Welcome or back to Matheusfeed, the site that tries every day to help you with as much information as possible.
If these are useful to you, don’t forget to share the information in the groups you belong to! Thank you!
Susan Backlinie, an actress and stuntwoman who played the first person eaten by the shark in Jaws, has died.
Backlinie passed away at home in Ventura, California, on Saturday. She was 77 years old.
Matthew Templeton, her convention agent, confirmed the news.
“It is with heartfelt regret to confirm our beloved Susan passed away this morning,” he said.
“We want to thank everyone who sent their condolences at this time.
“Please respect the family’s privacy during this difficult time.”
She was best known for her role as Chrissie Watkins in Steven Spielberg’s 1975 movie Jaws.
At just 28 years old, the nationally ranked swimmer and professional diver played the memorable role of the skinny-dipping victim.
Before her big break in Hollywood, Backlinie worked with animals and water.
She worked as a mermaid at Florida’s Weeki Wachee Springs tourist attraction and had experience with many wild animals, such as tigers and bears.
Backlinie was eager to take on her first movie role, knowing she could offer something unique that intrigued Spielberg.
“If you hire me, you might get close-ups of the stunt itself,” she reportedly told the director. “If you hire an actress, she’ll have to cover her face.”
“I went to stunts to find the perfect stuntwoman, and Susan was up to the task,” Spielberg wrote in Laurent Bouzerau’s book Spielberg: The First Ten Years.
In a 2017 interview, Backlinie recalled a conversation with Spielberg before filming the iconic scene.
“The first thing he said to me was, ‘When your scene is done, I want everyone under the seats with the popcorn and the bubblegum,’” she told The Post.
Many people have paid tribute to the actress and stuntwoman on social media, especially highlighting her role in Jaws.
“Susan was a loving and kind person, and the Jaws community will miss her very much,” said Jeffrey Kramer, who also worked with her on the film.
“She has a special place in our hearts.”
One fan wrote, “Rest in peace to Susan Backlinie. Her Chrissie Watkins in ‘Jaws’ had the most memorable tug on the leg in movie history.”
Another fan shared, “She has to go down in movie history,” while a third said, “She did an unbelievable job that made the whole world afraid of the ocean.”
Many have described her with words like “scream queen legend” and “class act.”
One fan even noted that her role fueled his lifelong interest in sharks.
“Susan will be remembered forever and immortalized as the first victim of the great white shark of Jaws fame,” he wrote on The Daily Jaws.
“As an 11-year-old, it sparked my fascination with GW sharks. Now at 61, I have cage dived in South Africa and Australia, recording over 29 different GW sharks. RIP Susan, thank you.”
