A bit of sad news, this morning: actor Roy Scheider has died at 75.  Scheider had an impressive television and film career, which included two Oscar nominations.  One of these nominations was for The French Connection, the magnificent crime thriller which basically invented the modern movie car chase.  Scheider also had turns in a number of other thrillers, including Marathon Man (“Is it safe?”),  Blue Thunder, The Punisher, and The Rainmaker, to name a few.  He played a magnificently amoral Russian mob boss on the television series Third Watch.  He also made his mark on the science fiction genre, starring in 2010 and in the short-lived but enjoyable television series SeaQuest DSV.

As far as aquatic adventures go, however, Scheider will be remembered most for his role as police chief and aquaphobe Martin Brody in the amazing Jaws.  He gave Brody a funny and human side that made the movie touching and all the more tense because you cared about the characters.  Scheider’s strength even made the inferior Jaws II a watchable film.

He will be missed…