Hallmark Star Paula Shaw Dies at 84

Actress Paula Shaw, who starred in dozens of Hallmark projects, has died at age 84.

“It is with heavy hearts that we announce Paula passed away peacefully on Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2025, [in the] morning at 9:00 am,” reads an announcement on her personal website, The Max. “Paula touched countless lives through The MAX, the Mastery, and her transformational work. Her legacy lives on in the communities she created and the lives she changed.”

The Max closed by asking for friends and family to offer memories of Shaw on its memorial page.

Paula Shaw’s career began on the stage when she landed a part in Gus Weill’s Geese. She was later invited to The Actors Studio and then the improv group Synergy Trust, which opened doors to TV and film.

In her 30s, Shaw appeared in TV shows such as Three’s Company, The Bob Newhart Show, Starsky & Hutch, and Little House on the Prairie. She later went on to star alongside Burt Reynolds and Dolly Parton in The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas. In 2003, Shaw replaced Betsy Palmer as Jason’s mother, Pamela Voorhees, in the Jason franchise when she starred in Freddy vs. Jason. But she is best known for being a Hallmark regular, particularly for starring in the hit holiday movies. She also played Charlotte Jeffers in the channel’s series Cedar Cove.

Paula Shaw is survived by her sister, Greta, brother-in-law Gary, nephew Nicholas, and godchildren Marissa and David. Memorial services will be announced on her website.