A Manly Actor Is Dead: R.I.P. Roy Scheider

Roy Scheider has passed away.

He was 75 years old, and died today (Sunday) in Little Rock, Arkansas of complications from a staph infection, his wife, Brenda Seimer, said.

I apologize for the cheesy title, but to me, Roy Scheider was one of a now dwindling number of “man’s man” actors. Tough guys who drank whiskey, smoked cigarettes, had craggy facial features and wouldn’t be caught dead in the same room with a metrosexual.

Mr. Scheider appeared in close to 90 movies and TV series, many of them considered classic and among my favorite films. Some of the more noteworthy ones include The French Connection, Jaws, Marathon Man, All That Jazz, and 2010, the sequel to 2001: A Space Odyssey.

He was one of those actors that personified a certain type of man from the 1960’s – rugged and self-confident in a non-annoying way. Like he would’ve fit into the Rat Pack with Dean Martin or Frank Sinatra just fine.

I now have an additional reason to go pick up a copy of the 25th Anniversary Edition of Jaws.

And since everyone will be quoting his famous line from Jaws, I give you this colorful classic instead:

“Astrodome? You can’t grow a good hot dog indoors. Yankee Stadium. September. The hot dogs have been boiling since opening day in April. Now that’s a hot dog.”

Roy Scheider, you will be missed. Rest in peace – and my condolences to your family and close friends.

To learn more about Roy Scheider, visit the IMDB’s page on him or visit the sites below for much more eloquent words than I managed to write here.

Sources: NY Times via Cinematical