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.
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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
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31 Comments
great, great, actor .
An unexpected loss.
My condolonces to his family.
Tis a damn shame. Nothing much else to say.
Oh man.. RIP Roy.. He was cool as the brooding and laconic Frank Murphy in “Blue Thunder”, and he also had an understated sort of leadership on “Seaquest DSV”.. the sort of “man of a few words” machismo.
He was certainly a fine retrosexual from a time when men were men, and not “sensitive” metrosexuals who are “in touch with their feminine sides”.
Wow, Roy Scheider was a great actor I can’t believe he’s gone.
He was a great talent that will be impossible to replace, a true ledgend…..!
Very sad indeed. I’ve been a JAWS fan since I was a little kid, so I grew up with Scheider. RIP!
heath
I wonder who all these other ‘girly men’ actors are who can’t hold up a candle to Roy’s masculinity? I think Roy was a lot more tolerant of different types of people than the writer of this rather strange obituary. I’m pretty sure he wouldn’t appreciate someone using his death opportunistically to write a piece which is honestly a piece of homophobic garbage, just like Mr. Holtreman himself.
“I think we’re gonna need a bigger boat”
I just had to say it. Wonderful actor who will be sorely missed. Hopefully, “he arrived in heaven a half-hour before the devil knew he was dead”.
Where in the article did I say anything about homosexuals? I said METROsexuals.
I was talking about the male equivalent of a high-maintenance woman (no offense, Jae) who spends inordinate amounts of time “primping.” Manicures, $150 haircuts and the equivalent amount of money spent on hair supplies, more money spent on their clothes than Imelda Marcos spends on shoes, lipo-this, double-half-caffe-organic-free-range lattes, etc.
The kind of person apparently like you, whose tender feelings can be put out of whack by the use of a mere word.
I was referring to the John Wayne/Sean Connery/Humphrey Bogart kind of guy.
Vic
I was referring to the John Wayne/Sean Connery/Humphrey Bogart kind of guy
I was thinking Sam Malone of Cheers myself.
RIP Roy, you will be missed….but always remembered. JAWS is one the all-time greatest movies ever made.
Your right Vic,they dont make them like Roy in Hollywood any more.
Andy your right too,JAWS is still one of the scariest movies I have every seen.
Jaws scary? I accidentally walked into that hannah montana movie the other day.
My hair is WHITE Tom!!!!! Its WHITE!!!
Yes, very sad indeed… I read that he had been battling cancer since 2004 as well.
His performance in Jaws was great, no question. However, for me, his best work will always be All That Jazz. It’s very tough to choose just one performance of his, though; he had such a long and distinguished career.
He’ll be missed.
Brian
Someone, somewhere is going to need a bigger boat to hold this man’s talent.
God bless him.
Niall
>>wouldn’t be caught dead in the same room with a metrosexual<
Helloooo. Richard Dreyfuss? (Well, the Richard Dreyfuss of today.)
LOL,Jim!
This is too bad. He was a great actor. He’ll be missed.
“A MANLY ACTOR IS DEAD…”
How come that ^ wasn’t the headline when Heath Ledger died? >hee heeLOL,Jim!
This is too bad. He was a great actor. He’ll be missed.
“A MANLY ACTOR IS DEAD…”
How come that ^ wasn’t the headline when Heath Ledger died? >hee hee<
:-p
and Bruce you’re gay……haw haw
KEL, Ledger was only 27, you have to be at least 50 to be a Manly Man!
But I agree with your other comments.
^
Jim, Dreyfuss has never been the same since he came back from the Mothership.
Vic
Rock hudson .. another man’s man
I think Roy Scheider was great, but he would probaby laugh out loud at the fact you think his greatest contribution was being a man’s man 
Did you see All That Jazz? 
The Heath Ledger comments were in bad taste .. seems your article is attracting quality readers 
KEL’s just joking around Bruce.
^
I swear I can’t believe the term Manly Man is creating such a fuss.
^
IMO Bruce, (and I’m full of um) Rock Hudson is just as Manly as John Travolta or Tom Cruise. (You would be surprised how many actors hide behind there work). Roy Scheider never did that!
^
I’m prob wrong (like usual) but Vic prob came up with that term as a description in about 10 seconds.
^
Can’t we talk about Sea Quest or some of his work…
^
KEL be nice!!
Agreed, let’s keep the spotlight on Mr. Scheider.
Not only did he achieve household name status, but I think had an enviable reputation as a likeable, very hadworking actor.
I certainly feel like I grew up watching his movies, and I found him a fantastic screen presence. It was that understated presence, the subtle acting (for the most part) with complete lack of ham which defined him.
I’m not sure whether he felt he reached his full potential, but he seemed to keep himself busy right to the end.
Did he ever try theatre? Sometimes great movie acting skills don’t translate as well to live performance …
Bruce
I’m pretty sure he didn’t work in theatre. He was working on 2 films that have yet to be released
Dark Honeymoon and Iron Cross.
^
Besides Jaws, I loved his performance in 2010 the Year we make Contact, Marathon Man and let’s not forget The French Connection.
He was nominated for Best supporting Actor in that one.
I think he was also in the last Punisher film.
^
One thing that’s amazing about him is that he captivated the viewer with his style. You never thought you were watching a actor read lines. He allways made it believable with little effort. A true pro!
damn, i liked him too as an actor. i personally enjoy his films and his characteristic personality. he will be missed. rest in peace
Btw,,,I forgot to mention,,,
Your right Andy and you make a great point!!! As long as we have electricity and dvds Roy is never gone…:_)
^
Also I have to say I’m alot PISSED off that this passing of one of the greats hasn’t been covered as much as Ledger or Renfro.
Its a disgusting world where in if you don’t overdose on drugs your death is a speedbumb in the news.
Pathetic !
^
If it wasn’t for this article I prob woudnt even know Roy Scheider’s dead…the news isn’t covering it.
^
Pratically all the major outlets have very little on the death of Roy Scheider, and (in a small/huge way) that tells you that we’ve crossed a line somewhere,,, a disconnect in reality.
^
Manly man/ metrosexuals , are words and descriptions. We have bigger problems people.
(I’m not diggin on you Bruce just felt this needed to be said I respect your views). =€
“Your gonna need a bigger boat”.
^
Hey John, did you know that Roy made that line up during the shoot and Speilburg kept it in…
^
Qa’pla
Spielberg should keep my bat’leth in his weakling gut!!!
LOL
I didn’t know that line was adlibed. It was the defining line of the movie.
The Heath Ledger comments were in bad taste .. seems your article is attracting quality readers
Why thank you,Bruce. :-p
Hey Bruce, are you including yourself in that “readers” group?
Just kidding, dude.
As Steve said, I came up with the title in all of 10 seconds and I just spilled onto the keyboard my thoughts on the death of this great actor and my view of the sort of man he came across as within minutes of hearing about it.
He was from a different, less complicated era and that’s the point I was trying to make.
I’m glad you’re hanging around to contribute.
Vic
LOL,Vic!
Busted,Bruce.
OK, Apologies for being a little over sensitive.
Does anyone know much about the movies that are still to come out .. will seem strange watching them as his last shout.
Bruce
Bruce, I got the info from Wikipedia. There might be more info up there I didn’t get too deep.
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