ROY SCHEIDER (1932-2008)

Paper Lion (1968), Stiletto (1969), Klute (1971), The French Connection (1971), The Seven-Ups (1973), Jaws (1975), Marathan Man (1976), Sorcery (1977), Jaws II (1978), All that Jazz (1979), Still of the Night (1982), Blue Thunder (1983), 2010 (1984), 52-Pick-up (1986), The Russia House (1990), Naked Lunch (1991), Romeo is Bleeding (1994), The Myth of the Fingerprints (1997), The Rainmaker (1997), (1998), Evasive Action, Daybreak (2000), The Poet (2007), Dark Honeymoon (2008), Iron Cross (2008).

The son of an Irish Catholic mother and German-American father, born in New Jersey, Roy Richard Scheider started out as a promising athlete and boxer (whence came the characteritic broken nose), and after a brief spell in the U.S Airforce, began a stage career appearing at the New York Shakespeare Festival and winning an Obie Award in 1968. Scheider’s greatest box office success was with Jaws, but his finest roles were in The French Connection and a wonderful cameo as Dustin Hoffman’s brother in Marathan Man. His greatest work was undeniably commited to film in the 1970’s, and contractual obligations to Spielberg meant that the lead in The Deer Hunter (later offered to Deniro) had to be turned down to allow filming for the ignoble cine-offering Jaws II. Despite this setback, Scheider was still appearing going strong with two films in post-production at the time of his death from cancer this week at 75. Jaws may have been a mixed blessing career wise, but Chief Brody will asure Roy an eternal place in film lovers hearts.

Rest easy Chief.