Born in Blackburn, Lancashire, England, Ian McShane attended the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and has earned international acclaim throughout his long and creatively diverse career. His earliest film appearance was in the 1962 film The Wild and the Willing, later admitting he had ditched class at RADA to audition for the role. He made his television debut the following year on ITV Play of the Week, and in an episode of First Night. .
Known For
Credits
Cast Credits
The Kelly Clarkson Show (2019)
Guest starring as Ian McShane
- Episode 4x122: Keanu Reeves, Lance Reddick, Ian McShane, Shamier Anderson, Hiroyuki Sanada, Chad Stahelski (Mar 23, 2023)
American Gods (2017)
Starring as Mr. Wednesday
(24 episodes)
- Episode 3x10: Tears of the Wrath-Bearing Tree (Mar 21, 2021)
- Episode 3x09: The Lake Effect (Mar 14, 2021)
- Episode 3x08: The Rapture of Burning (Mar 7, 2021)
- Episode 3x07: Fire and Ice (Feb 28, 2021)
- Episode 3x06: Conscience of the King (Feb 21, 2021)
- Episode 3x05: Sister Rising (Feb 14, 2021)
- Episode 3x04: The Unseen (Jan 31, 2021)
- Episode 3x03: Ashes and Demons (Jan 24, 2021)
- Episode 3x02: Serious Moonlight (Jan 17, 2021)
- Episode 3x01: A Winter's Tale (Jan 10, 2021)
- Episode 2x08: Moon Shadow (Apr 28, 2019)
- Episode 2x07: Treasure of the Sun (Apr 21, 2019)
- Episode 2x06: Donar the Great (Apr 14, 2019)
- Episode 2x05: The Ways of the Dead (Apr 7, 2019)
- Episode 2x04: The Greatest Story Ever Told (Mar 31, 2019)
- Episode 2x03: Muninn (Mar 24, 2019)
- Episode 2x02: The Beguiling Man (Mar 17, 2019)
- Episode 2x01: House on the Rock (Mar 10, 2019)
- Episode 1x08: Come to Jesus (Jun 18, 2017)
- Episode 1x06: A Murder of Gods (Jun 4, 2017)
- Episode 1x05: Lemon Scented You (May 28, 2017)
- Episode 1x03: Head Full of Snow (May 14, 2017)
- Episode 1x02: The Secret of Spoons (May 7, 2017)
- Episode 1x01: The Bone Orchard (Apr 30, 2017)
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (2015)
Guest starring as Ian McShane
- Episode 2019-03-13: Patricia Arquette, Ian McShane, Strand of Oaks, Jason Isbell, Amanda Shires (Mar 13, 2019)
Porridge: Inside Out (2014)
Starring as Ian McShane
(3 episodes)
- Episode 1x03: Good Behaviour (Jun 4, 2014)
- Episode 1x02: Banged Up (May 28, 2014)
- Episode 1x01: Sent Down (May 21, 2014)
Late Night with Seth Meyers (2014)
Guest starring as Ian McShane
(4 episodes)
- Episode 2024-01-17: Renée Rapp, Ian McShane, Black Pumas, Rob Mitzner (Jan 17, 2024)
- Episode 2023-03-14: James Spader, Ian McShane, Ms. Pat, Nic Collins (Mar 14, 2023)
- Episode 2019-05-08: Lena Dunham, Ian McShane (May 8, 2019)
- Episode 2017-04-27: Aidy Bryant, Ian McShane, RaeLynn, Lucius (Apr 27, 2017)
Ray Donovan (2013)
Guest starring as Andrew Finney
(10 episodes)
- Episode 3x11: Poker (Sep 20, 2015)
