Who Was Susan Backlinie? Everything About First Victim In Steven Spielberg's Jaws As She Passes Away At 77

Susan Backlinie, the stuntperson and actress who became the shark’s first victim in Steven Spielberg’s film Jaws, has died at 77.

By Marita Pinto

Published on May 13, 2024 | 01:31 PM IST | 164.6K

Image courtesy: Twitter/ Joe Fortunato @joefortunato

TRIGGER WARNING: This article contains references to an individual's death.

Susan Backlinie, who gained fame as the first victim in the 1975 movie Jaws, passed away at 77. Harvey Swindall, her husband, said the death was very unexpected. She suffered a heart attack on Saturday morning and passed away at their California home.

Ms. Backlinie is most remembered for her role as Chrissie Watkins, a skinny dipper who races down the beach and jumps into the water for a moonlight swim in Steven Spielberg's 1975 film Jaws.

Susan Backlinie rose to fame after Jaws

In the scene, she is abruptly dragged beneath the sea, shattering the serene scene. She screams as a great white shark that isn't there batters her viciously and attempts desperately to hang on to a ringing buoy, only to be dragged under the sea one more time.

The Jaws crew discovered Backlinie while she was filming on location in Canada with a tiger. Backlinie told Spielberg, "If you use me, you could get close-ups during the stunt itself. If you use an actress, she’ll have to hide her face."

Who was Susan Backlinie?

Backlinie had resided in West Palm Beach, Florida, since age ten, swimming in neighborhood pools and miles off the shore. She was a state champion freestyle swimmer and a cheerleader in high school. She later relocated to California after giving mermaid performances at Weeki Wachee Springs State Park, a popular tourist destination on Florida's west coast.

She worked as an animal trainer in addition to being a stuntwoman, with a focus on swimming roles. She was employed in Ventura, California, as a computer accountant in her last few years. She performed on stage with Gentle Ben, the bear who would co-star with Dennis Weaver and Clint Howard on the 1967–1969 CBS sitcom, while on a national tour with Tors.

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