Paula Shaw, best known to genre fans for her role in 2003’s Freddy Vs. Jason has died.
Born on July 17th 1941, Shaw hailed from The Bronx borough of New York City
Although not much is known about Shaw’s early life, we do know she began her performing career in theatre. At the same time, Shaw began studying the acting craft at the famed Actors Studio, and would subsequently remain a lifetime member of the institution.
Shaw’s on-screen career began in 1969, with a part in the exploitation-comedy To Hex with Sex. Shortly afterwards, Shaw made her first genre appearance, with a small role in the exploitation-horror film The Centerfold Girls in 1974.
Throughout the 1970s, Shaw appeared on some of the most popular television shows of the era, including Ironside, Starsky and Hutch, The Bob Newhart Show, and Little House on the Prairie.
This would begin a career-long trend that would see Shaw appear prolifically in made-for-TV movies and in television guest spots.
Continuing to work through the 1980s, Shaw appeared in The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas and the 1984 action-horror film Savage Streets, starring Linda Blair. Television appearances from that decade included Cagney & Lacey, 21 Jump Street, and Wiseguy.
The 1990’s would see Shaw become a television regular for the first time, with a ten-episode arc on the soap opera The Young and the Restless. She’d also appear in the genre-centric television shows The X-Files, The Outer Limits, and So Weird!
2003 would bring Shaw the role she’s arguably best remembered for, when she took on the role of Pamela Voorhees in Freddy Vs. Jason. Originally portrayed by Betsy Palmer, Shaw stepped into the role of Jason Voorhees overbearing mother when Palmer voiced dissatisfaction with the script. Undoubtedly Shaw’s biggest big screen performance to date, Freddy Vs. Jason would go on to gross $116.6 million worldwide.
Following this greater exposure, Shaw would have roles in a handful of other horror projects including, Night Creep, Chupacabra Terror, and Killer Bash.
Later, Shaw would land regular roles in the TV drama series’ Cedar Cove and Mr. Young. Alongside this, she would continue to appear in made-for-television films and have regular guest spots in popular shows.
In her final years, Shaw worked almost exclusively in Halmark Original films, appearing in several of their popular Christmas themed television movies.
Shaw worked right up until the end, with several project still to air on television. Paula Shaw died on September 10th 2025. Although a cause of death was not given, it has been confirmed that the actress was in poor health for some time. Paula Shaw was 84 years old.
Rest in Peace, Paula.
