After over 40 years in the business, he has finally struck it big internationally with his performance as the macho, gruffly-complex villain, Al Swearengen, on the HBO series, "Deadwood" (2004).
An appealing romantic lead in several hit movies of the sixties, by the late seventies he had progressed to character parts, such as the title roles in the BBC "Disraeli: Portrait of a Romantic" (1978) and the very popular TV series "Lovejoy" (1986).
Children: Kate McShane (b. 1971), Morgan McShane (b. 1975).
Father was Harry McShane, the Manchester United footballer.
Grew up in Manchester.
His favorite shows are "Family Guy" (1999) and "The Simpsons" (1989). In a 2010 interview he remarked "They tell you what's happening in the world. Best shows on television".