Robert Shayne (born Robert Shaen Dawe, October 4, 1900 – November 29, 1992) was an American actor whose career lasted for over 60 years. He was best known for portraying Inspector Bill Henderson in the American television series '' Adventures of Superman.''

Early years

Shayne was born in Yonkers, New York. He was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Grosvenor Dawe, and he had a brother, Allen Shaen Dawe. His father was one of the founders of the

United States Chamber of Commerce The United States Chamber of Commerce (USCC) is the largest lobbying group in the United States, representing over three million businesses and organizations. The group was founded in April 1912 out of local chambers of commerce at the urgin ...

. Shayne left Boston University in his senior year so that his brother could go to college. For a time, he lived in Birmingham, Alabama, writing advertising copy for a women's clothing store by day and acting in a stock theater company at night. When the store went out of business, he began acting full-time.

Career

Shayne became an actor after having worked as a reporter at the ''Illustrated Daily Tab'' in Miami, Florida. His initial acting experience came with repertory companies in Alabama, including the Birmingham Players.

Stage

Shayne's first

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street **Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...

appearance came by 1931 in ''The Rap''. His other Broadway shows include '' Yellow Jack'' (1934), '' The Cat and the Canary'' (1935), ''Whiteoaks'' (1938), with

Ethel Barrymore Ethel Barrymore (born Ethel Mae Blythe; August 15, 1879 – June 18, 1959) was an American actress and a member of the Barrymore family of actors. Barrymore was a stage, screen and radio actress whose career spanned six decades, and was regard ...

, and '' Without Love'' (1942), with

Katharine Hepburn Katharine Houghton Hepburn (May 12, 1907 – June 29, 2003) was an American actress in film, stage, and television. Her career as a Hollywood leading lady spanned over 60 years. She was known for her headstrong independence, spirited perso ...

Film

Robert Shayne in Smash-Up, the Story of a Woman

Shayne began his film career in 1934, appearing in two features. In 1942, he became a contract actor with Warner Bros. He played many character roles in movies and television, including a

film series A film series or movie series (also referred to as a film franchise or movie franchise) is a collection of related films in succession that share the same fictional universe, or are marketed as a series. This article explains what film series are ...

of Warner Bros.

featurette In the American film industry, a featurette is a kind of film that is shorter than a full-length feature, but longer than a short film. The term may refer to either of two types of content: a shorter film or a companion film. Medium-length fil ...

s called the "Santa Fe Trail" series such as '' Wagon Wheels West'', and as a mad scientist in the 1953 horror film '' The Neanderthal Man''. Indestructible Man (1956) still 1

He appears briefly in Alfred Hitchcock's ''

North by Northwest ''North by Northwest'' is a 1959 American spy thriller film, produced and directed by Alfred Hitchcock and starring Cary Grant, Eva Marie Saint and James Mason. The screenplay was by Ernest Lehman, who wanted to write "the Hitchcock picture ...

'', seated at a booth in a hotel bar, where his character meets

Cary Grant Cary Grant (born Archibald Alec Leach; January 18, 1904November 29, 1986) was an English-American actor. He was known for his Mid-Atlantic accent, debonair demeanor, light-hearted approach to acting, and sense of comic timing. He was one of ...

's character, just as the latter is about to be kidnapped. He also had a small but pivotal role in the 1953 sci-fi classic '' Invaders From Mars'' as a scientist. Shayne enjoyed a brief rebirth in his career when he was cast as the blind newspaper vendor in ''

The Flash The Flash (or simply Flash) is the name of several superheroes appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Harry Lampert, the original Flash first appeared in ''Flash Comics'' #1 (cover date ...

'' television show; he was by this time actually blind and learned his lines by having his wife read them to him and then rehearse until he memorized them.

Television

Shayne portrayed Police Inspector William "Bill" Henderson on the 1950s TV series ''Adventures of Superman''. He appeared sporadically in the early episodes of the series, in part because he was accused by his second wife Mary Sheffield, and came under

HUAC The House Committee on Un-American Activities (HCUA), popularly dubbed the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC), was an investigative committee of the United States House of Representatives, created in 1938 to investigate alleged disloy ...

scrutiny and was briefly blacklisted on unproven and unspecific charges of association with

Communism Communism (from Latin la, communis, lit=common, universal, label=none) is a far-left sociopolitical, philosophical, and economic ideology and current within the socialist movement whose goal is the establishment of a communist society, ...

