Latest news with #sharkattack
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘Jaws' at 50: Jeffrey ‘Deputy Hendricks' Kramer recalls ‘horrific' first scene and an epic Roy Scheider flub
Move over Helen of Troy. Fifty years ago, Jeffrey Kramer became the face that launched a trio of shark hunters on that famously not-big-enough boat, the Orca. Released on June 20, 1975, Steven Spielberg's Jaws holds bragging rights as Hollywood's first contemporary summer blockbuster, generating massive box-office returns and waves of movie-based merchandise. And Kramer can boast to being the first actor in the four film Jaws-verse to react to the gruesome remains of a shark attack victim. More from GoldDerby Ryan Murphy and the JFK Jr.-Carolyn Bessette controversy, explained: Why 'American Love Story' Instagram post got so much hate Everything to know about 'The Pitt' Season 2 'The Daily Show' leads Best Talk Series Emmy odds amid outrage over the low number of available slots As Amity Island's Deputy Leonard "Jeff" Hendricks (more on those two names later), the actor is first on the scene the morning after the titular great white sinks its jaws into its first piece of human prey, a nude night swimmer named Chrissie. While Hendricks' boss — water-avoidant police chief Martin Brody (Roy Scheider) — approaches, Kramer's horrified face dominates the foreground, his hand at his mouth in shock and his eyes wide with terror. That expression single-handedly establishes the stakes of the movie — and telegraphs the thrills and jump scares to come. "Hendricks is the audiences' eyes and ears," Kramer, now 79, confirms to Gold Derby. "He reacts with the same revulsion viewers had in the theater. And none of us have swam in the ocean the same way since!" Kramer credits Spielberg and the Jaws crew with giving him something revolting to react to in that moment. A bloody severed arm — of the artificial variety, mind you—was buried in the sand as real crabs clambered all over it. "It was pretty horrific," recalls Kramer, who grew up visiting the beaches that wrap around Martha's Vineyard, the Massachusetts island retreat where the problem-plagued production was filmed over the course of five very long months. Of course, Kramer had another good reason for feeling queasy. His crucial reaction shot was filmed on the very first day of his very first major studio production. "There were a lot of firsts happening," he says with a hearty laugh. "I was so nervous, I probably could have thrown up for real!" Derek Storm/Everett Collection Kramer's all-too-human response is one of the many grounded grace notes that makes Jaws an endlessly rewatchable character study in addition to being an eminently re-playable thrill machine. Five decades on, Kramer — who still wears his Amity Police cap every day, including during this interview — says that his association with Jaws reaps more valuable rewards than the $10,000 fee that Quint (Robert Shaw) received for piloting the Orca out to open water with Brody and Matt Hooper (Richard Dreyfuss) in tow. "I got stopped by a cop in Sherman Oaks once for running a stop sign," he recalls. "I apologized, and he said, 'Why are you wearing that hat?' I told him, 'Oh, I played the deputy in Jaws.' He let me go and said: 'I love that movie — don't run that stop sign again.'" To celebrate the golden anniversary of Spielberg's classic shark tale, Kramer shared five stories from the sets of Jaws and its 1978 sequel, Jaws 2. Consider this your essential summer beach reading. Talk about your temperamental movie stars. Due respect to the trio of Scheider, Shaw, and Dreyfuss, but Jaws' main attraction was a mechanical shark named Bruce — and he famously didn't like performing on command. Bruce's various breakdowns and no-shows have long since become the stuff of Hollywood legend, and Kramer can attest to their veracity. Universal Pictures/Everett Collection "The first time I ever saw the shark, it was supposed to surface, but instead it just sank," he remembers. "Sometimes they'd be rolling three cameras, and there wouldn't be a foot of film that they could use." The upshot of Bruce's unreliability is that Kramer ended up with more screen time. "They needed to keep shooting something,' he laughs. 