Actor Roy Scheider has passed away at the age of 75. Scheider died Sunday at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences hospital in Little Rock, hospital spokesman David Robinson said. The hospital did not release a cause of death, but Scheider had been treated for multiple myeloma at the hospital’s Myeloma Institute for Research and Therapy for the past two years.
Probably best known for his role in the film “Jaws” where he uttered one of the most memorable cinematic lines ever, “You’re gonna need a bigger boat,” Scheider was also an Oscar nominated actor. Scheider earned two Academy Award nominations in his lifetime â€â€? a best-supporting actor nomination for 1971′s “The French Connection” in which he played the police partner of Oscar winner Gene Hackman, and a best-actor nomination for 1979′s “All That Jazz,” the semi-autobiographical Bob Fosse film.
“I’ve been fortunate to do what I consider three landmark films,” he told The Associated Press in 1986. “‘The French Connection’ spawned a whole era of the relationship between two policemen, based on an enormous amount of truth about working on the job. ‘Jaws’ was the first big, blockbuster outdoor-adventure film. And certainly ‘All That Jazz’ is not like any old MGM musical. Each one of these films is unique, and I consider myself fortunate to be associated with them.”
Scheider went on to enjoy later success in television starring as Captain Nathan Bridger in the Steven Spielberg produced, “SeaQuest DSV.” Once that series ended in 1995, Scheider appeared mostly in television although he did have occasional big screen roles in films such as “The Rainmaker” in 1997 and “The Punisher” in 2004.
Roy Scheider was a great actor who will definitely be missed.
Wow, I didn’t know he was that old. How could you forget about “Blue Thunder” which also starred Malcom McDowell? You know, “Follow my leader.” The TV show Airwolf wouldn’t have been made if it hadn’t been for that movie.
Ah. So true.
“You’re gonna need a bigger boat.” – excellent line…gonna miss him.
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It’s hard to believe he was that old, particularly as someone that tanned should look older than they are. I’m sure there was a mistake somewhere.
Don’t go blaming Airwolf on him now, despite the cool theme…which is now stuck in my head. That’s not his fault.
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I didn’t say I *liked* Airwolf (Jan Michael Vincent sucked to no end) and I can’t believe it lasted as long as it did. But the theme was catchy and I have it on my PC somewhere (but with the wrong filename so I’ll probably never find it again).
I thought Airwolf was coolarama…the technology at the time when blue-thunder came out was pretty cool as it was announced to the public. Roy was great in the movie, but I have a question…
Are you sure the line was “You’re gonna need a bigger boatâ€Â? and not “We’re gonna….”??
It’s “we’re” but they’re both close together at least. It’s substantively the correct line.
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He will be sorely missed. I was a big fan of Jaws as so many of us were. I remember that summer I and many would not go into the ocean.
RIP
A sad loss, Jaws was and will continue to be one of the great classics. Lets hope they don’t ruin it with a remake…
“Lets hope they don’t ruin it with a remake…”
Great, now that someone has actually said it, the remake will be forthcoming…
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