. As the program evolved, especially in the color episodes, he was brought into more and more of them, to the point where he was a regular on the series.

Personal life

Shayne married Mary Crouch in 1925. They divorced in 1933 and had one daughter. In 1933, he married Mary Sheffield. They divorced in 1943 and had one daughter. In 1943, he married Elizabeth McDonald, with whom he had 2 more children. They remained married until his death in 1992.

Death

Shayne died in 1992 of lung cancer at the

Motion Picture Hospital The Motion Picture & Television Fund (MPTF) is a charitable organization that offers assistance and care to those in the motion picture and television industries and their families with limited or no resources, including services such as temp ...

in Woodland Hills, California. He was 92 years old. Shayne was buried in

Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Hollywood Hills Forest Lawn Memorial Park – Hollywood Hills is one of the six Forest Lawn cemeteries in Southern California. It is located at 6300 Forest Lawn Drive, Los Angeles, California 90068, in the Hollywood Hills neighborhood of Los Angeles. Histor ...

, California.

Selected filmography

* '' Keep 'Em Rolling'' (1934) - Major James Parker * '' Wednesday's Child'' (1934) - Howard Benson * ''

The People's Enemy ''The People's Enemy'' is a 1935 American crime film directed by Crane Wilbur, from a screenplay by Gordon Kahn and Edward Dean Sullivan, based on Sullivan's story. The film stars Preston Foster, Melvyn Douglas, and Charles Coburn Charl ...

'' (1935) - First Department of Justice Representative (uncredited) * '' Mission to Moscow'' (1943) - Engineer (uncredited) * ''

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'' (1944) - Dan Costello * ''

Mr. Skeffington ''Mr. Skeffington'' is a 1944 American drama film directed by Vincent Sherman, based on the 1940 novel of the same name by Elizabeth von Arnim. The film stars Bette Davis as a beautiful but self-centered woman who has many suitors but marries Jo ...

'' (1944) - MacMahon * ''

Make Your Own Bed ''Make Your Own Bed'' is a 1944 American comedy film directed by Peter Godfrey and written by Francis Swann, Edmund Joseph and Richard Weil. The film stars Jack Carson, Jane Wyman, Irene Manning, Alan Hale, Sr., George Tobias and Robert S ...

'' (1944) - Lester Knight * ''

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'' (1944) - Busboy (uncredited) * ''

Escape in the Desert ''Escape in the Desert'' is a 1945 American drama film directed by Edward A. Blatt and written by Marvin Borowsky and Thomas Job. The film stars Jean Sullivan, Philip Dorn, Irene Manning, Helmut Dantine, Alan Hale, Sr. and Samuel S. Hinds. The f ...

'' (1945) - Radio Newscaster (voice, uncredited) * ''

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'' (1945) - Christine's Escort (uncredited) * ''

Christmas in Connecticut ''Christmas in Connecticut'' is a 1945 American Christmas romantic comedy film about an unmarried city magazine writer who pretends to be a farm wife and mother and then falls in love with a returning war hero. The film was directed by English ...

'' (1945) - Dudley Beecham * ''

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'' (1945) - Captain Morgan * '' The Face of Marble'' (1946) - Dr. David Cochran * '' Three Strangers'' (1946) - Bertram Fallon * '' I Ring Doorbells'' (1946) - Dick Meadows * '' Behind the Mask'' (1946) - Brad Thomas * '' Nobody Lives Forever'' (1946) - Chet King * '' Wife Wanted'' (1946) - Bill Tyler * ''

I Cover Big Town ''I Cover Big Town'' is a 1947 American drama film directed by William C. Thomas and written by Maxwell Shane. The film stars Phillip Reed, Hillary Brooke, Robert Lowery, Robert Shayne, Mona Barrie and Vince Barnett. It was released on Februa ...

'' (1947) - Chief Tom Blake * '' Smash-Up: The Story of a Woman'' (1947) - Mr. Gordon * '' Backlash'' (1947) - James O'Neil * ''

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'' (1947) - Roy Chesley * ''

The Spirit of West Point ''The Spirit of West Point'' is a 1947 American drama film directed by Ralph Murphy and written by Tom Reed. The film stars Doc Blanchard, Glenn Davis, Robert Shayne, Anne Nagel, Alan Hale Jr., George O'Hanlon, Michael Browne and Tanis Chandle ...

