Legendary Director Jeannot Szwarc Passes Away at 85: Jaws 2, Supergirl, and More

Shortly following the death of esteemed filmmaker David Lynch, the cinematic community finds itself grieving yet another loss.

As a devoted admirer, I’m saddened to share that the distinguished French filmmaker, Jeannett Szwarc, who is renowned for his works like Jaws 2 and Supergirl, has sadly passed away at the age of 85.

The actress known as Jane Seymour, famously featured in the 1980 movie “Somewhere In Time” alongside Christopher Reeve and Christopher Plummer, announced the news on her Instagram account.

Today, we bid farewell to a genuine visionary. Jeannot Szwarc wasn’t merely a gifted filmmaker, but also a compassionate and benevolent individual, as Seymour expressed in a heartfelt Instagram post on Wednesday.

She remarked, “He gave us numerous enduring tales, among them was the movie ‘Somewhere in Time,’ which has left an indelible impact on me for all time.

‘May his memory be a blessing, and may his artistry live on in our hearts,’ the actress concluded.

Film producer Jeffrey Kramer additionally posted an old photo of the director, accompanied by a touching message of remembrance.

‘Farewell, dearest Jeannott Szwarc, one of the most gifted individuals I had the pleasure of knowing.’ He expressed this sentiment.

Born on November 21, 1939, in the city of lights – Paris, I spent my formative years in Argentina. Later, with a burning passion for understanding politics, I pursued and earned a Master’s degree in Political Science from the prestigious Harvard University.

After spending time in Paris, where he worked for a production company on both documentaries and commercials, he eventually went back to the United States.

Starting from the late 1960s, he embarked on a career as a freelance screenwriter. His initial works were credited in two episodes of the series ‘Ironside’, in 1967 and 1969 respectively.

Additionally, he first stepped into the role of director for Ironside, and subsequently directed It Takes a Thief, Paris 2000, The Virginian, Marcus Welby M.D., among several other productions.

After that, the filmmaker moved on to direct television films, and it was not until 1973 with the release of Extreme Close-Up that he made his feature film debut. This movie also happened to be the first screenplay written by Michael Crichton.

The Six Million Dollar Man), The New Adventures of Perry Mason, and The Rockford Files.

After Steven Spielberg, Szwarz assumed control for the 1978 sequel Jaws 2. Following this, he directed the 1980 film Somewhere in Time.

He produced the movies “Enigma” (1982) featuring Martin Sheen and Sam Neill, “Supergirl” (1984) with Helen Slater, Faye Dunaway, and Peter O’Toole, as well as “Santa Claus: The Movie” in 1985.

He frequently came back to films with “Honor Bound” and “Hercule & Sherlock,” but for most part, he dedicated the remainder of his career to television.

This individual has previously overseen episodes for television series such as Ally McBeal, Heroes, Smallville, Fringe, Supernatural. More recently, his work can be found in an episode of Designated Survivor from 2017 and a 2019 episode of Grey’s Anatomy.

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2025-01-17 10:03

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