the ancient spiritual tradition of Sant Mat. This involved a strict lacto vegetarian diet, meditation, yoga and the avoidance of alcohol and other mind-altering drugs.

Shaw is a celebrity activist for animal rights and animal welfare. He is the patron of the Hillside Animal Sanctuary in Norfolk, a charity organisation that provides a safe home for neglected and abused animals. He also supports Viva!

In interviews and in the Martin Shaw - Aviators documentary series, Shaw readily shares his passion for vintage aeroplanes. He is the holder of a private pilot?s licence. He owned for several years a 1943 Boeing Stearman PT-17 Kaydet (G-BAVO) and now flies a Piper Cub (G-BFBY).

Shaw has three children by his first wife, actress Jill Allen, whom he married in 1968: Luke Shaw, an actor; Joe Shaw, an actor and director; and Sophie Shaw, an actor and singer with the band "Blue Harlem".

Shaw?s second wife was former nurse turned alternative therapist and core process psychotherapist Maggie Mansfield.

Shaw?s third wife was TV presenter, environmental activist and fellow pilot Vicky Kimm.

Shaw?s current partner is Karen da Silva, a yoga teacher and neighbour in his Norfolk village.