'So, my part blessedly got a little bigger." Meanwhile, watching Spielberg roll with the shark's various punches gave him an early crash course in set management — a lesson Kramer took with him later in life when he moved behind the camera as a producer on such shows as The Practice and Chicago Hope. "I always found him to be a kind, decent and talented man," Kramer says of the two-time Oscar winner. "There was so much on his shoulders, but he knew what he wanted, and he let you get there — but also helped you along the way." As an example of how Spielberg would allow the actors find their own way through a scene, Kramer points to a moment early on in Jaws where Brody and Hendricks are busying themselves as a battalion of fisherman descend on Amity in the hopes of being shark slayers. While Hendricks stands on the dock observing the action, Brody is inside a shack speaking hurriedly into the phone. As he hangs up, he throws a handful of debris at the window to catch his deputy's attention and motions for him to come inside. Universal Pictures/Everett Collection Kramer says that bit of business was improvised by Schieder on the day of filming. "It was a better entry into the scene than just having me walk through the door," he explains. "It also adds to the characters a little bit. Hendricks is such a happy guy, and he loves the island, so he's a little suspicious of all the outsiders showing up." Some of those outsiders do eventually catch a shark — though it's not the one that's responsible for all the mayhem. A tiger shark is hoisted on the dock as Amity's tourist-minded mayor, Larry Vaughn (Murray Hamilton), prematurely declares the crisis over. Kramer says that the body of a real tiger shark was used for that scene, flown in directly from Florida, due to the absence of that particular species from Massachusetts waters. "They flew it up in a box filled with ice and every night after shooting they'd put it back in the box," he says now. "After three days, it smelled so bad! But we still had to smile and pretend that it didn't." Speaking of funky smells, Kramer recalls a particularly fragrant night out with Hamilton during the production of Jaws 2. As with the first film, the sequel wound up being a much longer shoot than anticipated… like nine months longer. Universal Pictures/Everett Collection Fortunately, Kramer and Hamilton had become fast friends during their first extended go-around on the Vineyard and knew how to put all that extra time on the island to good use — namely, lots of late nights at local watering holes. After one of those last-call lost evenings, the duo made their way back to their hotel when Hamilton decided to stop and pet a stray cat that had crossed their path. There was just one problem — that nighttime critter wasn't a cat. "It was a skunk!" Kramer exclaims, cringing at the sense memory. "Murray got full-on skunked! When we got to the hotel, he refused to go to his room and ended up sleeping on the couch in the lobby. By the next morning, that place was almost uninhabitable." Despite the olfactory offense, Kramer has nothing but fond memories of Hamilton, who passed away in 1986. "We shared a dressing room, and Murray used to keep a bottle of gin in my boot,' he says wistfully. 'Those movies took so long to shoot that you tended to make lifelong friends." You're not crazy: Deputy Hendricks really does go by Leonard or "Lenny" in the first Jaws. But in a key scene in Jaws 2, Brody calls him Jeff — a Scheider flub that ended up in the finished film. Universal Pictures/Everett Collection It's not unlike the infamous moment in Star Wars: A New Hope when a post-trench run Luke Skywalker triumphantly climbs out of his X-Wing and bellows, "Carrie!" — as in Carrie Fisher — instead of "Leia." (For the record, Mark Hamill has strenuously declared himself innoncent in the name-blame game.) "Roy called me Jeff in the scene and how it ended up staying in there, I'll never know," Kramer sighs. "It's such an oversight; I never imagined that they'd leave it in." The blatant flub might be indictive of Scheider's general disinterest in being part of Jaws 2. Kramer says that the actor was contractually obligated to headline the sequel, for which neither Spielberg nor Dreyfuss returned. Scheider fulfilled his contract, but his mind was clearly on other things — like soaking in the beach rays. "Roy got so tan in the movie, he had to be color-corrected in the final mix," Kramer says, chuckling. "He loved the sun — he sat out there all the time with a reflector and a G-string." (Scheider died in 2008 at age 75.) For a hot minute, it looked like Scheider was going to lose a deputy going into Jaws 2 as well. Kramer recalls that he turned down the movie after original director, John D. Hancock, created a partner for Hendricks who got all of the best lines. "But then Hancock got fired, and they brought in Jeannot Szwarc," Kramer explains. "Jeannot said, 'What happened to the deputy who was in the first movie? I liked