Denis Shaw (7 April 1921 – 28 February 1971) was a British character actor specialising in slimy villains. Born in Dulwich, he was a rotund man, with dark, wavy hair and slanty eyes. This appearance meant he would often be found troubling countless heroes of the 1950s and 1960s on film and television, most memorably as the German guard Priem in The Colditz Story (1955).Alternatively, he could also be found propping up the tavern bar in a number of British horror films. These include Blood of the Vampire (1958), Jack the Ripper (1959), The Man Who Could Cheat Death (1959), The Mummy (1959), The Two Faces of Dr. Jekyll (1960), The Curse of the Werewolf (1961) and The Day of the Triffids (1962).1959 saw a change of pace when he took the leading role of judo-throwing Interpol detective Caesar Smith in Great Van Robbery. In the film he travels to Rio de Janeiro, Rome and Paris, tracking the robbers of a Royal Mint van.His many television credits include, The Adventures of Robin Hood, The Avengers, Danger Man, Dixon of Dock Green, The Prisoner, Sherlock Holmes and Z-Cars.He died in London of a heart attack at the age of 49.A familiar face around the bars of Soho in London, he is mentioned in Keith Waterhouse's play Jeffrey Bernard is Unwell.
Had an apparently well-earned reputation for rudeness.
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Portly, wavy-haired and narrow-eyed British character actor, usually found playing assorted thugs and plug-uglies in British films and TV dramas of the 1950's and 60's. Also popped up in a number of taverns and pubs in Hammer horror productions during the same period.
Actor
Title
Year
Status
Character
Here Come the Double Deckers!
1970
TV Series
1st Soldier
Bright's Boffins
1970
TV Series
Sergeant Thumper
The Misfit
1970
TV Series
Aircraft passenger
The Magnificent Six and ½: A Lad in the Lamp
1969
Short
Adult
The File of the Golden Goose
1969
Vance
The Mind of Mr. J.G. Reeder
1969
TV Series
Wu Tong
The Avengers
1969
TV Series
Murray
The Ugliest Girl in Town
1969
TV Series
Charlie
The Magnificent Six and ½: Kontiki Kids
1968
Short
Nasty Workman
Tom Grattan's War
1968
TV Series
Koestler
Armchair Theatre
1956-1968
TV Series
Karim / Ziggy
Theatre 625
1968
TV Series
Matvei
Virgin of the Secret Service
1968
TV Series
Wazir
Public Eye
1968
TV Series
Claverton
The Magnificent Six and ½: It's Not Cricket
1968
Heavyset Workman
The Prisoner
1967
TV Series
Shopkeeper
The Viking Queen
1967
Osiris
My Man Joe
1967
TV Series
The Deadly Affair
1966
Landlord (uncredited)
Softly Softly
1966
TV Series
Eddie
Secret Agent
1965
TV Series
Estate Agent
Londoners
1965
TV Series
Louie
Sherlock Holmes
1965
TV Series
Gregory
Z Cars
1965
TV Series
Eric Branker
The Runaway
1963
Agent
Espionage
1963
TV Series
Frohlich
No Hiding Place
1963
TV Series
'Dodger' Sneddon
It's a Living
1962
TV Series
Mr. Hooper
Outbreak of Murder
1962
TV Series
Ginger Morton
Drama 61-67
1962
TV Series
Prosecuting counsel
The Pirates of Blood River
1962
Silver (uncredited)
Stryker of the Yard
1962
TV Series
Skeets
Nothing Barred
1961
Convict
The Curse of the Werewolf
1961
Gaoler
A Weekend with Lulu
1961
Bar Patron
Carry on Regardless
1961
Second Sinister Passenger (uncredited)
The Night We Got the Bird
1961
Stooge to Manny (as Dennis Shaw)
The Hellfire Club
1961
Sir Richard Benlow
Ticket to Paradise
1961
Giuseppe
The Vise
1954-1960
TV Series
Tracey, the Scotland Yard Weapons Expert / Ben Greer / Merton / ...