- Episode 3x10: One Night in Yerevan (Sep 13, 2015)
- Episode 3x08: Tulip (Aug 30, 2015)
- Episode 3x07: All Must Be Loved (Aug 23, 2015)
- Episode 3x06: Swing Vote (Aug 16, 2015)
- Episode 3x05: Handshake Deal (Aug 9, 2015)
- Episode 3x04: Breakfast of Champions (Aug 2, 2015)
- Episode 3x03: Come and Knock on Our Door (Jul 26, 2015)
- Episode 3x02: Ding (Jul 19, 2015)
- Episode 3x01: The Kalamazoo (Jul 12, 2015)
American Horror Story (2011)
Guest starring as Leigh Emerson
(2 episodes)
- Episode 2x09: The Coat Hanger (Dec 12, 2012) [Special Guest Star]
- Episode 2x08: Unholy Night (Dec 5, 2012) [Special Guest Star]
The Jonathan Ross Show (2011)
Guest starring as Ian McShane
- Episode 4x12: Danny Boyle, Nicholas Hoult, Ian McShane, Damon Albarn, Bobby Womack (Mar 23, 2013)
The Pillars of the Earth (2010)
Starring as Waleran
(8 episodes)
- Episode 1x08: The Work of Angels (Aug 27, 2010)
- Episode 1x07: New Beginnings (Aug 27, 2010)
- Episode 1x06: Witchcraft (Aug 20, 2010)
- Episode 1x05: Legacy (Aug 13, 2010)
- Episode 1x04: Battlefield (Aug 6, 2010)
- Episode 1x03: Redemption (Jul 30, 2010)
- Episode 1x02: Master Builder (Jul 23, 2010)
- Episode 1x01: Anarchy (Jul 23, 2010)
Kings (2009)
Starring as King Silas Benjamin
(13 episodes)
- Episode 1x13: The New King: Part 2 (Jul 25, 2009)
- Episode 1x12: The New King: Part 1 (Jul 18, 2009)
- Episode 1x11: Javelin (Jul 11, 2009)
- Episode 1x10: Chapter One (Jul 4, 2009)
- Episode 1x09: Pilgrimage (Jun 27, 2009)
- Episode 1x08: The Sabbath Queen (Jun 20, 2009)
- Episode 1x07: Brotherhood (Jun 13, 2009)
- Episode 1x06: Judgment Day (Apr 18, 2009)
- Episode 1x05: Insurrection (Apr 5, 2009)
- Episode 1x04: First Night (Mar 29, 2009)
- Episode 1x03: Prosperity (Mar 22, 2009)
- Episode 1x02: Goliath: Part 2 (Mar 15, 2009)
- Episode 1x01: Goliath: Part 1 (Mar 15, 2009)
Made in Hollywood (2005)
Guest starring as Ian McShane
- Episode 19x21: The Chosen: Season 4, The Tiger's Apprentice, Miller's Girl (Feb 3, 2024)
Deadwood (2004)
Starring as Al Swearengen
(37 episodes)
- Episode S03 Special: Deadwood: The Movie (May 31, 2019)
- Episode 3x12: Tell Him Something Pretty (Aug 27, 2006)
- Episode 3x11: The Cat Bird Seat (Aug 20, 2006)
- Episode 3x10: A Constant Throb (Aug 13, 2006)
- Episode 3x09: Amateur Night (Aug 6, 2006)
- Episode 3x08: Leviathan Smiles (Jul 30, 2006)
- Episode 3x07: Unauthorized Cinnamon (Jul 23, 2006)
- Episode 3x06: A Rich Find (Jul 16, 2006)
- Episode 3x05: A Two-Headed Beast (Jul 9, 2006)
- Episode 3x04: Full Faith And Credit (Jul 2, 2006)
- Episode 3x03: True Colors (Jun 25, 2006)
- Episode 3x02: I Am Not the Fine Man You Take Me For (Jun 18, 2006)
- Episode 3x01: Tell Your God to Ready for Blood (Jun 11, 2006)
- Episode 2x12: Boy the Earth Talks To (May 22, 2005)
- Episode 2x11: The Whores Can Come (May 15, 2005)
