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Stan Shaw

Stan Shaw

Actor · Born July 14, 1952 (74) · Chicago, Illinois, USA

Stan Shaw (born July 14, 1952) is an American actor. Born in Chicago, Illinois, he is the son of Bertha Shaw and saxophonist Eddie Shaw, and cousin of the late soul singers Sam Cooke and Tyrone Davis. Shaw started his acting career in the Chicago production of the Broadway musical Hair as well as the Broadway production of The Me Nobody Knows. His last Broadway show, Via Galactica was directed by Sir Peter Hall. Before becoming an actor, Shaw was a karate, judo, and jujutsu instructor in Chicago. He holds first dan black belt in judo and jujutsu and a second dan in karate. Shaw appeared in Rocky (1976) as Dipper, another boxer. In a deleted scene, Dipper, infuriated by the attention Rocky has received, challenges him before a television reporter. He also played a professional fighter in Tough Enough (1983), Harlem Nights (1989), and Snake Eyes (1998). One of his most notable roles was his appearance as Alex Haley's maternal grandfather Will Palmer in the 1979 miniseries Roots: The Next Generations. Another highly notable role was Private Washington in The Boys in Company C (1978). Shaw also played in The Great Santini (1979) as Toomer Smalls with Robert Duvall and David Keith. After a part in the 1991 film Fried Green Tomatoes, he had a role in the 1995 comedy Houseguest alongside Sinbad and appeared as a pirate in Cutthroat Island with Geena Davis. His television credits include episodes of Matlock, Murder, She Wrote, The X-Files, and a 2009 episode of CSI. Description above from the Wikipedia article Stan Shaw, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.​

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
July 14, 1952 (74)
From
Chicago, Illinois, USA
Works as
Actor
Titles
46 on MovieCove · 67 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 63 days to Oct 26Down 1% in 30 days

What are Stan Shaw's films like?

Across their 28 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Morality and Bonds.

Genres

Action8 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 26th percentile
: browse their Action movies
Drama8 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 57th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Comedy5 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 47th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Comedy movies
Mystery2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 33rd percentile
: browse their Mystery movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Morality
23%
Bonds
22%
Self
18%
Survival
14%
Society
11%
Power
9%
Ideas
3%
Survival7 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds7 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice7 titles, browse their movies with this themeFriendship5 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity4 titles, browse their movies with this themeSelf-worth4 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity3 titles, browse their movies with this themeRevenge3 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 27 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

A split, not a type: Grounded 17 · Stylized 7 · Heightened 3

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 3 · Charged 18 · Intense 6

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 7 · Shifting 18 · Whiplash 2

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

A split, not a type: Straight-faced 17 · Some laughs 6 · Funny 4

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 9 · Even-paced 17 · Relentless 1

Engaged: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their engaged movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 12 · Engaged 13 · Full focus 2

Affecting: How much it costs you emotionally; whether you need recovery time. Browse their affecting movies.
Demand · Emotional cost
easyheavy

Easy watch 11 · Affecting 12 · Heavy 4

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 24 · Open-ended 3 · Ambiguous 0

Roles they play

13 analyzed roles

Usually the Ally: 4 of 13 analyzed roles.

Ally
4 of 13
Mentor
4 of 13
Hero
2 of 13
Shapeshifter
1 of 13
Threshold guardian
1 of 13
Trickster
1 of 13
Show the 13 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
17
Hopeful
11
Thrilling
9
Warm
7
Dread
5
Other
29

How their films linger

Hopeful11 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling8 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 3 with a twist

  • Happy10
  • Bittersweet15
  • Tragic1
  • Ambiguous2

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Stan Shaw's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 31 of their 46 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (16).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Stan Shaw's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

67 credits, 46 with a MovieCove page; 3 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • The Family Business: New Orleans(2025)

    Show 8 episodes · as Larry Duncan

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all shows

  • A Nashville Legacy(2023)

    as Franklin Berryhall

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • Quantum Leap(2022)

    Show 1 episode · as Eli Jackson

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all shows

  • The Pale Door(2020)

    as Lester

    Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films

  • A Christmas Winter Song(2019)

    as Fred

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films

  • Drive Me to Vegas and Mars (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2018)

    as Cowboy

  • The Family Business(2018)

    Show 10 episodes · as Larry Duncan

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all shows

  • Jeepers Creepers III(2017)

    as Sheriff Tashtego

    Midcredits score: 3rd percentile of all films

  • Cassidy Way (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)

    as Kane

  • Chicago Med(2015)

    Show 6 episodes · as Dr. George Thomas

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all shows

  • What Lives Inside (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)

    Show 2 episodes · as Soot (voice)

  • Criminal Minds(2005)

    Show 1 episode · as Albert Lewis

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all shows

  • Detonator (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    as Robert Brickland

  • CSI: Crime Scene Investigation(2000)

    Show 1 episode · as Geoff Johnson

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all shows

  • Freedom Song (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    as Archie Mullen

  • Snake Eyes(1998)

    as Lincoln Tyler

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films

  • Rag and Bone (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)

    as Det. Ritchie

  • Daylight(1996)

    as George Tyrell

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films

  • Early Edition (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    Show 1 episode · as Earl Camby