'' (1947) - Col. Earl 'Red' Blaik * '' The Swordsman'' (1948) - Ronald MacArden * '' The Inside Story'' (1948) - T.W. 'Tom' O'Connor * '' Best Man Wins'' (1948) - Judge Leonidas K. Carter * ''

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'' (1948) - Bob Calvin * ''

The Strange Mrs. Crane ''The Strange Mrs. Crane'' is a 1948 American film noir directed by Sam Newfield (credited as Sherman Scott) for Eagle-Lion Films. Plot The Al Martin–penned murder drama centers around a gubernatorial candidate's wife's ex-partner's fiancée ...

'' (1948) - Floyd Durant * '' Let's Live a Little'' (1948) - Dr. Richard Field * ''

Loaded Pistols ''Loaded Pistols'' is a 1948 American Western film directed by John English and starring Gene Autry, Barbara Britton, and Chill Wills. Written by Dwight Cummins and Dorothy Yost, the film is about a cowboy who protects a young man wrongly accu ...

'' (1948) - Don Mason * ''Law of the Barbary Coast'' (1949) - Michael Lodge * '' Forgotten Women'' (1949) - Richard Marshall * '' The Threat'' (1949) - Police Insp. Murphy * '' Dynamite Pass'' (1950) - Jay Wingate * '' Customs Agent'' (1950) - West Coast Chief Agent J.G. Goff * ''Rider from Tucson'' (1950) - John Avery * '' State Penitentiary'' (1950) - Stanley Brown * '' Federal Man'' (1950) - Chief Agent Charles Stuart * ''

When You're Smiling "When You're Smiling" is a popular song written by Larry Shay, Mark Fisher and Joe Goodwin in 1928. It bears resemblance to the Spanish Canción " Amapola" by José María Lacalle García. Early popular recordings were by Seger Ellis (1928) ...

'' (1950) - Jack Lacey * '' Big Timber'' (1950) - Dixon * ''

Experiment Alcatraz ''Experiment Alcatraz'' is a 1950 American crime film directed by Edward L. Cahn and written by Orville H. Hampton. The film stars John Howard, Joan Dixon, Walter Kingsford and Robert Shayne. The film was released on November 21, 1950, by RKO ...

'' (1950) - Barry Morgan * ''

Missing Women The term "missing women" indicates a shortfall in the number of women relative to the expected number of women in a region or country. It is most often measured through male-to-female sex ratios, and is theorized to be caused by sex-selective abort ...

'' (1951) - Cincotta * '' The Dakota Kid'' (1951) - Ace Crandall * ''

Criminal Lawyer A criminal defense lawyer is a lawyer (mostly barristers) specializing in the defense of individuals and companies charged with criminal activity. Some criminal defense lawyers are privately retained, while others are employed by the various ju ...

'' (1951) - Clark P. Sommers * '' Indian Uprising'' (1952) - Maj. Nathan Stark * ''

Without Warning! ''Without Warning!'' is a 1952 American film noir crime film directed by Arnold Laven and starring Adam Williams, Meg Randall, and Ed Binns. The film is shot in a semidocumentary-style with police procedural voice-over narration in parts. ...

'' (1952) - Dr. Werner, Police Psychiatrist * '' And Now Tomorrow'' (1952) * '' The Ring'' (1952) - Jimmy - Aragon's Manager * '' Mr. Walkie Talkie'' (1952) - Capt. Burke * '' Marshal of Cedar Rock'' (1953) - Paul Jackson / Fake John Harper * '' Prince of Pirates'' (1953) - Prime Minister Treeg * '' The Blue Gardenia'' (1953) - Doctor (uncredited) * '' The Lady Wants Mink'' (1953) - Cecil * '' Invaders from Mars'' (1953) - Dr. Bill Wilson (uncredited) * '' The Neanderthal Man'' (1953) - Prof. Clifford Groves * ''

Sea of Lost Ships ''Sea of Lost Ships'' is a 1953 American adventure film directed by Joseph Kane and starring John Derek, Wanda Hendrix and Walter Brennan. It is a tribute to the US Coast Guard. Plot The son of a deceased Coast Guard hero is raised by a Coast Gua ...

