- Mark William Shaw
-
Mark William Shaw Born Mark William Shaw
March 10, 1945
Auburn, Indiana, United StatesOccupation Author Nationality American Alma mater Purdue University, Indiana University School of Law at Indianapolis, and
San Francisco Theological SeminaryPeriod 1993-present Genres non fiction, mostly biographies
Influences
markshawbooks.comMark William Shaw (born March 10, 1945) is an American lawyer, television personality and author of more than 20 books. His latest, Road to a Miracle, A Wandering, A Knightmare, An Awakening, was published in August 2011.
Contents
Early/Later life
Shaw, the second youngest of four children, was born in Auburn, Indiana, to Marvin and Vera Shaw. His brother Jack was president of DirectTV before retiring in 2002.
Shaw's first jobs were washing cars, selling magazines, sacking groceries, and working construction, but his eye was on anything new he could try. This curiosity would lead him to more than thirty occupations including chemicals salesman, criminal defense lawyer, newspaper founder, television personality, television producer, film producer, television legal analyst and author. He has lived in several parts of the country including Auburn, Indianapolis, Aspen, New York City, Los Angeles, Corona del Mar, (CA), San Francisco, Nashville (IN), Sausalito and San Anselmo (CA), East Lansing (MI), and Superior, Colorado near where his wife Wen-ying Lu is a librarian at the University of Colorado at Boulder.
In early 2010, Shaw discovered he had a daughter (Marni Morrison) and two granddaughters, Allison and Lucy Fuglestad, that he never knew existed. This miracle is chronicled on Shaw's website at www.markshawbooks.net.
Education
Shaw graduated from Purdue University in 1968 and the Indiana University School of Law – Indianapolis. He was a student intern for a law firm while completing his course work. After passing the bar examination and returning from Germany and Italy, he became a public defender in the Indianapolis court system. For the next few years, he also enjoyed a successful private practice focused mainly on high-profile murder cases, one of which he tried with the famed F. Lee Bailey.[citation needed] He is a member of the Indiana and California bar. In 2008, Shaw received a master's degree from the San Francisco Theological Seminary in San Anselmo, California in Theological Studies with a specialized interest in spiritual conversion and religious art.
Television/Film/Radio Career
In 1976, Mark Shaw left the practice of law in Indianapolis and moved to Aspen, Colorado. There, along with friends David Danforth and Lee Duncan, he co-founded the Aspen Daily News, a paper surviving to this day. During this time, the murder trial of famous singer Andy Williams’ wife Claudine Longet became an international sensation. Upon the recommendation of F. Lee Bailey’s agent, Mark became the legal analyst for ABC’s Good Morning America. He reported daily on the month-long trial and predicted the outcome. After the trial, Ms. Longet permitted Shaw an exclusive interview.
Impressed with his on-air personality, GMA hired Shaw as their “on the road” correspondent during the late 1970s. He traveled around the country filming human interest stories. Among them were flights in an F-4 fighter jet, coverage of the annual “Ugly Dog Contest,” and reporting the 200th July 4 celebration at the Declaration of Independence in Washington D. C. In 1979, when famed producer David Suskind sought a co-host for his new CBS primetime television program, People, to join former Miss America Phyllis George, he chose Shaw. Based in New York City, Mark filmed segments with actor/race driver Paul Newman by riding with him around a Watkins Glen track, enjoyed a scary ride on a California rollercoaster with celebrity actor Kristy McNichol, and joined British actor Robert Morley at a famous Manhattan restaurant for a tasty dinner during his filming of the hit comedy, The Great Chefs of Europe. People aired on Monday nights at 8:00 but was short-lived due to poor ratings against Monday Night Football.
After moving to California in 1980, Shaw was hired to be one of the hosts of The World of People syndicated television program based in San Francisco before appearing as Mr. Science on fifty-two episodes of the Disney Channel program, The Scheme of Things. In 1981, Mark was also a correspondent for Entertainment Tonight, and interviewed, among others, pop singer Cyndy Lauper and the Beach Boys. Later he co-hosted Mid-Morning Los Angeles with Meridith MacRae.
In Los Angeles, Shaw met the legendary actor James Stewart through his church and persuaded him to host a 1984 Fox television show Shaw created called A Beverly Hills Christmas with James Stewart.” The program featured Mr. Stewart, Lucille Ball, Burt Reynolds, Walter Matthau, Denise Williams, Lee Greenwood and George Burns with Mark as producer. During subsequent years, Shaw was executive producer for the film, Freeze Frame starring Shannen Doherty of Beverly Hills 90210 fame, and co-executive producer of Diving In, starring Burt Young and Kristy Swanson. The latter was distributed through Paramount Home Video.
