A&E;’s ‘Lovejoy’ Star Ian McShane Finds Acting a Form of Therapy

“Acting is great therapy--you get to do things you’d normally get arrested for,” says Ian McShane, the 50-year-old veteran English actor starring in A&E;’s light mystery “Lovejoy” Mondays at 7 and 11 p.m.

Although he’s acted since 19, McShane admits he’s never had as much success as with his 5-year-old BBC series, which he co-produces with Tracey Ullman’s husband, Allan McKeown. “I would like to be in a really big, successful film--boffo, spectacular, $500 million! But I’m lucky enough that the project I’m doing, everyone likes.”

McShane’s credits include the films “The Battle of Britain,” “Pussycat Pussycat I Love You,” “The Last of Sheila” and “If It’s Tuesday, This Must Be Belgium.” The rugged leading man, who trained at the Royal Academy, bemoans, “There isn’t a British film industry now. We depend on Americans.”

Resembling a sober, slimmer Oliver Reed, the black-hair, green-eyed McShane’s role of Lovejoy is that of a roguish, leather-jacket attired antiques dealer. His expertise in the field, and his Lothario ways involve him in adventures and romances. “I enjoy the show and the rapport with my co-stars (Dennis Sutton, Phyllis Logan, Chris Jury). I think it comes off the screen.”

Off screen, the only son of a housewife and a former soccer player is married to American Gwen Humble, whom he met in 1979 when he came to L.A. for “Cheaper to Keep Her.” The couple split their time between a flat in West London and their Los Angeles-area apartment.

While McShane is obviously enjoying his midlife success, he’s aware of the realities of episodic TV. “The fine line when you do a series is knowing the inkling of when the characters and the scripts aren’t fresh anymore. I hope we’ll know when it’s naturally running out of gas before the public telling us.”