Jaws first hit cinemas on June 20, 1975, and changed Hollywood – and going to the beach – forever.
Now turning 50, Steven Spielberg’s shark thriller remains a cultural phenomenon.
While many know the famous line ‘You’re gonna need a bigger boat,’ there’s an ocean of fascinating trivia lurking just below the surface. Here’s 20 lesser-known facts about Jaws that might surprise you.
- Bruce the Shark Was Named After a Lawyer
The infamous mechanical shark used on set was nicknamed ‘Bruce’ – not after a fearsome creature of the deep, but Spielberg’s own lawyer, Bruce Ramer.
- The Film’s Most Famous Line Was Totally Improvised
Roy Scheider’s now-iconic delivery of ‘You’re gonna need a bigger boat’ wasn’t in the script. It was an off-the-cuff remark that stuck.
- A Shark Ate the Dog?
Six characters (and one poor pooch) fall victim to the shark onscreen – though the dog’s demise is implied rather than shown.
- Spielberg Was Just 28
When Jaws premiered, Steven Spielberg was still in his twenties. He’d soon become the youngest director in history to create a box office mega-hit.
- The Score Was Almost a Joke – Until It Wasn’t
John Williams’ now-legendary two-note theme was so simple Spielberg initially thought it was a prank. But it turned out to be one of the most iconic pieces of film music in history.
- Quint’s USS Indianapolis Speech Was Based on a True Horror Story
The monologue about the doomed naval mission wasn’t fiction. The USS Indianapolis tragedy really happened – and inspired one of the most chilling scenes in film history.
- That Underwater Jump-Scare Was a Last-Minute Addition
Remember when Ben Gardner’s head pops out of the wrecked boat? That wasn’t in the original cut. Spielberg added it after test screenings asked for one more scare.
- Filming Was an Absolute Nightmare
The shoot was originally slated for just under two months – but ended up lasting more than five. The set was plagued with problems, and the crew half-jokingly nicknamed the film ‘Flaws.’
- The Shark Was Supposed to Win
In Peter Benchley’s original novel, marine biologist Hooper is killed in the cage scene. But when Spielberg saw real-life footage of a shark attacking an empty cage, he changed the ending to let Hooper live.
- Spielberg Skipped the Last Day of Filming
By the end of the shoot, Spielberg suspected his exhausted crew might throw him into the ocean as a prank. He quietly left before the final scenes wrapped – and it became a tradition for him to avoid the last day on future films.
- Charlton Heston Wanted In
Legendary actor Charlton Heston lobbied for the lead role of Chief Brody. But producers worried his star power would overshadow the story.
- Hooper and Mrs. Brody Were Lovers – In the Book
The film left this detail out, but in the original novel by Peter Benchley, Hooper and Ellen Brody have an affair. Spielberg wisely scrapped it to keep the story focused on the shark.
- A Nixon Lookalike Played the Mayor
Murray Hamilton was partly cast as the slippery Mayor Vaughn because he bore a resemblance to then-disgraced President Richard Nixon.
- Shark Fear Soared After the Film’s Release
Beaches were quieter and shark sightings spiked following the film’s release. Experts now say Jaws both fuelled shark phobia but also kickstarted shark education and conservation awareness.
- Gregory Peck Blocked a Scene
A bit where Quint watches Peck’s version of Moby Dick in a movie theatre was cut when the actor declined to grant rights to his performance.
- The Orca Was Nearly Upstaged by an Orca
After Jaws success, studios scrambled to cash in on sea-creature horror. In 1977, a movie literally called Orca (starring a killer whale) hit cinemas – but sank compared to its predecessor.
- The Zoom-in Shock Shot Was a Hitchcock Trick
Brody’s gut-punch reaction when the shark strikes the beach was filmed using the ‘dolly zoom’ technique – a visual trick popularised in Alfred Hitchcock’s Vertigo.
18. Spielberg Had to Argue for the Exploding Ending
Benchley thought blowing up the shark with a scuba tank was too far-fetched. Spielberg countered that by then, the audience was already all-in – and he was right.
- Spielberg Originally Wanted to Show the Shark More Often
The plan was to feature the shark early and often – but Bruce the mechanical shark kept breaking down. The resulting decision to imply the shark’s presence instead made the film way scarier.
- It Changed How Movies Were Released
Jaws was one of the first films to open on hundreds of screens at once – 450, to be exact. That wide release strategy is now standard for the summer blockbuster.
The original 1975 poster.
