Ian David McShane (born 29 September 1942) is an English actor. He is known for his television performances, particularly the title role in the BBC series Lovejoy (1986–1994), and as Al Swearengen on the HBO series Deadwood (2004–2006), for which he won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Television Series Drama and received a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series nomination. His film roles include Tai Lung in Kung Fu Panda (2008) and Blackbeard in Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides. Since 2017, he has starred as Mr. Wednesday in the Starz series American Gods.\n', '

McShane was born in Blackburn, Lancashire, to Irene (née Cowley; b. 1921) and Scottish footballer Harry McShane (1920–2012). His father was Scottish, and his mother, who was born in England, was of Irish and English descent. McShane grew up in Davyhulme, Manchester, and attended Stretford Grammar School. He studied at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and was still a student there when he appeared in his first film, The Wild and the Willing (1962). McShane was a member of the National Youth Theatre.\n', '

In the United Kingdom, McShane\'s best known role may be that of antiques dealer Lovejoy in the eponymous series. He also enjoyed fame in the United States as British film director Don Lockwood in Dallas and as a British cockfighting aficionado in Roots. Even before Lovejoy, he was a pin-up as a result of appearances in television series, such as Wuthering Heights (1967, as Heathcliff), If It\'s Tuesday, This Must Be Belgium (1969, as Charlie), Jesus of Nazareth (1977, as Judas Iscariot), and Disraeli (1978)—as well as films like Sky West and Crooked (1965) and Battle of Britain (1969).\n', '

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