This weekend brought with it the sad news of Roy Scheider’s passing at the age of 75. For movie lovers, Scheider was an institution in 1970s and ‘80s cinema, with films ranging from blockbusters to taut thrillers – most with expert directors at the helm. In the first two Jaws films, he saved the East Coast twice from killer sharks before exploring the bottom of the sea on television screens nationwide nearly two decades later in seaQuest DSV. His characters have also pimped out Jane Fonda (Klute), thwarted terrorists with hi-tech helicopters (Blue Thunder), driven trucks full of nitroglycerine over busted-down Nicaraguan bridges (Sorcerer) and inadvertently been the cause of what had to be his brother-in-law’s worst day in the dentist’s seat (Marathon Man). Onscreen Scheider also discovered space babies (2010), and accepted the honor of being proud papa to one of Marvel Comic’s most popular vigilantes (The Punisher).

He worked with some of the brightest in the business, including John Frankenheimer (52 Pick-Up, The Fourth War), William Friedkin (The French Connection, Sorcerer), Jonathan Demme (The Last Embrace), John Schlesinger (Marathon Man), Alan Pakula (Klute), Robert Wise (Star!), Francis Ford Coppola (The Rainmaker) and Steven Spielberg (Jaws). His most highly regarded work came with 1979’s All That Jazz, where he channeled choreographer and director Bob Fosse in a show-stopping performance that garnered him one of his two Oscar nominations. His most recent work included lending his voice to the animated Chicago 10, though his final tribute will no doubt be his involvement in The Shark Is Still Working – an unreleased Jaws documentary that he provided narration and interviews for. All Movie pays our respect to Scheider’s family and hope that one of his many wonderful roles will be revisited very soon by his film fans out there.