Shaughnessy, born and raised in London, England, came from a show-business family. His father was the principal writer and script editor on Upstairs, Downstairs and his mother was an actress. He started acting in school plays while in grade school and, after graduating from Eton College, was accepted at Cambridge University to study law. "Despite a lifelong love of the theater, I thought it was about time someone in my family did something sensible," he said.

While at Cambridge he joined the famous Footlights Revue comedy group. Upon graduation, Shaughnessy returned to his first love, acting, and enrolled in drama school in London. After a year touring in repertory, he was cast in the Agatha Christie television series Partners in Crime. He then won the lead role in the BBC drama series Jury.

Romance brought the actor to America and he moved to Hollywood to marry Susan Fallender, an actress he had met in drama school. Shaughnessy's first Los Angeles appearances included performances at the Mark Taper Forum, the Los Angeles Theatre Company and the Globe Playhouse. He was then cast in the role of Shane Donovan in the daytime series Days of Our Lives. He stayed with the series for seven years and won three Soap Opera Digest Awards.

Among his other television credits are the miniseries Till We Meet Again, and the motion pictures-for-television Dayo, Everything to Gain and A Degree of Deception, as well as guest appearances on Murphy Brown and Mad About You.

He will soon be seen in two independent feature films, Denial, starring Jason Alexander and Jonathan Silverman, and Second Chances.

Shaughnessy and his wife live in Santa Monica with their two children.

Credit: filmbug.com