- Episode 2x10: Advances, None Miraculous (May 8, 2005)
- Episode 2x09: Amalgamation and Capital (May 1, 2005)
- Episode 2x08: Childish Things (Apr 24, 2005)
- Episode 2x07: E.B. Was Left Out (Apr 17, 2005)
- Episode 2x06: Something Very Expensive (Apr 10, 2005)
- Episode 2x05: Complications (Apr 3, 2005)
- Episode 2x04: Requiem for a Gleet (Mar 27, 2005)
- Episode 2x03: New Money (Mar 20, 2005)
- Episode 2x02: A Lie Agreed Upon (2) (Mar 13, 2005)
- Episode 2x01: A Lie Agreed Upon (1) (Mar 6, 2005)
- Episode 1x12: Sold Under Sin (Jun 13, 2004)
- Episode 1x11: Jewel's Boot Is Made For Walking (Jun 6, 2004)
- Episode 1x10: Mister Wu (May 23, 2004)
- Episode 1x09: No Other Sons Or Daughters (May 16, 2004)
- Episode 1x08: Suffer the Little Children (May 9, 2004)
- Episode 1x07: Bullock Returns to the Camp (May 2, 2004)
- Episode 1x06: Plague (Apr 25, 2004)
- Episode 1x05: The Trial of Jack McCall (Apr 18, 2004)
- Episode 1x04: Here Was a Man (Apr 11, 2004)
- Episode 1x03: Reconnoitering the Rim (Apr 4, 2004)
- Episode 1x02: Deep Water (Mar 28, 2004)
- Episode 1x01: Deadwood (Mar 21, 2004)
Friday Night with Jonathan Ross (2001)
Guest starring as Ian McShane
- Episode 8x13: Serena Williams, Ian McShane, James Nesbitt, Turin Brakes (Jun 17, 2005)
Live Talk (2000)
Guest starring as Ian McShane
- Episode 1x18: 18/10/2000 - Ian McShane (Oct 18, 2000)
The West Wing (1999)
Guest starring as Nikolai Ivanovich
- Episode 3x18: Enemies Foreign and Domestic (May 1, 2002) [Special Guest Star]
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (1999)
Guest starring as Sir Tobias "Toby" Moore
- Episode 21x01: I'm Going to Make You a Star (Sep 26, 2019) [Special Guest Star]
Babylon 5 (1993)
Guest starring as Robert Bryson, Ph.D.
- Episode S05 Special: Babylon 5: River of Souls (Nov 17, 1998)
The Simpsons (1989)
Guest starring as Artemis
- Episode 32x22: The Last Barfighter (May 23, 2021) [Special Guest Star]
Herman Wouk's War and Remembrance (1988)
Starring as Philip Rule
(8 episodes)
- Episode 1x08: War and Remembrance Part VIII (May 7, 1989)
- Episode 1x07: War and Remembrance Part VII (Nov 23, 1988)
- Episode 1x06: War and Remembrance Part VI (Nov 22, 1988)
- Episode 1x05: War and Remembrance Part V (Nov 20, 1988)
- Episode 1x04: War and Remembrance Part IV (Nov 17, 1988)
- Episode 1x03: War and Remembrance Part III (Nov 16, 1988)
- Episode 1x02: War and Remembrance Part II (Nov 15, 1988)
- Episode 1x01: War and Remembrance Part I (Nov 13, 1988)
Lovejoy (1986)
Starring as Lovejoy
(71 episodes)
- Episode 6x10: Last Tango in Lavenham (Dec 4, 1994)
- Episode 6x09: Holding the Baby (Nov 27, 1994)
- Episode 6x08: Fruit of the Dessert (Nov 20, 1994)
- Episode 6x07: Breaking the Broker (Nov 13, 1994)
- Episode 6x06: The Last of the Uzkoks (Nov 6, 1994)
- Episode 6x05: Guns and Roses (Oct 30, 1994)
