Shuter was born in London to poor parents.
He made his first appearance on the London stage in 1745 in Cibber's Schoolboy.
[1] He made a great reputation in old men's parts.
He was the original Justice Woodcock in Love in a Village (1762), Hardcastle in She Stoops to Conquer (1773), and Sir Anthony Absolute in The Rivals (1775).
[2] His portrait as Scapin is in the Mathews collection in the Garrick Club; another portrait by Zoffany was engraved by Finlayson.