Robert Shayne

Two children with Elizabeth: 1) son, Robert Shayne, Jr. born June 5, 1947 died August 19, 1983 of throat cancer. Was a child actor. 2) Daughter, Stephanie Shayne born March 11, 1950, still living. Actress since childhood, still working.

Had one daughter, Dorothy Dawe, from his first marriage to Mary Crouch.

One of his last TV appearances was in "The Flash" , in which he played a blind news vendor. He was 90 at the time and declared legally blind himself.

Raised in the political arena of Washington, DC. His father was a publisher with major connections to the White House. As a very young child Shayne once sat on the lap of President William Howard Taft. When Taft asked him how he was, the young Shayne replied that he was uncomfortable sitting on Tafts lap because his belly was so big (Taft was renowned for his girth and was so fat he once got stuck in the bathtub at the White House).

Reunited with his "Adventures of Superman" (1952) co-star Phyllis Coates , who played Lois Lane, in his last legit stage production, "Never Too Late." His real-life daughter, Stephanie Shayne , played Kate, his on-stage daughter.

Served with Ronald Reagan on the Screen Actors Guild board and on the committee for aging actors at the Actors Equity Association.

Worked part-time as a stockbroker until the crash of 1929.

First film experience was in an experimental two-reel talkie in 1929 with Bert Lahr shot at the famed Astoria Studios in New York.

His career consisted of supporting roles and bit parts (sometimes uncredited) in well over 100 feature films. It was his regular role as Insp. Bill Henderson on the classic TV series "Adventures of Superman" (1952) that finally made his face and name familiar to the public.

Before becoming an actor, Shayne was a journalist in Washington, DC.

1 daughter, Roberta Shayne, by second marriage to Mary Sheffield.