--- name: "Roy Scheider" canonical: "https://film.one/person/roy-scheider" fi1m_id: "roy-scheider" imdb_id: "nm0001702" tmdb_id: 6355 wikidata_id: "Q216569" roles: ["Actor"] born: "10 November 1932" died: "10 February 2008" reviewed_on_fi1m: 9 average_fi1m_score: 82 average_as: "actor" average_over: 8 updated: "2026-10-04T18:22:54.850324+00:00" licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Roy Scheider ## Identity Roy Scheider - **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/roy-scheider - **Type:** Person - **Fi1m ID:** roy-scheider - **IMDb ID:** nm0001702 - **TMDB ID:** 6355 - **Wikidata ID:** Q216569 - **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roy_Scheider, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q216569, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001702/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/6355 Actor. Born 10 November 1932 in Orange, New Jersey, USA. Died 10 February 2008. ## Details - **Work:** Actor - **Born:** 10 November 1932, Orange, New Jersey, USA - **Died:** 10 February 2008 - **Active:** 1971–1991 - **Also known as:** Roy R. Scheider, Roy Richard Scheider - **Titles on Fi1m:** 9: 8 acting, 1 other - **Frequently works with:** [William Friedkin](https://film.one/person/william-friedkin.md) - **Academy Awards:** 2 Oscar nominations - **Average Fi1m score:** 82, as actor, over 8 titles - **Fi1m score by decade:** 1970s 84 (6), 1980s 52 (2), 1990s 78 (1) - **Fi1m against the critics:** 82 to 72 across 8 titles - **Score spread:** 5 at 80+, 3 at 60–79, 0 under 60 - **Lead roles:** 5 of 8 acting credits billed first or second - **Genres:** Thriller 6, Drama 5, Crime 4, Action 2, Adventure 2, Horror 1 - **Screen time:** 16 hours of reviewed films - **Box office:** $638m across 8 films with figures - **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roy_Scheider, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q216569, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001702/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/6355 ## Streaming the US now - **Netflix:** [*Jaws*](https://film.one/film/jaws.md) (93), [*Blue Thunder*](https://film.one/film/blue-thunder.md) (71) - **Tubi:** [*All That Jazz*](https://film.one/film/all-that-jazz.md) (84), [*Klute*](https://film.one/film/klute.md) (82) - **Amazon Prime Video:** [*The French Connection*](https://film.one/film/the-french-connection.md) (85) - **Apple TV:** [*Marathon Man*](https://film.one/film/marathon-man.md) (74) For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country. ## Fi1m on Roy Scheider > Roy Scheider's trick was to look frightened and carry on working. In *Jaws* and *The French Connection* he is the plain man beside the louder one, and it is his worry that tells us the danger is real. Watch Brody on the beach in *Jaws* (1975). He sits in a deckchair, hat on, trying to keep an eye on the water while the town walks in front of him, and Scheider plays every interruption as a small ordeal. He is not brave in the film's first hour; he is anxious, out of his depth and determined to be useful anyway, and his worry is what makes the shark frightening. Scheider looks worried for two hours and never stops doing his job. He came to films late, after years on the New York stage, with a first screen part in 1964 and not much to show for it for some while. William Friedkin gave him Buddy Russo in *The French Connection* (1971), the partner who stands slightly to one side of Gene Hackman's Doyle, and the pattern was set: Scheider as the steadier man beside the volatile one. He is the reason we can watch Doyle at all, because somebody on screen is registering how far he has gone. Steven Spielberg then made him a lead, and *Marathon Man* (1976), *Sorcerer* (1977, Friedkin again) and *Jaws 2* (1978) followed close behind. Bob Fosse's *All That Jazz* (1979) let him play a self-destructive choreographer, about as far from a cop as he got, and it is the film his admirers reach for when they want to argue he was more than a dependable second man. What works is economy. In *Marathon Man* he suggests Doc Levy's competence without turning each scene into a demonstration of it, and next to Dustin Hoffman's visible effort that restraint is a relief. His face is angular, his manner is dry, and he is at his best when the script gives him something to notice rather than something to declare. What works less well is anything that asks him to be a star on his own. *Blue Thunder* (1983) puts him in a helicopter and expects the helicopter's swagger to rub off, and it does not; he reads as the man