In 1992, Shaw was hired by ABC, London Channel Four, and ESPN as legal analyst for the Mike Tyson rape trial. He also wrote a column for USA Today and correctly predicted the outcome. During the early 2000’s, Shaw analyzed the O. J. Simpson and Kobe Bryant trials for ESPN and appeared in ESPN specials featuring Larry Bird, Don Larsen and Jack Nicklaus. He also hosted Afternoons with Mark Shaw, two radio talk shows based in Bloomington and Indianapolis, Indiana, respectfully.
Publications
Based on his perspective of the Mike Tyson trial, Mark Shaw wrote his first book, Down For the Count. It was published in 1992. Subsequent books include Bury Me In A Pot Bunker with golf designer Pete Dye, Testament To Courage, a Holocaust chronicle, The Perfect Yankee with Don Larsen, Forever Flying with famed aviator R. A. “Bob” Hoover, "Miscarriage of Justice, the Jonathan Pollard Story", "Nicklaus, Golf’s Greatest Champion", "Clydesdales, the World’s Most Magical Horse", From Birdies to Bunkers with Alice Dye, "Melvin Belli, King of the Courtroom", Larry Legend, and Beneath the Mask of Holiness. In all, twenty-nine editions of Mark’s book are still in print including one Japanese translation. Shaw has also written not only for USA Today, but Indiana Lawyer, The National Pastime, and the Aspen Daily News as a columnist.
Literary foundation
Mark Shaw was the founder of Aspen-based Books For Life Foundation, a literary organization assisting the publishing aspirations of prospective authors and poets. During its tenure, he worked with more than 1000 writers around the world mentoring their efforts. To assist with the process, he wrote five books on the practical aspects of writing and publishing including Book Report: Publishing Strategies, Writing Tips and 101 Literary Ideas for Aspiring Authors and Poets. He also wrote Grammar Report, Self-Publishing Report, Poetry Report, and Writer’s Report. Bolstering the ideas in the respective books, Mark conducted “How to Become a Published Author or Poet: Idea to Publication seminars at libraries, universities and writer’s centers in the United States and in Paris. Shaw continues to mentor writers through his heamingwaywantabes blog.
Bob Knight controversy
In 2000, Indiana University Hall of Fame basketball coach Bob Knight was charged with grabbing a student at Assembly Hall in Bloomington, Indiana. The student turned out to be Shaw’s stepson.[1] After Shaw reported the incident to university officials,[2] charges were filed with the university and a verbal war broke out between those supporting the coach and his behavior, and those ridiculing him and calling for his ouster. The media had a field day with the feud and then the situation took a nasty turn after Knight was fired.[3]
Books
- Down For The Count: The Shocking Truth Behind the Mike Tyson Trial (1992) ISBN 0-915611-78-3
- Bury Me In A Pot Bunker with Pete Dye (1995) ISBN 0-201-40769-8
- The Perfect Yankee with Don Larsen (1996) ISBN 57167-336-20
- Forever Flying with R. A. “Bob” Hoover (1996) ISBN 0-671-53761-X
- Jack Nicklaus, Golf’s Greatest Champion (1997) ISBN 0-87833-961-2
- Diamonds in the Rough (1998) ISBN 0-345-41745-3
- Testament to Courage (1998) ISBN 1-57860-056-1
- Larry Legend (1998) ISBN 1-57208-235-8
- Miscarriage of Justice: The Jonathan Pollard Story (2001) ISBN 1-55778-803-0
- From Birdies to Bunkers with Alice Dye (2004) ISBN 0-06-052821-4
- Book Report (2004) ISBN 0-9717596-6-9
- Poetry Report with Jim Walker (2004) ISBN 0-9717596-5-0
- Grammar Report (2005) ISBN 9717596-4-2
- Self-Publishing Report (2005) ISBN 0-9717596-7-7
- Writer’s Report (2005) ISBN 0-9717596-8-5
- Clydesdales, The World’s Most Magical Horse (2005) ISBN 0-9770447-0-X
- Melvin Belli: King of the Courtroom (2007) ISBN 1-56980-324-2
- How To Become a Published Author: Idea to Publication (e-book)
- Beneath the Mask of Holiness Thomas Merton and the Forbidden Love Affair that Set Him Free|publisher=Palgrave Macmillan|date=November 10, 2009|pages=256|isbn=978-0-230-61653-0|accessdate=September 10, 2009}}
Road to a Miracle: A Wandering, A Knightmare, An Awakening. Publisher: People's Press/Globe Pequot, ISBN 978-1--936905-11-3, June, 2011.
References
External links
Categories:- American non-fiction writers
- Living people
- 1945 births
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