Wallace Shawn

Wallace Michael Shawn (born 12 November 1943[2]) is an American actor, voice actor, playwright, and essayist, best known as the voice of Rex in the Toy Story series, Grand Nagus Zek in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Calico in Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore, Vizzini in The Princess Bride, and the voice of Taotie in Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness and most recently John Sturges in Young Sheldon. Shawn is from New York City.[2]

Wallace Shawn
Wallace Shawn 2014 (cropped).jpg
Shawn in May 2014
Born (1943-11-12) November 12, 1943 (age 81)
Education
Occupation
  • Actor
  • voice artist
  • comedian
  • playwright
  • essayist
Years active1967–present
Partner(s)Deborah Eisenberg[1]
Parents
RelativesAllen Shawn (brother)

Early life

Shawn was born in New York City, to a Jewish family.[3][4][5][6] His parents are William Shawn (1907–1992), the long-time editor of The New Yorker, and journalist Cecille Shawn (née Lyon; 1906–2005); his brother, Allen, is a composer.[7]

Filmography

Film
Year Title Role Notes
1979 Manhattan Jeremiah
1979 Starting Over Workshop Member
1979 All That Jazz Assistant Insurance Man
1980 Simon Eric Van Dongen
1980 Atlantic City Waiter Credited as Wally Shawn
1981 Cheaper to Keep Her Mugger
1981 My Dinner with Andre Wally Shawn Also screenwriter
1981 Strong Medicine Uncredited
1982 A Little Sex Oliver
1983 How to Be a Perfect Person in Just Three Days Professor Silverfish
1983 Lovesick Otto Jaffe
1983 The First Time Jules Goldfarb
1983 Strange Invaders Earl
1983 Deal of the Century Harold DeVoto
1983 Saigon: Year of the Cat Frank Judd
1984 Crackers Turtle
1984 The Hotel New Hampshire Freud
1984 The Bostonians Mr. Pardon
1984 Micki + Maude Elliot Fibel
1985 Heaven Help Us Father Abruzzi
1985 Head Office Mike Hoover
1987 The Bedroom Window Henderson's Attorney
1987 Radio Days Masked Avenger
1987 Nice Girls Don't Explode Ellen
1987 Prick Up Your Ears John Lahr
1987 The Princess Bride Vizzini
1988 The Moderns Oiseau
1989 She's Out of Control Dr. Fishbinder
1989 Scenes from the Class Struggle in Beverly Hills Howard
1989 We're No Angels Translator
1991 Shadows and Fog Simon Carr
1992 Unbecoming Age Dr. Block
1992 Nickel & Dime Everett Willits
1992 Mom and Dad Save the World Sibor
1993 The Cemetery Club Larry
1993 The Meteor Man Mr. Little
1993 Eligible Dentist
1994 Mrs. Parker and the Vicious Circle Horatio Byrd
1994 Vanya on 42nd Street Vanya
1995 The Wife Cosmo
1995 Napoleon Echidna
1995 Canadian Bacon Canadian Prime Minister
1995 A Goofy Movie Principal Mazur Voice
1995 Clueless Mr. Wendell Hall
1995 Just Like Dad Stan Speigel
1995 Toy Story Rex Voice
1996 All Dogs Go to Heaven 2 Labrador MC Voice
1996 House Arrest Vic Finley
1997 Vegas Vacation Marty
1997 Just Write Arthur Blake
1997 Cats Don't Dance Man
1997 Critical Care Furnaceman
1998 Blind Men
1998 Noah Zack
1999 The Diary of the Hurdy-Gurdy Man
1999 My Favorite Martian Coleye
1999 Toy Story 2 Rex Voice
2000 The Prime Gig Gene
2001 The Curse of the Jade Scorpion George Bond
2001 Monsters, Inc. Rex Voice; uncredited
2002 Sun Gods Spaulding
2002 Love Thy Neighbor Clinic Doctor
2002 Personal Velocity: Three Portraits Mr. Gelb
2002 Mr. St. Nick Mimir
2003 Monte Walsh Colonel Wilson
2003 Duplex Herman
2003 The Haunted Mansion Ezra
2004 Teacher's Pet Crosby Strickler Voice
2004 Melinda and Melinda Sy
2004 The Incredibles Gilbert Huph Voice
2004 Karroll's Christmas Zeb Rosecog
2005 Chicken Little Principal Fetchit Voice
2006 The 12th Man Marty
2006 Southland Tales Baron Von Westphalen
2006 Air Buddies Billy Voice
2006 Tom and Jerry: Shiver Me Whiskers Purple Pirate Paul Voice
2007 Happily N'Ever After Munk Voice
2007 I Could Never Be Your Woman Math Teacher Uncredited
2007 The Simpsons Movie Angelica's Dad Voice
2007 New York City Serenade Himself
2008 Kit Kittredge: An American Girl Mr. Gibson
2008 Mia and the Migoo Migoo Voice, English-language version
2009 Capitalism: A Love Story Himself Documentary
2010 Jack and the Beanstalk Broker / Booker / Lancelot Squarejaw
2010 Furry Vengeance Christian Burr
2010 Toy Story 3 Rex Voice
2010 Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore Calico Voice
2011 The Speed of Thought Sandy
2011 Tower Heist Mr. McBurns
2011 Hawaiian Vacation Rex Voice; short film
2011 Small Fry Rex Voice; short film
2012 Partysaurus Rex Rex Voice; short film
2012 A Late Quartet Gideon Rosen
2012 Vamps Van Helsing
2013 Admission Clarence
2013 Toy Story of Terror! Rex Voice; television special
2013 The Double Mr. Papadopoulos
2014 Don Peyote Psychotherapist
2014 A Master Builder Halvard Solness Also screenwriter
2014 Toy Story That Time Forgot Rex Voice; television special
2014 Club Penguin: Monster Beach Party Gary the Gadget Guy Voice; television special
2015 Club Penguin: Halloween Panic! Gary the Gadget Guy Voice; television special
2016 Animal Crackers Mr. Woodley Voice
2019 Toy Story 4 Rex Voice
2019 Woody's Roundup: The Movie Rex Voice
Direct-to-video