- Episode 6x04: Double Edged Sword (Oct 23, 1994)
- Episode 6x03: Somewhere - Over the Rainbow? (Oct 16, 1994)
- Episode 6x02: Day of Reckoning (Oct 9, 1994)
- Episode 6x01: Fair Exchange (Oct 2, 1994)
- Episode 5x14: The Lost Colony (Christmas Special) (Dec 27, 1993)
- Episode 5x13: The Price of Fish (Nov 28, 1993)
- Episode 5x12: Never Judge a Book by Its Cover (Nov 21, 1993)
- Episode 5x11: Swings and Roundabouts (Nov 14, 1993)
- Episode 5x10: Goose Bumps (Nov 7, 1993)
- Episode 5x09: The Peking Gun (Oct 31, 1993)
- Episode 5x08: Poetic Licence (Oct 24, 1993)
- Episode 5x07: Stones of Destiny (Oct 17, 1993)
- Episode 5x06: Ducking and Diving (Oct 10, 1993)
- Episode 5x05: Three Men and a Brittle Lady (Oct 3, 1993)
- Episode 5x04: The Kakiemon Tiger (Sep 26, 1993)
- Episode 5x03: A Going Concern (Sep 19, 1993)
- Episode 5x02: Who is the Fairest of Them All? (Sep 12, 1993)
- Episode 5x01: Pig in a Poke (Sep 5, 1993)
- Episode 4x13: Lovejoy Loses It (Apr 11, 1993)
- Episode 4x12: Taking the Pledge (Apr 4, 1993)
- Episode 4x11: Dainty Dish (Mar 28, 1993)
- Episode 4x10: Irish Stew (Mar 14, 1993)
- Episode 4x09: They Call Me Midas (Mar 7, 1993)
- Episode 4x08: God Helps Those (Feb 28, 1993)
- Episode 4x07: The Galloping Major (Feb 21, 1993)
- Episode 4x06: Judgment of Solomon (Feb 14, 1993)
- Episode 4x05: Fly the Flag (Feb 7, 1993)
- Episode 4x04: The Colour of Mary (Jan 31, 1993)
- Episode 4x03: Second Fiddle (Jan 24, 1993)
- Episode 4x02: The Ring (Jan 17, 1993)
- Episode 4x01: The Napoleonic Commode (Jan 10, 1993)
- Episode 3x13: The Prague Sun (Christmas Special) (Dec 26, 1992)
- Episode 3x12: Highland Fling (Mar 29, 1992)
- Episode 3x11: Members Only (Mar 22, 1992)
- Episode 3x10: Kids (Mar 15, 1992)
- Episode 3x09: Smoke Your Nose (Mar 8, 1992)
- Episode 3x08: Loveknots (Mar 1, 1992)
- Episode 3x07: Scotch on the Rocks (Feb 23, 1992)
- Episode 3x06: Eric of Arabia (Feb 16, 1992)
- Episode 3x05: The Benin Bronze (Feb 9, 1992)
- Episode 3x04: Angel Trousers (Feb 2, 1992)
- Episode 3x03: No Strings (Jan 26, 1992)
- Episode 3x02: Out to Lunch (Jan 19, 1992)
- Episode 3x01: Friends in High Places (Jan 12, 1992)
- Episode 2x11: The Black Virgin of Vladimir (Mar 24, 1991)
- Episode 2x10: Lily's Pearls (Mar 10, 1991)
- Episode 2x09: Raise the Hispanic (Mar 3, 1991)
- Episode 2x08: Sugar and Spice (Feb 24, 1991)
- Episode 2x07: National Wealth (Feb 17, 1991)
- Episode 2x06: One Born Every Minute (Feb 10, 1991)
- Episode 2x05: Who Dares, Sings (Feb 3, 1991)
- Episode 2x04: Montezuma's Revenge (Jan 27, 1991)
- Episode 2x03: Bin Diving (Jan 20, 1991)
- Episode 2x02: The Italian Venus (Jan 13, 1991)
- Episode 2x01: Just Desserts (Jan 6, 1991)
- Episode 1x10: Death and Venice (2) (Mar 14, 1986)
- Episode 1x09: Death and Venice (1) (Mar 7, 1986)
- Episode 1x08: The March of Time (Feb 28, 1986)