  • Cutthroat Island(1995)

    as Glasspoole

    Midcredits score: 34th percentile of all films

  • Houseguest(1995)

    as Larry the Tattoo Artist

    Midcredits score: 43rd percentile of all films

  • The X-Files(1993)

    Show 1 episode · as Stephen Murdoch

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all shows

  • Rising Sun(1993)

    as Phillips

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films

  • Lifepod(1993)

    as Parker

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films

  • When Love Kills: The Seduction of John Hearn(1993)

    as Gerst

    Midcredits score: 43rd percentile of all films

  • Body of Evidence(1993)

    as Charles Biggs

    Midcredits score: 10th percentile of all films

  • Fried Green Tomatoes(1991)

    as Big George

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films

  • The Court-Martial of Jackie Robinson(1990)

    as Joe Louis

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films

  • Fear(1990)

    as Detective Webber

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all films

  • Harlem Nights(1989)

    as Jack Jenkins

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • Red River(1988)

    as Jack Byrd

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films

  • The Three Kings(1987)

    as Paul

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films

  • Billionaire Boys Club (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    as Frank Booker

  • Billionaire Boys Club (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    Show 2 episodes · as Frank Booker

  • Wiseguy(1987)

    Show 4 episodes · Actor

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all shows

  • The Monster Squad(1987)

    as Detective Sapir

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • L.A. Law(1986)

    Show 3 episodes · as Terry Slueman

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all shows

  • Busted Up(1986)

    as Angie

    Midcredits score: 18th percentile of all films

  • Samaritan: The Mitch Snyder Story(1986)

    as Harold Moss

    Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all films

  • Matlock(1986)

    Show 1 episode · as Cyrus Jordan

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all shows

  • Under Siege (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)

    as Nick Tutman

  • The Gladiator(1986)

    as Joe Barker

    Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all films

  • North & South: Book 1, North & South(1985)

    Show 3 episodes · as Isaac

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all shows

  • When Dreams Come True (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    as Harry Jenks

  • Displaced Person (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    as Sergeant

  • Runaway(1984)

    as Marvin

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films

  • Murder, She Wrote(1984)

    Show 2 episodes · as Det. Sgt. Vince Lofton · as Eddie Walters

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all shows

  • Venice Medical (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)

    Actor

  • Tough Enough(1983)

    as P.T. Coolidge

    Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all films

  • The Mississippi (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)

    Show 23 episodes · as Lafayette 'Lafe' Tate

  • Matt Houston (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • American Playhouse (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    Show 1 episode · as Sergeant

  • Fame (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Darkroom (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)

    Show 1 episode · as Dan Burroughs

  • Hill Street Blues(1981)

    Show 2 episodes · Actor

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all shows

  • Scared Straight! Another Story (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)

    as Carl Jones

  • The Great Santini(1979)

    as Toomer Smalls

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films

  • Roots: The Next Generations(1979)

    Show 4 episodes · as Will Palmer · as Will Palmer (archive footage)

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all shows

  • The Boys in Company C(1978)

    as Pfc / Sgt. Tyrone Washington

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films

  • Lucan (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Rocky(1976)

    as Dipper

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • Street Killing (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)

    as Mitchell Small

  • The Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars & Motor Kings(1976)

    as Esquire Joe

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films

  • Darktown Strutters(1975)

    as Raunchy

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films

  • Starsky and Hutch(1975)

    Show 1 episode · as Leotis

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all shows

  • Truck Turner(1974)

    as Fontana

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films

  • TNT Jackson(1974)

    as Charlie

    Midcredits score: 13th percentile of all films

Career shape

Star power in the 98th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 67 titles from 1974 to 2025; peak year 1994.

Biggest box office

Daylight (1996)

$159M worldwide

Highest rated

Fried Green Tomatoes (1991)

Midcredits 96th

Most popular right now

Roots: The Next Generations (1979)

Film career

19742025

Peak 1994 · back in prominent film roles after a quiet stretch. Top draw in 5 MovieCove titles. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting67 of 67: 67 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score55th

By decade

1970s11 · acting1980s27 · acting1990s14 · acting2000s4 · acting2010s7 · acting2020s4 · acting

Billing

usually 5th · top billed in 11% of 19 roles
748494

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.

How do Stan Shaw's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 43rd percentile, the median of all 31; across their 27 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 38th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

38thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 27

Approval · how many liked their films

45thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 27

Reach · how many have seen their films

56thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 27

Midcredits score across 46 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up14
  • 50th to 74th10
  • 25th to 49th16
  • Below 25th6

Shape of the crowd

15 of their 46 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved6
  • Universally Panned1
  • Cult Classic6
  • Crowd Pleaser15
  • Broadly Agreed4
  • Mixed14

Most divisive · actor

The Family Business: New Orleans (2025)

87th percentile spread · 20% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Rocky (1976)

Midcredits 99th · 90% liked

Reviewers score the acting 59/100 in their films, across 27 reviewed titles; fans 73, detractors 32. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Stan Shaw's work okay for kids?

Across up to 10 MovieCove titles with content scores, violence & gore, profanity and frightening / intense run heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore8 titles50–77 · median 60 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity10 titles14–61 · median 38 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity8 titles44–73 · median 54 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs7 titles12–44 · median 33 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense8 titles22–66 · median 57 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does Stan Shaw work with?

People who share at least 2 of Stan Shaw's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Frank Langella shares the most, 2.

Actors

Composers and editors

Mixed roles