Television

Television
Year Title Role Notes
1982–83 Taxi Arnie Ross Episode: "Love Un-American Style"
Episode: "Arnie Meets the Kids" (as Arnie)
1987–91 The Cosby Show Jeff Engels Episode: "Cliff's Mistake" (as Jeffrey Engels)
Episode: "The Day the Spores Landed" (as Jeff Engels)
Episode: "Cliff's Nightmare" (as Jeffrey Engels; voice)
Episode: "The Moves" (as Jeff Engels)
Episode: "Olivia's Field Trip" (as Jeffrey Engels)
1992 The Double 0 Kid Cashpot
1992 Civil Wars Riley Baker
1992 One Life to Live Professor Marvel
1993 Matrix Mr. Gonley
1993 The Pink Panther Little Man Voice
1 episode
1994 The Nanny Charles Haste 1 episode
1995 Kalamazoo Bobby Short
1995 Something Wilder Roof Inspector 1 episode
1996 Toy Story Treats Rex Voice
1996–97 Clueless Mr. Hall 17 episodes
1994–97 Murphy Brown Stuart Best 4 episodes
1997 King of the Hill Philip Ny Voice
1 episode
1998 The Jungle Book: Mowgli's Story Tarzan Voice
1998 The Lionhearts 5 episodes
1999 Homicide: Life on the Street Frank Hopper 1 episode
1993–99 Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Grand Nagus Zek 7 episodes
1999 Cosby Mr. Fleming 2 episodes
2000 Buzz Lightyear of Star Command: The Adventure Begins Rex Voice
2000 Teacher's Pet Crosby Strickler Voice
2001 Ally McBeal Mr. Dune 1 episode
2001 Blonde I. E. Shinn
2001 Three Sisters Dean Webb 1 episode
2003 Stanley Mr. Goldberg Voice
1 episode
2002–04 Teamo Supremo Gauntlet Voice
1 episode
2004 Sex and the City Martin Grable 1 episode
2005 Fat Actress Sigmund von Oy 1 episode
2005 Stargate SG-1 Arlos Episode: "The Ties That Bind"
2005 Desperate Housewives Lonny Moon 1 episode
2001–06 Crossing Jordan Howard Stiles 8 episodes
2001–11 Family Guy Bertram Voice
3 episodes
2003 Mona the Vampire Dark Wizard 1 episode
2006 Tom and Jerry: Shiver Me Whiskers Purple Pirate Paul / Narrator Voice
2006 Law & Order: Criminal Intent Film Professor 1 episode
2007–2015 Ultimate Smash Brawl Scoop / George H. W. Bush / Prince Phillip / Rex / Jeff Fatt / Donkey Voice
7 episodes
2008 The Return of Jezebel James Garson Leeds 1 episode
2008 Cashmere Mafia Animal Handler 1 episode
2008 Scooby-Doo and the Goblin King Mr. Gibbles Voice
2009 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Roy Batters 1 episode
2009 Life on Mars Stephen Morrell - "The Sorcerer" 1 episode
2008–09 The L Word William Halsey 5 episodes
2009 ER Teddy Lempell 1 episode
2010 The Daily Show with Jon Stewart Alan Rubin 1 episode
2010 Damages Sterling Biddle 1 episode
2008–13 Gossip Girl Cyrus Rose 11 episodes
2011 Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness Taotie Voice only
2011 Eureka DoD psychological assessor Warren Hughes 3 episodes
2012 Fish Hooks Rat King Voice
Episode: "Guys' Night Out"
2013–14 The Good Wife Charles Lester 2 episodes
2013 Adventure Time Rasheeta Voice
Episode: "Puhoy"
2013 Uncle Grandpa Ule Gapa Voice
Episode: "Belly Bros"
2014 Phineas and Ferb Saul Voice
Episode: "Phineas and Ferb Save Summer"
2014 Mozart in the Jungle Winslow
2014 Courage the Cowardly Dog Eustace Bagge Voice
The Fog of Courage (Short)

