Born in Buffalo, New York to a Jewish family, and raised in nearby Lackawanna,[1] Shawn performed his stand-up comedy act for over 35 years in nightclubs around the world.

The startling effect of this required complete concentration and breath control because the slightest movement of the bricks could ruin the surprise appearance.

In addition to roles in more than 30 movies and seven Broadway productions, Shawn made television appearances, toured often, and periodically performed a one-man show that mixed songs, sketches, and pantomime.

In the Mel Brooks 1967 movie The Producers, Shawn won accolades[3][4][5][6] for his portrayal of Lorenzo St. DuBois, whose "friends call" him LSD, an actor auditioning for and winning the part of Hitler in a theatrical production that was intentionally meant to fail.

[7] On April 17, 1987, during a performance at University of California, San Diego's Mandeville Hall, Shawn suffered a heart attack and collapsed face-down on the stage.

[11][12][13] Actor Matthew Glave portrayed Shawn in Leave 'Em Laughing, a short film surrounding his final moments.