standing in for the star. The quality that makes him invaluable beside Hackman and Robert Shaw leaves him a little exposed when the frame is empty. We felt this most sharply in *Jaws*, where Shaw's Quint is doing the acting and Scheider is doing the listening, and we found we were more afraid for Brody than for anyone else on the boat. Shaw pushes Quint towards theatre; Scheider stays small, and the smallness is what makes the sea look big. It is the kind of work that gets overlooked because it is built to be, and his reputation has paid for it. Later there was *seaQuest DSV* (1993–96) on television, and character parts such as Dr Benway in David Cronenberg's *Naked Lunch* (1991) and a turn in *The Punisher* (2004), and he worked until his death in 2008. Start with *Jaws*, then *The French Connection*, and notice how often your eye goes to him when somebody else is talking. ## Biography Roy Scheider was an American actor. He was born on 10 November 1932 in Orange, New Jersey, and died on 10 February 2008 in Little Rock, Arkansas. He studied at Rutgers University and Franklin and Marshall College, and began his career in theatre, including work with the New York Shakespeare Festival. Scheider gained prominence in the 1970s with roles in *The French Connection* (1971) and *Klute* (1971). He is best known for playing Police Chief Martin Brody in *Jaws* (1975) and its 1978 sequel, as well as Joe Gideon in *All That Jazz* (1979). He received Academy Award nominations for his performances in *The French Connection* and *All That Jazz*. Later credits include *Marathon Man* (1976), *2010* (1984) and the television series *seaQuest DSV* (1993–1996), in which he played Captain Nathan Bridger. *Sources: en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com.* ## On Fi1m (9) ### Performed in (8) — the average rests on these - *Naked Lunch* (1991), Fi1m 78, as Dr. Benway — [page](https://film.one/film/naked-lunch.md) - *Blue Thunder* (1983), Fi1m 71, as Murphy — [page](https://film.one/film/blue-thunder.md) - *All That Jazz* (1979), Fi1m 84, as Joe Gideon — [page](https://film.one/film/all-that-jazz.md) - *Sorcerer* (1977), Fi1m 88, as Scanlon / 'Dominguez' — [page](https://film.one/film/sorcerer.md) - *Marathon Man* (1976), Fi1m 74, as Henry 'Doc' Levy — [page](https://film.one/film/marathon-man.md) - *Jaws* (1975), Fi1m 93, as Brody — [page](https://film.one/film/jaws.md) - *Klute* (1971), Fi1m 82, as Frank Ligourin — [page](https://film.one/film/klute.md) - *The French Connection* (1971), Fi1m 85, as Buddy Russo — [page](https://film.one/film/the-french-connection.md) ### Also credited (1) — thanks, archive footage, uncredited - *Jaws: The Revenge* (1987), Fi1m 32, as Martin Brody (archive footage) — [page](https://film.one/film/jaws-the-revenge.md) ## Complete filmography (95) Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page. - *Iron Cross* (2009), as Joseph - *The Shark Is Still Working* (2009), as Narrator / Self - *Dark Honeymoon* (2008), as Sam - *Chicago 10* (2008), as Judge Julius Hoffman (voice) - *The Poet* (2007), as Rabbi - *If I Didn't Care* (2007), as Linus - *Dracula III: Legacy* (2005), as Cardinal Siqueros - *The Punisher* (2004), as Frank Castle, Sr. - *Love Thy Neighbor* (2003), as Fred - *Citizen Verdict* (2003), as Bull Tyler - *Dracula II: Ascension* (2003), as Cardinal Siqueros - *Red Serpent* (2002), as Hassan - *King of Texas* (2002), as Henry Westover - *Regulus: The First Nuclear Missile Submarines* (2002), as Narrator - *Angels Don't Sleep Here* (2002), as Mayor Harry S. Porter - *Texas '46* (2002), as Colonel Gartner - *Time Lapse* (2001), as Agent La Nova - *Warship* (2001), series, as Narrator · Presenter - *Law & Order: Criminal Intent* (2001), series, as Mark Ford Brady - *The Diamond Hunters* (2001), series, as Jacobus Van der Byl - *Daybreak* (2000), as Stan Marshall - *Hitler's Lost Sub* (2000), as Narrator - *The Doorway* (2000), as Professor Lamont - *Chain of Command* (2000), as President Jack Cahill - *Secrets of the Dead* (2000), series, as Narrator (voice) - *Falling Through* (2000), as Earl - *RKO 281* (1999), as George Schaefer - *Third Watch* (1999), series, as Fyodor Chevchenko - *The Seventh Scroll* (1999), series, as Grant Schiller - *Family Guy* (1999), series, as Roy Scheider, Roy Scheider / Narrator (voice) — Fi1m 63, [page](https://film.one/tv/family-guy.md) - *Silver Wolf* (1999), as John Rockwell - *Jaws 5* (1999), as Martin Brody (archive footage) - *The White Raven* (1998), as Tom Heath - *Better Living* (1998), as Larry - *Money Play$* (1998), as Johnny Tobin - *Evasive