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Michael McShane (born June 25, 1955) is an American actor, singer, and improvisational comedian. He appeared on the original British version of the television showWhose Line Is It Anyway? (1988–97) and went on to appear in films such asTucker: The Man and His Dream (1988),Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (1991),Richie Rich (1994), andOffice Space (1999). McShane has also been involved in severalDisney productions, includingTom and Huck (1995), the television seriesBrotherly Love (1995–97),Tower of Terror (1997), andA Bug's Life (1998). He also voiced the Revolting Slob in the Canadian-American variety television seriesCrashbox.

McShane voiced Marlon, Caracticus P. Doom and various other characters inCosgrove Hall Films'sAvenger Penguins (1993–94), Gareb inTodd McFarlane's Spawn (1997–99), and Quosmir inDave The Barbarian (2004–05).

McShane studied drama atSan Joaquin Delta College andSan Francisco State University,^[1] performing with Faultline Theatre, the San Francisco Shakespeare Festival,American Conservatory Theater and the Eureka Theatre. McShane is also an alumnus of Los Angeles Theatresports.

McShane gained exposure in 1988 on the British showWhose Line Is It Anyway?. He remained a regular performer on the show for the next ten years. McShane and fellowWhose Line regularTony Slattery starred in the comedy sketch showS&M in 1991. In 1992 McShane starred in the sitcomThe Big One alongside anotherWhose Line performerSandi Toksvig.

Other TV roles include a guest appearance onSeinfeld asKramer's nemesisFranklin Delano Romanowski (FDR). McShane played Friar Tuck inRobin Hood, Prince of Thieves in 1991, had a small role as a doomedhypnotherapist in the 1999 filmOffice Space, and played the friendly scientist, Professor Keenbean, in the 1994 movieRichie Rich. In 1998 he appeared in an episode ofFrasier as Frank, the manager of the Shangri-La apartments. He also co-starred with Sir John Gielgud, Emily Watson and Rosemary Harris in "A Summer's Day Dream" for BBC "Performance" series.

In 1995, McShane starred as Harley in the BBC Screen Two TV MovieCrazy For A Kiss, about a young boy who is sent to a mental institution for teenagers in McShane's home state of Kansas. McShane appeared inTom and Huck as Muff Potter and onBrotherly Love as the experienced but wisecracking mechanic, Lloyd.

In 1997 he appeared inTower of Terror, a TV movie starringSteve Guttenberg andKirsten Dunst based on the Disney attraction, as "Q".

McShane also appeared with Dunst in the 1999 comedy filmDrop Dead Gorgeous, playing a quick-tempered beauty pageant judge who serves as caretaker for his learning disabled brother.

McShane provided voice work for the animeVampire Hunter D: Bloodlust, as D's sarcastic possessed left hand. He also provided the voice of Detective Twitch in the HBO animated seriesSpawn. Other voice work by McShane includes the characters of Tuck and Roll, the twinpill bugs inA Bug's Life^[2] and the video game of the same name in 1998. He also provided the voice of Shalulu in Disney's redub ofCastle in the Sky, and Baron Rakan Harkonnen in the 2001 strategy gameEmperor: Battle for Dune. He provided the voice forCid in thevideo gamesFinal Fantasy X andFinal Fantasy X-2.

McShane appeared as the voice of Audrey II (as well as playing a number of peripheral characters) in the London revival ofLittle Shop of Horrors at theMenier Chocolate Factory inSouthwark between December 2006 and February 2007. The show was a critical success and was sold out for the duration of its run, and Mike had been contracted to continue in the role following the show's transfer to theWest End at theDuke of York theatre. In September 2007 he took part in theBritish Library's celebration of Jack Kerouac, reading excerpts from On The Road on the 50th anniversary of its publication.

In 2008, McShane appeared as a guest performer inPaul Merton's Impro Chums, a live improv show, and was asked to join the permanent company for three UK tours, and is still ongoing with the group. and as Dr. Vaabit in episode 5 of BBC's sitcomLab Rats,^[3] and has appeared twice on the BBC radio programmeJust a Minute.

In September 2012, McShane appeared as the character Grayle in the television seriesDoctor Who in theseries 7 episode "The Angels Take Manhattan". In November 2012, Mike starred as a CIA military consultant inBBC Three comedy seriesBluestone 42. In February 2013, Mike created the role of Louis B. Mayer in the new musical "The Tailor Made Man" at TheArts Theatre in London's West End, garnering rave reviews.

On May 17, 2013,Radio 5 Live's breakfast show accidentally announced Mike McShane had died. This was following the death ofPaul Shane on May 16, 2013. A retraction was issued.

In 2014, McShane was in the horror comedy filmLove in the Time of Monsters. From November 2014 through March 2015, he appeared in theStephen Sondheim musicalAssassins at theMenier Chocolate Factory.

In August 2015 McShane appeared at an Edinburgh Fringe gala regarding mental health issues. At the same time he paid tribute to his friendRobin Williams. McShane said: “I worked with Robin when we were young and he came to see me backstage in the past, too. Any improviser my age or younger was inspired by him...Even with his condition he was still doing benefit gigs, making servicemen laugh and championing young acts. He would pick you up and make you feel like the exploration of your imagination and expression was a good thing. Laughter is good. It's group consensus and a release of tension.”^[4]

In 2016, McShane starred as Sam in the Western web seriesRed Bird.

• Mike McShane atIMDb

• Living people
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