him.' They brought me back and I was so grateful." During the course of Jaws 2, Hendricks becomes Amity's police chief after Brody is stripped of that title courtesy of his shark obsession. And even though the ex-chief ultimately saves the island again, Kramer believes that Brody let his deputy keep the badge. "I think Brody said, 'Get me off of this island!'" laughs Kramer. "'If I'm going to live here, I'm just going to go to the beach — I don't want to deal with sharks anymore.'" Universal Pictures/Everett Collection It's worth noting that 1987's Jaws: The Revenge revealed that Brody died of a heart attack in between movies. Kramer says he wasn't asked back for that notoriously awful fourth and final installment and wouldn't have wanted to return anyway. "Even I knew when to stop," he jokes. But that doesn't mean he's stopped thinking about his alter ego. Kramer says that he believes Hendricks remains a devoted Amity islander to this day, starting a family and maybe even taking his own adult kid on as the department's newest deputy. (In 2018, Hendricks starred in his own independent comic book that took the character in a more fantastical direction.) Not for nothing, but a Chief Hendricks cameo would be ideal fodder for an all-new Jaws sequel or reboot, although Kramer doesn't expect either to happen anytime soon. "Jaws will never get remade," he vows. "Nowadays they just want these kinds of movies to be bigger and it takes you out of any essence of reality." "Steven captured the fear of the primordial and the depths of the unknown, and inspired a generation of filmmakers," Kramer continues. "As time goes by, you appreciate Jaws more and more." Best of GoldDerby Tom Cruise movies: 17 greatest films ranked worst to best 'It was wonderful to be on that ride': Christian Slater talks his beloved roles, from cult classics ('Heathers,' 'True Romance') to TV hits ('Mr. Robot,' 'Dexter: Original Sin') 'It almost killed me': Horror maestro Mike Flanagan looks back at career-making hits from 'Gerald's Game' to 'Hill House' to 'Life of Chuck' Click here to read the full article.
Fox News
5 hours ago
- Health
- Fox News
Two shark attacks reported in separate vacation hotspots as summer beach season starts
A South Carolina beachgoer is lucky to be alive after walking away with serious injuries from a suspected shark attack earlier this week. The incident reportedly occurred off the coast of the south end of Hilton Head Island on Tuesday, a Hilton Head Island Fire Rescue official confirmed to Fox News Digital. "The incident involved a patient with a leg injury consistent with lacerations typically associated with a shark bite," the department said in a statement. Local rescue crews were dispatched to beach marker 24 in Sea Pines Beach at approximately 12:07 p.m. regarding reports of a medical emergency. Firefighters and lifeguards subsequently treated the victim at the scene before transporting her to Hilton Head Island Airport, where she was then airlifted to a local facility in Savannah for further medical treatment. Local officials declined Fox News Digital's request for information regarding the victim's identity and condition, citing privacy regulations. The attack comes just days after a 9-year-old girl was bitten by a shark on Florida's Gulf Coast, according to Fox 13. Leah Lendel was enjoying a snorkeling trip with her family in Boca Grande on June 11 when a shark bit her hand, the outlet reported. The injuries left her hand "hanging by a little piece of skin," a witness reportedly said. Lendel was pulled from the water by a nearby construction crew and airlifted to Tampa General Hospital, where she underwent surgery involving artery grafts, bone reconstruction and nerve repair. "I didn't see anything," Lendel said at a news conference Thursday. "I was just snorkeling and I went up to breathe, then something hard bit me and it tried to take me away. Then I pick up my hand and it's all in blood. Then, I started screaming with my mom. And then, my dad was with me. He picked me up, then we ran to the road. Doctors were able to save Lendel's hand, a feat they partially credit to how "clean" the bite was. "The shark's teeth are so sharp that the cut through the wrist is clean and not jagged, and it doesn't ruin all the tissue," Dr. Alfred Hess said. Lendel anticipates she will return to the water once she has made a full recovery. "She's done a fantastic job, I can already tell you," Dr. Joshua Linnell said. "I just keep looking over at those fingers because we worked hard on that." Lendel's family did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.
