Roy Scheider

Feb 12 2008 Liverpool Daily Post

HIS line “You’re gonna need a bigger boat” put fear in to the hearts of millions of cinema goers who braved the shark terror film, Jaws. Although his most famous role, Roy Scheider was an actor of many talents, receiving two Oscar nominations for his performances in The French Connection and All That Jazz in a career spanning over four decades.

Scheider, who has died, aged 75, was originally cast as Michael (eventually played by De Niro) in the 1978 hit film, The Deer Hunter. Due to contract details relating to filming Jaws 2, he had to decline the role. He was also the original choice for the part of John Rambo in the 1982 film First Blood. The role eventually went to Sylvester Stallone.

Born in Orange, New Jersey, in 1932, Scheider received critical acclaim for his role in the 1971 film, Klute, before being immortalised as police chief Martin Brody in the blockbuster Jaws, based on the best selling novel by Peter Benchley.

The terrifying film that went on to deter millions from dipping their toes in the sea, was the first to gross over $100m at the box office and is celebrated as the father of summer blockbuster movies and one of the first “high concept” films.

Scheider studied drama at Rutgers University and Franklin and Marshall College, and won an Obie Award in 1968 for his performance at the New York Shakespeare Festival.

At the time of his death in Little Rock, Arkansas, Scheider was still working, having completed the film Dark Honeymoon due for release this year and Iron Cross, which is still in post production. A recent guest performance on the popular animated television series Family Guy, as the host of a toilet-training video, was censored in the US, with Scheider having to change his lines and a scene of him unzipping and dropping his pants being cut.

He married twice, divorcing his first wife Cynthia in 1989 with whom he had a daughter, Maximillia. His second wife, Brenda, whom he was still married to at the time of his death, is mother to his son, Christian, and second daughter Molly.

Scheider was diagnosed in 2004 with myeloma, a cancer of the plasma cells. Although the cancer was believed to be in partial remission after a successful bone marrow transplant, he died at the University of Arkansas Medical Sciences Hospital from a suspected infection.

Roy Scheider, actor; born November 10, 1932, died February 10, 2008