'' (1953) - Executive Officer (uncredited) * '' Flight Nurse'' (1953) - Surgeon (uncredited) * '' Trader Tom of the China Seas'' (1954) - Maj. Conroy * ''The Desperado'' (1954) - Prosecutor (uncredited) * '' Tobor the Great'' (1954) - General #1 (uncredited) * '' Murder Is My Beat'' (1955) - Police Captain Bert Rawley * ''

The Eternal Sea ''The Eternal Sea'' (aka ''The Admiral Hoskins Story'') is a 1955 American war film directed by John H. Auer and starring Sterling Hayden, Alexis Smith and Ben Cooper. After an American naval officer loses his leg at the Battle of Leyte Gulf, he ...

'' (1955) - Cmdr. Dean (uncredited) * ''

Double Jeopardy In jurisprudence, double jeopardy is a procedural defence (primarily in common law jurisdictions) that prevents an accused person from being tried again on the same (or similar) charges following an acquittal or conviction and in rare case ...

'' (1955) - Mr. Ross (uncredited) * ''

King of the Carnival ''King of the Carnival'' (1955) is a Republic movie serial that contains a substantial amount of stock footage from the earlier Republic serial ''Daredevils of the Red Circle''. It is the 66th and final serial produced by Republic and is often ...

'' (1955) - Jess Carter * ''

Indestructible Man ''Indestructible Man'' is a 1956 American crime horror science fiction film, an original screenplay by Vy Russell and Sue Dwiggins for producer-director Jack Pollexfen and starring Lon Chaney Jr., Ross Elliott and Robert Shayne. The picture ...

'' (1956) - Prof. Bradshaw * ''

Rumble on the Docks ''Rumble on the Docks'' is a 1956 American crime film noir directed by Fred F. Sears and starring James Darren. Plot Jimmy Smigelski, living near the docks of Brooklyn, is quick to help when a neighborhood girl, Della, and her little brother ar ...

'' (1956) - Judge (uncredited) * ''

Accused of Murder ''Accused of Murder'' is a 1956 American Trucolor film noir crime film directed by Joseph Kane and starring David Brian, Vera Ralston and Sidney Blackmer. Plot Nightclub singer Ilona Vance is accused of murder because she was the last person to ...

'' (1956) - Doctor (uncredited) * ''

Dance with Me, Henry ''Dance with Me, Henry'' is a 1956 film starring the comedy team of Abbott and Costello. It is the final film that they starred in together, although Costello starred in one more film before his death, ''The 30 Foot Bride of Candy Rock''. Plot L ...

'' (1956) - Proctor * '' Hot Shots'' (1956) - Pierre M. Morley * '' Kronos'' (1957) -Air Force General * '' Footsteps in the Night'' (1957) - Fred Horner * '' The Giant Claw'' (1957) - Gen. Van Buskirk * '' Spook Chasers'' (1957) - Police Lt. Harris * '' Death in Small Doses'' (1957) - FDA Chief Insp. Frank Ainsley (uncredited) * '' Adventures of Superman'' (1952-1958, TV Series) - Inspector Launay / Police Inspector Bill Henderson * ''

War of the Satellites ''War of the Satellites'' is a 1958 independently made American black-and-white science fiction film drama, produced and directed by Roger Corman, and starring Richard Devon, Dick Miller and Susan Cabot. It was distributed in the U.S. and the U. ...

'' (1958) - Cole Hotchkiss * '' Teenage Cave Man'' (1958) - The Fire Maker * '' How to Make a Monster'' (1958) - Gary Droz * ''

The Lost Missile ''The Lost Missile'' is a 1958 American science fiction film written by John McPartland and science-fiction writer Jerome Bixby. It was to have been directed by William Berke, who was also the executive producer, but following Berke's sudden dea ...

'' (1958) - Air Force General (uncredited) * '' Revolt in the Big House'' (1958) - Mickey (uncredited) * '' I Mobster'' (1958) - Senator * ''

The Rebel Set ''The Rebel Set'' is a 1959 American crime drama film in black and white directed by Gene Fowler Jr. It was later featured and riffed on ''Mystery Science Theater 3000'' in Season 4. Plot summary Mr. Tucker (Platt), proprietor of a Los Angel ...

