The brother of actress
Tamara Shayne, he was to join the Moscow Arts Theatre, but World War I intervened, and then he fought with General Pyotr Wrangel and the White Armies. Although he received few significant roles, he was outstanding in
None But the Lonely Heart (1944) as Ike Weber, and in
The Stranger (1946) as Gen. Meinike, where his character dominates the first 15 minutes of the film. His performance in
Danny Kaye's
The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (1947) is also highly regarded. His performance in
For Whom the Bell Tolls (1943) was considered outstanding, but was cut from the release print. Not an ambitious actor, Shayne was dedicated to his family, including his second wife, Marjorie.