Sadly, to many casual fans, he will always be the sea captain who was eaten by the shark in Jaws. But Robert Shaw was a respected and accomplished actor, novelist, and playwright. Born in England in 1927, Shaw had a difficult childhood. His father died of suicide when Robert was 12. A talented young athlete, Shaw instead chose to pursue acting, and began his career on stage performing Shakespeare and Chekhov. He then won a series of small roles on British television before his big break in 1956 as Captain Dan Tempest in The Buccaneers, which lasted 39 episodes and made Shaw a star in his home country. Now a leading man on TV, Shaw still preferred theatre, even debuting on Broadway in 1961. He also was busy writing both books and plays. His second novel, The Sun Doctor won the Hawthornden Prize, one of Britain's oldest literary awards. In an interview, Shaw observed "I find acting much easier than writing, but writing is more important to me. I think as I get older I'd rather write, but acting is so much more profitable." Indeed, Shaw was always working, especially after gaining fame fighting James Bond in From Russia with Love, which launched his film career. But he was also known to drink heavily, and he died of a heart attack at the early age of 51 in 1978. Here's our ranking of the seven movies featuring Shaw's best performances.
7 Force 10 from Navarone (1978)
Despite his success, Shaw had grown increasingly tired of film work by the time he portrayed Mallory in Force 10 from Navarone, his penultimate performance, and a movie released just months after the actor died. "Money isn't the sole reason. But I do seem to spend more than I earn. I wake up in the middle of the night, frequently, with pain and humiliation and a great deal of shame at some of the work I've done in films." he told interviewer Clarke Taylor several years before his death. Still, it's fun to see Shaw interact with a young Harrison Ford straight off of Star Wars. Their scenes together are some of the best in the movie.
6 Robin and Marian (1976)
As the Sheriff of Nottingham in Robin and Marian, Shaw was reunited with Sean Connery, an actor he had first worked with some 13 years earlier, as well as the legendary Audrey Hepburn. The film received mixed reviews, but Roger Ebert praised Shaw, writing "[Director Richard Lester] surrounds Connery and Hepburn with a fine supporting cast (Robert Shaw comes over best, all grim and patient as the sheriff), and he gives us a movie worth seeing."
5 The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (1974)
If earlier roles hadn't done it, The Taking of Pelham One Two Three cemented Shaw as a go-to actor for icy villains. As Mr. Blue, Shaw is terrifying as he hijacks a subway full of workaday passengers, including children, coolly announcing "I'm taking your train." Reviewers applauded the movie, especially Shaw and the rest of the cast. Pelham is one of the rare movies that maintains a 100% positive rating from critics on Rotten Tomatoes. Not bad for a nearly 50-year-old film, and twice as high as its 2009 remake.
4 The Sting (1973)
As crime boss Doyle Lonnegan in The Sting, Shaw had the unenviable challenge of playing opposite two of the biggest stars of the day, Robert Redford and Paul Newman. But Shaw proved he could hold his own with these leading men, arguably stealing many scenes. The film was wildly successful, winning seven Oscars, but Shaw was overlooked by the Academy. Still, it was this portrayal that earned him an invitation to his most famous role in Jaws.
3 From Russia with Love (1963)
Shaw played assassin Red Grant in From Russia with Love, his first major film role, and one that remains among his most memorable. The silver-haired villain in the second Bond film was the first that audiences thought had a real chance against Sean Connery's 007. By the end of their iconic fight aboard the Orient Express, Bond is left winded and bleeding, though he ultimately prevails. But Shaw's impressive performance served as the model for many future henchmen in the series.
2 Jaws (1975)
Shaw is best remembered today as the experienced shark hunter Quint in Jaws, a role he was reluctant to accept. At this point in his career, Shaw was hoping to spend more time with his large family on an Irish estate that he had recently purchased. But just days before filming was to begin, director Steven Spielberg still hadn't cast the part. Encouraged by his wife and secretary, Shaw accepted and turned in one of his strongest performances. In fact, the speech he gave (and helped write) about the U.S.S. Indianapolis was reportedly so powerful, Spielberg had to film it a second time, lest the scene upstage the movie's finale. As one of the three lead actors, Shaw was instrumental in the unprecedented success of Jaws, the movie that ushered in the modern summer blockbuster era.
1 A Man for All Seasons (1966)
Shaw stars as King Henry VIII in A Man for All Seasons, his most critically-acclaimed role, earning nominations for both an Academy Award and a Golden Globe. It's also his most original performance on this list. While Shaw later gained a reputation as tough, even menacing, and was cast as such, in A Man for All Seasons, he is boisterous and often smiling. Sadly, he was never given another chance to play this type of role on screen. Still, that makes this classic that much more special.