Happy Birthday Robert Shaw: Gone Too Soon (1927-1978)

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By Anthony “Zute” George

Robert Shaw would have been 93 years old on August 9th. He left this world in 1978, a very long time ago. Mr. Shaw had a significant impact on me as a child. His role as Quint in Jaws has had a lasting effect on my psyche. Just euphoric. There are not many things that are certain in life. Still, there could be no doubt that Jaws was indeed the first Summer Blockbuster. That film not only changed how people went to the beach, but it transformed the movie-going experience and how movies are made. Robert Shaw as Quint was at the center of that phenomenon. For me, Quint was the best part of Jaws. Like the Great White Shark, the film takes a while to get to Quint, and when it does, all bets are off. The monologue Shaw delivers in Jaws is acting 101 and should have earned him an Academy Award Nomination.

Stealing scenes in movies were old hat for Shaw by the time Jaws came around. He did so all the time. In 1974, he was the standout as Blue in the thriller The Taking of Pelham One, Two, Three. He is still the most memorable Bond villain. As Grant in From Russia With Love, that film does not really start clicking until he is infused in it (I did not even know that was Robert Shaw when I first saw it). Even Mr. Bond, Sean Connery himself, does not hesitate when asked what his favorite James Bond scene is, ‘the fight scene with Robert Shaw,’ Sir Sean would reply. In A Man For All Seasons, Paul Scofield won the Oscar, yet, Robert Shaw was the most interesting character in the film. How many actors can claim they stole a movie that had Paul Newman and Robert Redford in it? Well, Robert Shaw did just that in The Sting. Doyle Lonnegan was the best part of that film, and Shaw stole every scene he was in. You have to have some pretty good acting chops to pull that off.

I have a funny personal story regarding Robert Shaw that I would like to share with you. The film The Deep was coming on television. I was young, no older than eight years old. Still, I was stoked because I knew Robert Shaw was in the film. You have to understand that this was an extended version of The Deep, almost an hour of extra footage, and shown over two nights (for whatever reason, that version of The Deep has never been released after it was shown on TV). As I was watching the movie, I wondered, ‘where in the world is Robert Shaw?’ as it seemed like forever for him to appear in the movie. When Robert finally did arrive on my television set, everything was just dandy in my little world.

When I heard of Shaw’s death, I was crushed. Years later, it indeed sunk in that he was only fifty-one years old when he left us. Incredibly young, even for those times. You could only help but wonder what other excellent work Robert Shaw would have given us had he lived. However, Robert stated that he was fed up with acting and wanted to focus on his other talents shortly before his death. As is it, his filmography stands up to anyone. I did not even mention such gems as Black Sunday, Young Winston, A Reflection of Fear, his theater and television work, and his marvelous playwright, The Man in the Glass Booth. Yes, he could write too. I’ll let you in on a little secret, for the most part, I loathe what I like to call ‘glorified war films.’ The exception is the ones that Mr. Shaw has appeared in, Force 10 From Navarone is a great guilty pleasure of mine.

Happy Birthday Robert Shaw. You were a great gift to pop culture.

Anthony “Zute” George is the Author of Tough Man: The Greg Haugen Story, a new boxing book that covers the skilled champion from Auburn, Washington, as well as the scope of the times during his days of pugilism.

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