Video games

Video Games
Year Title Role Notes
1996 Toy Story: The Video Game Rex Voice only
Toy Story Activity Center
2004 The Incredibles: The Video Game Gilbert Huph
2006 Family Guy Video Game! Bertram
2008 The Princess Bride Game Vizzini
2010 Toy Story 3: The Video Game Rex
2012 Family Guy: Back to the Multiverse Bertram
2015 King's Quest Manny

Writer

Writer
Year Title Notes
1981 My Dinner with Andre
1997 The Designated Mourner Play
Written by
2004 Marie and Bruce Screenplay
The Fever Play
Screenplay
2009 Essays Book collection of essays, by Haymarket Books
2010 Tea Time Short
Script
2015 Evening at the Talk House Play
Written by

Himself

Himself
Year Title Notes
1995 Charlie Rose TV series
1 episode
Showbiz Today TV series
1 episode
2001 As You Wish: The Story of The Princess Bride
E! True Hollywood Story TV series
1 episode
2005 Now TV series
2 episodes
Clueless: The Class of '95
2007 Strange Culture
Up Close with Carrie Keagan TV series
1 episode
2008 USIDent TV: Surveilling the Southland
The Windmill Movie
2009 Capitalism: A Love Story
Made in Hollywood TV series
1 episode
2010 MindFlux
2012 Up with Chris Hayes TV series
1 episode
2014 BoJack Horseman TV series
1 episode

Plays

Play Name Year
Four Meals in May 1967
The Family Play 1970
The Hotel Play 1970
The Hospital Play 1971
Our Late Night 1975
A Thought in Three Parts 1976
Marie and Bruce 1978
Aunt Dan and Lemon 1985
The Fever 1990
The Designated Mourner 1997; film directed by David Hare, 1998
The Threepenny Opera 2006
Grasses of a Thousand Colors 2008
Evening at the Talk House 2015

References

  1. Steindler, Catherine (Spring 2013). "Interviews, Deborah Eisenberg, The Art of Fiction No. 218". The Paris Review Spring 2013 (204). http://www.theparisreview.org/interviews/6203/the-art-of-fiction-no-218-deborah-eisenberg. 
  2. 2.0 2.1 "Wallace Shawn Biography". TV Guide. http://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/wallace-shawn/bio/178705. Retrieved 2 February 2013. 
  3. "Bag of Tricks". Tablet Magazine. 3 September 2009.
  4. "Interview: Wallace Shawn". Archived from the original on 2016-08-11. Retrieved 2018-11-07.
  5. "JUF : Tweens : Celebrities : Wallace Shawn".
  6. "Councils, Staff and Board of Jewish Voice for Peace". Jewish Voice for Peace. Archived from the original on 2011-07-24. Retrieved 2018-11-07.
  7. see pg. 20 of liner notes accompanying "Allen Shawn – Piano Works" CD issued by Coviello Classics label (COV 91414)> "Allen Shawn - Klavierwerke". Music Reference. Archived from the original on February 4, 2017. Retrieved February 3, 2017.

Further reading

Other websites