- Episode 1x07: The Real Thing (Feb 21, 1986)
- Episode 1x06: To Sleep No More (Feb 14, 1986)
- Episode 1x05: The Judas Pair (Feb 7, 1986)
- Episode 1x04: Friends, Romans and Enemies (Jan 31, 1986)
- Episode 1x03: The Sting (Jan 24, 1986)
- Episode 1x02: The Axeman Cometh (Jan 17, 1986)
- Episode 1x01: The Firefly Cage (Jan 10, 1986)
Miami Vice (1984)
Guest starring as Esteban Montoya
- Episode 3x21: Knock, Knock, Who's There? (Mar 27, 1987)
Guest starring as Gen. Manuel Borbon
- Episode 5x17: Freefall (May 21, 1989)
Magnum P.I. (1980)
Guest starring as David Norman
- Episode 1x06: Skin Deep (Jan 15, 1981)
Guest starring as Edwin Clutterbuck
- Episode 3x06: Black on White (Oct 28, 1982)
Disraeli: Portrait of a Romantic (1978)
Starring as Benjamin Disraeli
(4 episodes)
- Episode 1x04: The Chief 1872-1881 (Sep 26, 1978)
- Episode 1x03: The Great Game 1858-1872 (Sep 19, 1978)
- Episode 1x02: Mary Anne (Sep 12, 1978)
- Episode 1x01: Dizzy (Sep 5, 1978)
Jesus of Nazareth (1977)
Starring as Judas Iscariot
Guest starring as Judas Iscariot
- Episode 1x01: Part One (Mar 27, 1977) [Credit Only]
The Fantastic Journey (1977)
Guest starring as Sir James Camden
- Episode 1x01: Vortex (1) (Feb 3, 1977) [Special Guest Star]
Columbo (1968)
Guest starring as Leland St. John
- Episode 1990-03-31: Rest in Peace, Mrs. Columbo (Mar 31, 1990)
Z Cars (1962)
Guest starring as Barry Hepworth
- Episode 3x22: A Stroll Along the Sands (Jan 29, 1964)
Armchair Theatre (1956)
Guest starring as Geoffrey
- Episode 6x20: The Signal Box of Grandpa Hudson (Aug 27, 1966)
Guest starring as Roddy Cain
- Episode 4x63: Thank You and Goodnight (Nov 11, 1962)
Crew Credits
American Gods (2017)
Show crew as Executive Producer
(18 episodes)
- Episode 3x10: Tears of the Wrath-Bearing Tree (Mar 21, 2021)
- Episode 3x09: The Lake Effect (Mar 14, 2021)
- Episode 3x08: The Rapture of Burning (Mar 7, 2021)
- Episode 3x07: Fire and Ice (Feb 28, 2021)
- Episode 3x06: Conscience of the King (Feb 21, 2021)
- Episode 3x05: Sister Rising (Feb 14, 2021)
- Episode 3x04: The Unseen (Jan 31, 2021)
- Episode 3x03: Ashes and Demons (Jan 24, 2021)
- Episode 3x02: Serious Moonlight (Jan 17, 2021)
- Episode 3x01: A Winter's Tale (Jan 10, 2021)
- Episode 2x08: Moon Shadow (Apr 28, 2019)
- Episode 2x07: Treasure of the Sun (Apr 21, 2019)
- Episode 2x06: Donar the Great (Apr 14, 2019)
- Episode 2x05: The Ways of the Dead (Apr 7, 2019)
- Episode 2x04: The Greatest Story Ever Told (Mar 31, 2019)
- Episode 2x03: Muninn (Mar 24, 2019)
- Episode 2x02: The Beguiling Man (Mar 17, 2019)
- Episode 2x01: House on the Rock (Mar 10, 2019)
Lovejoy (1986)
Episode crew as Director
(3 episodes)
- Episode 6x06: The Last of the Uzkoks (Nov 6, 1994)
- Episode 5x03: A Going Concern (Sep 19, 1993)
- Episode 3x06: Eric of Arabia (Feb 16, 1992)