The Sun
10 hours ago
- Health
- The Sun
Girl, 9, recalls moment she ‘picked up hand' & ‘started screaming' in horror shark attack as dad says ‘miracle' happened
Emma Crabtree, Weekend US Editor Published: Invalid Date, THE nine-year-old girl has recalled the moment her hand was almost torn off in a savage shark attack while snorkeling with her mom. Leah Lendel underwent a six-hour surgery to repair her hand that was left "hanging by skin" after she was mauled by an eight-foot shark off Boca Grande beach in Florida on June 11. 9 9 9 9 "Something hard bit me and then tried to tug me away," she said at a news conference at Tampa General Hospital. While flanked by her parents and doctors, Leah recalled how she and her mom started screaming when they realized what happened. "I didn't see anything. I was just snorkeling," she said. "I went up to breathe. And then, something hard bit me and tried to take me away. "Then I pick up my hand and is all in blood. I start screaming with my mom". Nadia, Leah's mom, told reporters how she thought her daughter had lost a limb, saying "It was really, really bad" and that she didn't think her daughter "was going to have a hand." "It's some sort of miracle that now she has a hand," she added. "There was so much blood in the water right next to me, in an instant I knew it's a shark attack," Nadia said, adding that her daughter's "instincts kicked in". Leah ran out of the water where she was picked up by her dad and taken to the road where people rushed to help. "We [saw] that little girl come out from the water with no hand, it was... like everybody was in shock," eyewitness Alfonso Tello who was on a lunch break at the beach told NBC-affiliate WBBH. Shark attack reported at popular US beach as victim rushed to hospital just weeks after 1,600lb beast spotted in state One horrified beach goer who ran to Leah told CBS-affiliate WINK that her hand "was hanging but this whole thing was completely hanging out. You can see bones all completely red". A frantic 911 call revealed how those nearby wrapped towels around Leah's hand that was "completely destroyed" and put her arm in a tourniquet to stem the bleeding. Within four minutes, responders from the Boca Grande Fire Department were on scene and she was flown two hours to Tampa General. MIRACLE WORKERS Leah's doctors told reporters how there was a six-hour window for them to save her hand from the moment she was mauled by the shark. Statement from Leah Lendel's family following the shark attack Nine-year-old Leah experienced a terrifying and life-altering event. Her family has issued the following statement following the suspected bull shark attack in Boca Grande, Florida: "We want to say Thank You to everyone that is praying for our sweet Leah. "We are thankful for the quick response of everyone that was on scene, the construction workers, residents that ran out to help and the first responders and to all the Doctors/Nurses that are doing everything to help our girl. "Yesterday Leah had an extensive surgery on her hand (wrist & fingers). "The Doctors, were able to get blood flow to her hand and fingers. "She is showing some movement in two fingers but can't feel the rest. "The doctors will be doing another procedure tomorrow to see if there is anything else that needs to be done. "The fact that Leah has all her fingers attached is already a testimony. "From witnessing her wrist hanging on by just the skin, to have blood flow in all of her hand and fingers is truly a miracle. "Please keep praying for our family, our God is a miracle worker." Less than an hour after she arrived at the hospital, she was in surgery where they had to stabilize the bone and take blood vessels from her leg to help restore blood flow to her hand. "I was trying to hold myself together, Leah's dad Jay said. "I think I was crying more than she was." An x-ray of her hand shows how the skin, muscles, and bones in her hand were severed almost all the way across the middle. Doctors called the fact it was a shark bite a "curse and a blessing". 