Wallace Shawn: Biography, Facts and Career
Who is Wallace Shawn? An evergreen, sourced profile: biography, key facts and career.

Wallace Michael Shawn (born November 12, 1943) is an American actor, essayist, and writer. He is known for playing Vizzini in The Princess Bride (1987), Mr. Hall in Clueless (1995), and Dr. John Sturgis in Young Sheldon (2017–2024), and for voicing Rex in the Toy Story franchise (1995–present). Shawn also appeared in The Bostonians (1984), Prick Up Your Ears (1987), Scenes from the Class Struggle in Beverly Hills (1989), Vanya on 42nd Street (1994), The Haunted Mansion (2003), The Incredibles (2004), Southland Tales (2006), The Double (2013), and Marriage Story (2019). He appeared in six Woody Allen films including Manhattan (1979), Radio Days (1987), and Rifkin's Festival (2020). His television work includes recurring roles as Jeff Engels in The Cosby Show (1987–1991), Grand Nagus Zek in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993–1999), Cyrus Rose in Gossip Girl (2008–2012), and Father Frank Ignatius in Evil (2022–2024). Shawn is also a playwright; his plays include the Obie Award–winning Aunt Dan and Lemon (1985), The Designated Mourner (1996), Grasses of a Thousand Colors (2008), and What We Did Before Our Moth Days (2026). With Andre Gregory, he wrote and starred in the 1981 drama My Dinner with Andre. He played the title role in A Master Builder (2013), a film adaptation of Henrik Ibsen's 1892 play. Haymarket Books published his books Essays (2009) and Night Thoughts (2017).
Quick facts about Wallace Shawn
- Full name: Wallace Shawn
- Born: 1943-11-12
- Nationality: United States
- Known as: Actor
- Wikidata ID: Q311068
Profile compiled from public Wikipedia and Wikidata data. Details can change over time.
Frequently asked questions
Who is Wallace Shawn?
Wallace Michael Shawn (born November 12, 1943) is an American actor, essayist, and writer.
What nationality is Wallace Shawn?
Wallace Shawn is United States.
When was Wallace Shawn born?
Wallace Shawn was born on 1943-11-12.



