Roy Scheider

Biography: With a weather-beaten face and acerbic wit, Roy Scheider made a name for himself as a character actor and has turned in award-nominated performances on film and TV. His breakout role was in 1971's The French Connection, where he played Gene Hackman's partner and got an Oscar nomination. The 1970s also saw Scheider's biggest hit and perhaps the film he is most recognized for - Jaws. The 1975 Steven Spielberg blockbuster made Scheider a star. He would return for one sequel (itself a result of a contract dispute with Universal Studios). Scheider got a second Oscar nod for his performance as a drug-addicted dance choreographer in Bob Fosse's All That Jazz. Scheider came to television in 1993 as Captain Nathan Bridger on seaQuest DSV. Produced by Spielberg, the series saw Scheider at the helm of a submarine navigating an undersea future. However, as script quality declined, Scheider became increasingly critical of the show and was released from his contract after two seasons before a brief third season resulted in the show's cancellation. Since seaQuest went off the air, Scheider mostly stuck to supporting roles, occasionally in major movies like The Punisher and The Myth of Fingerprints, but mostly in direct-to-video action thrillers. Sadly, Scheider passed away February 10, 2008 after battling multiple myloma. At 75, he left behind a long legacy of film and TV work that will continue to be enjoyed, and hopefully discovered, by fans for years to come.… Expand