Action* (1998), as Enzo Marcelli - *World's Deadliest Sea Creatures* (1998), as Narrator - *The Rainmaker* (1997), as Wilfred Keeley - *The Myth of Fingerprints* (1997), as Hal - *The Peacekeeper* (1997), as President Robert Baker - *The Rage* (1997), Actor - *Executive Target* (1997), as President Carlson - *The Definite Maybe* (1997), as Eddie Jacobson - *Plato's Run* (1997), as Senarkian - *E! True Hollywood Story* (1996), series, Actor - *Wild Justice* (1994), as Peter Stride - *Romeo Is Bleeding* (1993), as Don Falcone - *seaQuest DSV* (1993), series, as Captain Nathan Bridger - *SeaQuest DSV* (1993), as Captain Nathan Bridger - *When It Was a Game 2* (1992), as Passage Narrator (voice) - *Naked Lunch* (1991), as Dr. Benway — Fi1m 78, [page](https://film.one/film/naked-lunch.md) - *When It Was a Game* (1991), as (voice) - *The Russia House* (1990), as Russell - *Somebody Has to Shoot the Picture* (1990), as Paul Marish - *Bob Fosse: Steam Heat* (1990), as Joe Gideon (archive footage) - *The Fourth War* (1990), as Col. Jack Knowles - *Night Game* (1989), as Seaver - *Listen to Me* (1989), as Charlie Nichols - *Cohen and Tate* (1989), as Cohen - *American Experience* (1988), series, as Narrator (voice) - *Jaws: The Revenge* (1987), as Martin Brody (archive footage) — Fi1m 32, [page](https://film.one/film/jaws-the-revenge.md) - *52 Pick-Up* (1986), as Harry Mitchell - *The Men's Club* (1986), as Cavanaugh - *Follies: In Concert* (1986), as Narrator - *2010* (1984), as Dr. Heywood Floyd - *Tiger Town* (1984), as Billy Young - *Jacobo Timerman: Prisoner Without a Name, Cell Without a Number* (1983), as Jacobo Timerman - *Blue Thunder* (1983), as Murphy — Fi1m 71, [page](https://film.one/film/blue-thunder.md) - *Behind-the-Scenes: Blue Thunder* (1983), Actor - *Still of the Night* (1982), as Doctor Sam Rice - *All That Jazz* (1979), as Joe Gideon — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/film/all-that-jazz.md) - *Last Embrace* (1979), as Harry Hannan - *Jaws 2* (1978), as Police Chief Martin Brody - *Sorcerer* (1977), as Scanlon / 'Dominguez' — Fi1m 88, [page](https://film.one/film/sorcerer.md) - *Marathon Man* (1976), as Henry 'Doc' Levy — Fi1m 74, [page](https://film.one/film/marathon-man.md) - *Sheila Levine Is Dead and Living in New York* (1975), as Sam Stoneman - *Jaws* (1975), as Brody — Fi1m 93, [page](https://film.one/film/jaws.md) - *NOVA* (1974), series, as Narrator - *The Seven-Ups* (1973), as Buddy - Seven-Up - *The Outside Man* (1972), as Lenny - *The Assassination* (1972), as Michael Howard - *Assignment: Munich* (1972), as Jack Webster - *To Be Young, Gifted and Black* (1972), Actor - *The French Connection* (1971), as Buddy Russo — Fi1m 85, [page](https://film.one/film/the-french-connection.md) - *Cannon* (1971), series, Actor - *Klute* (1971), as Frank Ligourin — Fi1m 82, [page](https://film.one/film/klute.md) - *Puzzle of a Downfall Child* (1970), as Mark - *Loving* (1970), as Skip - *Stiletto* (1969), as Bennett - *Paper Lion* (1968), as Man (uncredited) - *The Curse of the Living Corpse* (1964), as Philip Sinclair - *Smiles* (1964), Actor - *A Wind from the South* (1955), as Dancer (uncredited) - *The Secret Storm* (1954), series, Actor - *Hallmark Hall of Fame* (1951), series, as Francesco Barberini ## Gallery - ![Roy Scheider](https://film.one/media/person/59838/gallery-f87f4a5d0ea0.jpg) Roy Scheider — Roy_scheider_in_Krakow.jpg: Lukasz Figura (lucas figo), from Olsztyn, Poland derivative work: RanZag (talk), CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/33/Roy_Scheider_2007.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled) - ![Roy Scheider](https://film.one/media/person/59838/gallery-954d845569a1.jpg) Roy Scheider — Image via TMDB - ![Roy Scheider](https://film.one/media/person/59838/gallery-c4a326c0a50f.jpg) Roy Scheider — Image via TMDB - ![Roy Scheider](https://film.one/media/person/59838/gallery-7803a88ea766.jpg) Roy Scheider — Image via TMDB - ![Roy Scheider](https://film.one/media/person/59838/gallery-6edfdc660b9e.jpg) Roy Scheider — Image via TMDB - ![Roy Scheider](https://film.one/media/person/59838/gallery-52811059261d.jpg) Roy Scheider — Image via TMDB - ![Roy Scheider](https://film.one/media/person/59838/gallery-fb93d297cc96.jpg) Roy Scheider — Image via TMDB ## Awards ### Academy Awards — 0 won, 2 nominated - 1980: Best Actor (nominated), for *All That Jazz* - 1972: Best Supporting Actor (nominated), for *The French Connection* *From Wikidata, which records wins more completely than nominations.* --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/roy-scheider