Researching John Shea

He made his television film debut in The Nativity (1978), alongside Madeleine Stowe. Billed alongside Helen Mirren, he starred in the noir film Hussy (1980) and the Academy Award-winning drama Missing (1982). In 1988, Shea won his first Emmy for his performance as William Stern in Baby M. Shea's subsequent films include the comedy thriller Coast to Coast (1987), the drama Windy City (1984), the dark crime feature Small Sacrifices (1989), the political thriller The Insurgents (2006), the Tamil language thriller Achchamundu! Achchamundu! (2009), the drama An Invisible Sign (2010), and the Finnish film The Italian Key (2011).

His breakthrough came when he was cast as Lex Luthor in the 1990s TV series Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, subsequently being cast as Adam Kane in the 2000s Mutant X series. Shea's public profile increased in 2012 after his five-year role as Harold Waldorf, Blair Waldorf's father on Gossip Girl.

Shea has been noted for his political involvement in social equity, which in 1984 led him to organize the largest peace rally in the history of the United States, garnering praise by various non-governmental organizations such as Amnesty International. In 2014, Shea announced his directorial debut with Grey Lady, released in mid-2017.

John "Red" Shea (born August 12, 1965) is an Irish-American former mobster from Boston involved in narcotics and an associate of crime kingpin Whitey Bulger and the Winter Hill Gang during the 1980s and 1990s. He was indicted on cocaine trafficking charges in 1990 and served 12 years in prison.

Shea wrote a book called Rat Bastards; The Story of South Boston's Most Honorable Irish Mobster about his experience with the Winter Hill Gang. The main theme of the book is that he is a "stand-up guy" who refused to accept a plea deal to testify against his associates; and consequently had to serve the full sentence for his conviction. John Shea continued his writing career with the acclaimed young adult novel A Kid From Southie. The story was inspired by John's life, growing up with an alcoholic father, pursuing the dream of becoming a boxer, living a teenage romance as he navigates a world of organized crime in South Boston as by someone who experienced it.

During a game of football with Wahlberg and actor Alec Baldwin on the set of The Departed, Baldwin accidentally fractured Shea's thumb.

John continues to do national and local commentary for the news media, CNN, FOX and others on Whitey Bulger and additional stories about organized crime.

Shea's work often depicts down-and-out characters struggling with addiction, alcoholism and the legacy of their Catholic upbringing. Others tackle subjects like racism, child molestation and homosexuality in the Catholic church.

Between 2005 and 2007, he was a Huntington Theatre Company Playwriting Fellow. His work has been produced at the National Playwright's Conference at the Eugene O'Neil Theatre Center, Boston University's New Play Initiative, the Tristan Bates Theatre Company in London, Boston Playwright's Theatre and the Huntington Theatre Company's Breaking Ground Festival.

Shea attended the playwrighting program at Boston University. He lives in the Magoun Square neighborhood of Somerville.

He was born in St. John's, the son of Henry Shea, an Irish-born merchant, and Eleanor Ryan. Shea married Mary Corbett. He worked in his father's business. In 1827, Shea founded the Newfoundlander. The election of 1836 was declared void and Shea never sat in the assembly. Around 1837, he moved to Cork in Ireland where he established himself in business. Shea became mayor of Cork in 1850.