Roy Scheider Biography

Actor Roy Scheider’s lean, lined face was a familiar sight on the big screen in the 1970s, thanks to blockbuster hits such as The French Connection, Jaws and All That Jazz.

Scheider made his professional debut on the New York stage in 1961, and his film debut in 1964.

After years of being a supporting player, Scheider’s turn as Gene Hackman‘s partner in The French Connection (1971) brought him an Oscar nomination, and his role as the reluctant cop in Jaws (1975) made him a household name.

Scheider played mostly New York tough guys, but his performance as a speed-fueled dancer in 1979’s All That Jazz won him an Oscar nomination for best actor (his character, Joe Gideon, was based on the personality of the film’s director, choreographer Bob Fosse).

Roy Scheider continued to appear in thrillers and action films in the 1980s, including Blue Thunder (1983), 2010 (1984’s sequel to Stanley Kubrick‘s 2001: A Space Odyssey) and 52 Pick-Up (1986).

Scheider in the 1990s was a rarely seen character actor on the big screen, but he starred in the science fiction TV series SeaQuest DSV from 1993 through 1995.

He continued to work steadily, although in lower budget films, until his death in 2008.

His other films include Marathon Man (1976, starring Dustin Hoffman), Sorcerer (1977), The Russia House (1991), Naked Lunch (1991, as Dr. Benway) and The Punisher (2004).