Jaws star Roy Scheider dies after a long cancer battle aged 75
ROY SCHEIDER 1932-2008 STAR DIES OF CANCER AT 75
Hollywood star Roy Scheider, known to millions as the man who killed Jaws, has died at 75.
Scheider, who died in an Arkansas hospital after a long battle with cancer, had a 40-year career that included two Oscar nominations for his roles in gritty 1971 crime thriller The French Connection and trailblazing 1979 musical All That Jazz.
His other movies included Marathon Man, Klute, Naked Lunch and The Rainmaker.
But he will be forever remembered for the role that launched him to superstardom - as small town police chief Martin Brody in Jaws. In the 1975 movie, Brody accompanied by a veteran fisherman and a wisecracking marine biologist, goes to sea to hunt down a man-eating Great White shark that is terrorising his town.
Scheider utters one of the most famous lines in film history when the shark rears out of the water for the first time, saying: "You're gonna need a bigger boat." It was not in the script but was ad-libbed by Scheider.
After an epic struggle, Brody kills the monster - shooting a gas canister that is wedged in its mouth, causing a huge explosion. Jaws, directed by a young Steven Spielberg, was the first film to earn Û100million at the box office and is widely regarded as the first blockbuster.
But the success of the film became a millstone around Scheider's neck - and he felt it led to him becoming typecast, especially after he appeared in the vastly inferior sequel Jaws 2.
He also made some poor choices, turning down the lead in The Deer Hunter - a part that helped catapult Robert De Niro to stardom.
His later career consisted of roles in mediocre TV shows such as SeaQuest DSV or straight-to-DVD films such as Dracula II: Ascension.
Born into a working class New Jersey family, Scheider initially wanted to be an athlete or a boxer.
And a broken nose from his ring days gave him a distinctive look that served him well as an actor.
His first roles were on stage before landing a film role in the 1963 horror Curse Of The Living Corpse.
He made more than 40 films but said he considered only The French Connection, Jaws and All That Jazz to be truly great.
He said: "Each is unique, and I consider myself fortunate to be associated with them."
How sad, Robert Shaw, Peter Benchley and now Roy Scheider.
Oh WOW I didn't know this! That's really sad..I've seen Jaws I and II so many times, lmao. I've basically grown up on seeing this guy because of those two. Though he wasn't young, it's still shocking. RIP Roy!
Agreed on the ocean part (actually ANY watermark, including the lake we always visit during the summer even though only one type of shark can swim in fresh water). Well, I love sharks and I love swimming in water but I hate the fact that I cannot see what's under me and surrounding me in the dark water..it's creepy.
That water on JAWS was a prime example.
“Show me the way to go home, I’m tired and I wanna go to bed, I had a little drink about an hour ago and it went straight to my head, where ever I may roam, bum bum, by land or sea or foam, wherever I go I’ll be singing this song, show me the way to go home…”
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Feb 11th, 2008 08:41 AM
