The Untold Casting Saga Behind Jaws - Steven Spielberg's Battle to Find the Perfect Actor

Summary

Robert Shaw's casting as Quint in Jaws was not Spielberg's first choice, and initially brought some concerns from producers.

Shaw's drinking habits resulted in various shocking incidents during the production, including a near altercation with producer Richard D. Zanuck following Shaw's defeat in a ping-pong match.

Even though Shaw's appearance in Jaws was limited to the second half, his depiction of Quint established him as a remarkable character and remains one of the actor's most renowned performances.

Steven Spielberg faced challenges in casting the role of Quint in Jaws, which almost led to a physical altercation on set. Jaws, a film centered around a menacing shark terrorizing the fictional beach town of Amity Island in New England, achieved unexpected success, grossing over $475 million at the box office over 40 years. The film's captivating storyline, well-developed characters, and talented cast propelled Jaws to become a cultural phenomenon and solidified Spielberg's status as a prominent director in Hollywood. During a recent interview with Vanity Fair, Spielberg reflected on the troubled production of the movie and revealed that finding the right actor for the role of Quint was a particularly challenging task. After exploring multiple options, Spielberg ultimately cast Robert Shaw, despite concerns about his drinking habits, which almost resulted in a physical altercation on set. Spielberg's remarks on the matter can be found below.

I did initially go for a big star because my first choice for Quint was Lee Marvin, but he wasn't interested. What I heard was that he wanted to go fishing for real! He took his fishing very seriously and didn't want to do it from a "movie" boat. My second choice was Sterling Hayden, whom I thought would make an amazing Quint. He had an Ahab quality about him—he had done a film entitled Terror in a Texas Town in 1958, where he played an imposing whaler who walked around with a harpoon. I was a big fan of his, especially from the two films he had done with Stanley Kubrick, The Killing [1956] and Dr. Strangelove [1964]. I don't remember why, but he wasn't able to do the role. There were other actors who wanted to play Quint, and then Dick Zanuck and David Brown suggested Robert Shaw—they had just worked with him in The Sting [1973], which they produced, and loved him. I'd just screened two films with Shaw to refresh my memory, including A Man for All Seasons [1966], in which he was spectacular. Based on that, and of course on From Russia with Love [1963]—with that great fight on a train where he played the nemesis to 007—I said, 'Wow . . . I wish I had thought of him! It's a great idea!' He fortunately said yes. I'll never forget that one of the first things Shaw said to me was, 'I haven't had a drink in two months!' And Dick was always warning me when he sensed that Robert Shaw had been drinking, fearing it would delay filming—but it didn't really matter because the shark wasn't working anyway. Incidentally, during production, Dick Zanuck and Robert Shaw would play ping-pong together, and one day, when Dick won, Shaw challenged him to a fistfight which was quickly defused by others. If Shaw had gotten a black eye, that would definitely have put us further behind schedule!

Why Robert Shaw Was Perfect For Jaws

Result:

Why Robert Shaw Was Perfect For Jaws

Initially, I had a big star in mind for the role of Quint - Lee Marvin. However, he wasn't interested as he wanted to go fishing in real life. Apparently, he took his fishing hobby very seriously and didn't want to portray a fisherman from a movie boat. Moving on, my second choice was Sterling Hayden, who I believed would be an exceptional Quint. He possessed a certain Ahab-like quality, having played a formidable whaler in the movie Terror in a Texas Town back in 1958, walking around with a harpoon. I admired his work, especially in the two films he did with Stanley Kubrick - The Killing [1956] and Dr. Strangelove [1964]. Unfortunately, I don't recall why he couldn't take on the role. We had other actors expressing interest in playing Quint, and then Dick Zanuck and David Brown proposed Robert Shaw. They had just collaborated with him in The Sting [1973], a film they produced, and were thoroughly impressed by him. To refresh my memory, I watched two films with Shaw, including A Man for All Seasons [1966], in which he delivered a remarkable performance. Taking all of this into consideration, as well as his role as the nemesis to 007 in From Russia with Love [1963], particularly the epic train fight scene, I exclaimed, 'Wow... I wish I had thought of him! It's a great idea!' Thankfully, he accepted the offer. It's worth mentioning that one of the first things Shaw told me was, 'I haven't had a drink in two months!' Dick always warned me whenever he sensed Shaw had been drinking, concerned that it may cause delays in filming. However, it didn't really matter since the shark wasn't functioning properly anyway. By the way, during production, Dick Zanuck and Robert Shaw would play ping-pong together, and on one occasion, when Dick emerged as the victor, Shaw challenged him to a fistfight. Luckily, others quickly defused the situation. If Shaw had ended up with a black eye, it definitely would have further set us back in our schedule!

When searching for a character reminiscent of Ahab, Spielberg would undoubtedly have been impressed by Robert Shaw. Although he may not have initially been Spielberg's top choice, both critics and audiences unanimously agreed that Shaw was the ideal Quint. Jaws was fortunate that Spielberg discovered him, as Shaw brought a gritty authenticity to the film, perfectly embodying the seasoned seafarer entering the perilous unknown. With Shaw's sincere portrayal, a character that could have been dismissed as silly instead transformed into a revered legend.

Characters who take themselves too seriously can detract from the allure of a movie. In Jaws, Quint is introduced to the audience with the sound of nails on a chalkboard, foreshadowing his relentless pursuit of a massive shark. Shaw's meticulous execution of every line lends credibility to his character, making Quint's mission to take down the terrifying killer shark seem rational, albeit occasionally bordering on absurdity as portrayed in various parodies over the years.

Despite appearing predominantly in the latter half of Jaws, Shaw's performance as Quint leaves a lasting impression. Every line, every gaze, and every blood-splattered step enhances the character, solidifying Shaw's place in Hollywood history alongside his renowned roles in A Man for All Seasons, The Sting, and From Russia with Love. While there are numerous factors that contributed to Jaws' success, Spielberg's decision to cast an actor who embodied Quint's energy perfectly likely played a significant role in the film's perfection.

Source: Vanity Fair