9 9 Their sharp teeth mean the cut was clean and not jagged, meaning there was "good tissue to work with and put back together in a timely fashion," Dr Alfred Hess said. Leah will still need physical therapy and to have the pins in her hand removed but her parents say they are "just thankful for everybody". "I didn't think it was possible because I was holding her hand in my hand and I didn't think there was any chance at all of saving it," he said. "I'm so thankful to the surgeons for making such a miracle." "I'm just very thankful she's alive," Jay added. Leah said could not wait to start "playing with all my siblings" once her wounds healed. Her family launched a GoFundMe page to help with her recovery which has received over $47,700 at the time of writing. This week, another shark attack was reported at a popular US beach and a 12-year-old girl was mauled by a 12ft alligator while playing in shallow water with her friends. 9 9
Yahoo
21 hours ago
- Health
- Yahoo
9-year-old shark attack survivor speaks out
Leah Lendel describes what she remembers from the terrifying moment when she was snorkeling in Boca Grande, Florida and felt something bite her earlier this month. Her family says they thought Leah would lose her hand. She was airlifted to Tampa General Hospital for care. Today a shark was spotted at a Fort Lauderdale Beach near swimmers. NBC News' Morgan Chesky reports.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Health
- Yahoo
9-year-old Florida girl whose hand was nearly bitten off by shark recalls attack: 'I start screaming'
A 9-year-old girl in Florida is recovering from surgery after a shark nearly bit her hand off while she was snorkeling on a beach off Boca Grande last week. Leah Lendel spoke about that terrifying moment on Thursday during a press conference at the Tampa General Hospital, where she received treatment. "I didn't see anything. I was just snorkeling," Leah said. "I went up to breathe. And then, something hard bit me and tried to take me away." "Then I pick up my hand and is all in blood," Leah recalled. "I start screaming with my mom." Leah's mother, Nadia Lendel, said she didn't think her daughter "was going to have a hand' after seeing the injury. 'It was really, really bad,' Nadia said, her voice breaking. "It's some sort of miracle that now she has a hand.' Dr. Alfred Hess, one of the orthopedic surgeons who treated Leah, said that throughout his career he has seen several animal injuries from alligators to lions and shark bites. 'A shark injury is both a curse and a blessing. In this case, because the shark's teeth are so sharp, the cut through the wrist is clean and not jagged. It doesn't ruin all the tissue. So, we have good tissue to work with and put it back together in a timely fashion,' Hess said. Timing was of the essence for doctors to save Leah's hand. Dr. Joshua Linnell, another orthopedic surgeons who treated Leah, said the key is to see patients "before the six hour mark" because after that "they start losing muscle tissue." Jay Lendel, Leah's father, was also with her when the shark attack happened. After seeing Leah's hand nearly bitten off, Jay picked his daughter up and ran to the road, searching for help. 'I also didn't think it was possible because I was holding her hand in my hand and I didn't think there was any chance at all of saving it," Jay said. "I'm so thankful to the surgeons for making such a miracle.' While at the hospital recovering from her injury, Leah received periodic visits from Belle, a golden retriever who works at the Tampa General Hospital as its official facility dog, providing emotional support to young patients. 'She always came to lick me and play with me,' Leah said. Her mother, Nadia, said Leah would always ask when Belle was coming to visit and would tell her older sisters all about it. At the press conference, Leah showed up with a Carter pillow, or as Dr. Linell's patients like to call it, "the cheese pillow." It helps patients with upper limb injuries keep their hand elevated to prevent swelling during their recovery. "She's done a fantastic job, I can already tell you," Linell said. As Leah's long road to recovery continues, the girl said she can't wait until her hand is healed, so she can go back to "playing with all my siblings." This article was originally published on