'' (1959) - Lt. Cassidy * ''

'' (1959) - Larry Wade (uncredited) * ''

Battle Flame ''Battle Flame'' is a 1959 American war film directed by R. G. Springsteen and written by Elwood Ullman. The film stars Scott Brady, Elaine Edwards, Robert Blake, Wayne Heffley, Gordon Jones and Ken Miller. The film was released on July 26, 19 ...

'' (1959) - Lt. Norris * ''

Toby Tyler ''Toby Tyler or 10 Weeks with a Circus'', also known simply as ''Toby Tyler'', is a 1960 American drama film directed by Charles Barton and starring Kevin Corcoran, Henry Calvin, Gene Sheldon, and Richard Eastham. It was produced by Walt Disney ...

'' (1960) - Husband in Audience (uncredited) * '' Valley of the Redwoods'' (1960) - Capt. Sid Walker * ''

Why Must I Die? ''Why Must I Die?'' is a 1960 American crime drama film directed by Roy Del Ruth and starring Terry Moore and Debra Paget. It was released by American International Pictures as a double feature with '' The Jailbreakers''. This was director Roy De ...

'' (1960) - Charlie Munro * ''

Cage of Evil ''Cage of Evil'' is a low-budget 1960 crime film starring Ron Foster and Patricia Blair. Plot Scott Harper is a frustrated police detective who is constantly passed over for promotion. When he is assigned to gain the confidence of Holly, the gi ...

'' (1960) - Victor Delmar * '' From the Terrace'' (1960) - Partner (uncredited) * ''

20,000 Eyes ''20,000 Eyes'' is a 1961 American drama film directed by Jack Leewood, written by Jack W. Thomas, and starring Gene Nelson, Merry Anders, James Brown, John Banner, Judith Rawlins and Robert Shayne. The film was released on June 14, 1961, b ...

'' (1961) - Police Lieutenant * ''

Son of Flubber ''Son of Flubber'' is a 1963 American science fiction comedy film directed by Robert Stevenson and produced by Walt Disney Productions. The sequel to ''The Absent-Minded Professor'' (1961), Fred MacMurray reprises his role from the first film as N ...

'' (1963) - Defense Secretary's Assistant (uncredited) * ''

A Tiger Walks ''A Tiger Walks'' is a 1964 American drama film directed by Norman Tokar and starring Brian Keith and Vera Miles. Based on the 1960 novel of the same name by Ian Niall, it was produced by Walt Disney Productions. It was Indian actor Sabu's last ...

'' (1964) - Governor's Adviser (uncredited) * '' Runaway Girl'' (1965) - Walter Quillen * '' Winning'' (1969) - Well-Wisher at Indy Victory (uncredited) * '' The Arrangement'' (1969) - Board Member (uncredited) * ''

Tora! Tora! Tora! ''Tora! Tora! Tora!'' ( ja, トラ・トラ・トラ！) is a 1970 epic war film that dramatizes the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941. The film was produced by Elmo Williams and directed by Richard Fleischer, Toshio Masuda and Kinji ...

'' (1970) - Cmdr. William H. Buracker - Halsey's Operations Officer (uncredited) * '' The Yin and the Yang of Mr. Go'' (1970) - U.S. Senator (uncredited) * '' The Barefoot Executive'' (1971) - Sponsor * ''

The Million Dollar Duck ''The Million Dollar Duck'' (also titled as ''$1,000,000 Duck'') is a 1971 American comedy film produced by Walt Disney Productions based on the goose that lays golden eggs scenario. It was directed by Vincent McEveety, and stars Dean Jones, S ...

'' (1971) - Refinery Executive (uncredited) * '' Cool Breeze'' (1972) - Dr. Fields, Gynocologist (uncredited) * '' The Specialist'' (1975) - Chairman Hopkins * '' The Four Deuces'' (1975) - Vince

References

External links

* * *
Robert Shayne as a young stage actor
New York Public Library, Billy Rose Collection) {{DEFAULTSORT:Shayne, Robert 1900 births 1992 deaths American male television actors American male film actors Deaths from lung cancer in California Burials at Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Hollywood Hills) 20th-century American male actors