A compact, wire-haired performer of TV, film and radio, esteemed for his intelligent social satire and varied comic vocal characterizations, Shearer began performing in the early 1950s as a child actor on "The Jack Benny Show" and in the feature "Abbott and Costello Go to Mars" (1953). He took time off to grow up, attend UCLA and begin graduate work at Harvard before returning to performing. Shearer co-founded the comedy troupe The Credibility Gap with whom he reentered films in the little-seen comedy "Cracking Up" (1977). He teamed up with actor-director Albert Brooks to write and act in "Real Life" (1978) before returning to TV for a season on "Saturday Night Live".
Shearer went on to craft various projects that showcased his knack for voices and social satire beginning with "The TV Show" (1979), a busted pilot for a sketch comedy series co-written and produced with Rob Reiner. He co-starred with future collaborators Michael McKean, Christopher Guest and Billy Crystal. Shearer and company knowingly lampooned aging rockers and their vanity movies with the hilarious and influential "This Is Spinal Tap" (1984). Starring and scripted by Shearer, Guest, McKean and Reiner (who also directed), the film told the fictional story of English rock band Spinal Tap while spoofing such "rockumentaries" as Led Zeppelin's "The Song Remains the Same" (1976), The Who's "The Kids Are Alright" (1979) and, most notably, Martin Scorsese's document of the "final" band concert "The Last Waltz" (1978). A huge cult success, the film became a prototype for future mock documentary features.

Shearer performed small roles in some big screen hits "The Fisher King" (1991), "A League of Their Own" (1992) and "Wayne's World 2" (1993) but he saved his creative juices for his own TV and radio projects. Shearer has written, produced, directed and starred in several cable specials since the mid-80s. He wrote and starred in the occasionally uproarious public radio program, "Le Show" where political comedy still thrives. Shearer has also been part of the animated phenomenon "The Simpsons" (Fox, 1990- ) providing voices for Mr. Burns, Principal Skinner and Ned Flanders among others.

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