JAWS star Robert Shaw’s brutally honest take on co-stars he couldn’t stand
Few actors possessed the combination of intelligence, sharp wit, and unfiltered honesty that made Robert Shaw such a compelling interview subject. Best remembered by Jaws fans as the grizzled shark hunter Quint, Shaw brought the same blunt authenticity to television appearances that he brought to the screen.
During a memorable conversation on The Dick Cavett Show, Shaw offered a fascinating glimpse into the realities of an actor's life — from exhausting work schedules and difficult costars to his growing dislike of city life and his dream retreat on Ireland's rugged west coast.
"When You're Working, It's Terrible"
At the time of the interview, Shaw was juggling an astonishing workload. He was overseeing a London production of his own play about a real 1819 conspiracy to assassinate the entire British Cabinet, acting in Harold Pinter's Old Times, and simultaneously filming scenes for a production about Lord Randolph Churchill.
The schedule had left him exhausted.
"I haven't slept for five days," Shaw admitted, describing the chaos of moving between rehearsals, performances, and film sets.
When Cavett asked whether it was worse for an actor to have too much work or too little, Shaw delivered one of the interview's most memorable lines:
"It's always bad either way. When you're working, it's terrible because you're usually doing rubbish. And when you're not working, it's worse."
It was classic Shaw — funny, cynical, and just truthful enough to make everyone laugh.
The Secret to Surviving a Costar You Can't Stand
The conversation turned to one of the less glamorous aspects of acting: sharing a stage or screen with someone you simply don't like.
Had it ever happened to him?
"Many times," Shaw replied without hesitation.
His solution was surprisingly simple.
Rather than letting personal feelings affect his performance, Shaw would imagine the offending actor was one of his own children.
"I always pretend that they're my children," he explained. "I've got nine children. I always pretend it's my favorite son or daughter."
The technique worked so well that audiences never suspected anything was wrong.
Shaw recalled one particularly famous actor he disliked but refused to identify publicly. Every time they appeared together on screen, Shaw said he smiled warmly at him as if he were his eldest son.
The audience erupted with laughter.
It was a perfect example of Shaw's professionalism: no public feuds, no gossip — just finding a way to make the work happen.
Knowing Instantly Who Likes You
Shaw also revealed what he considered his foolproof method for determining whether someone liked him.
"I know within two seconds now if a woman likes me or not," he said.
His test?
"If they like you, they laugh at your jokes. If they don't like you, they never do."
When Cavett joked that this theory might suggest Shaw's wife hated him, Shaw fired back with impeccable comic timing.
"My wife must hate me. She never laughs at me."
The exchange remains one of the funniest moments from the interview.
Escaping Hollywood and the Cities
Away from the stage and screen, Shaw described a life that couldn't have been further removed from celebrity culture.
After years of living in England — where he and his family planted thousands of apple trees — Shaw relocated to an isolated property on Ireland's west coast.
The location sounded almost mythical.
His home sat on 75 acres overlooking an enormous lake where massive brown trout swam in unpolluted waters. On misty days, he explained, you couldn't see another house or even the distant mountains. A mile-long drive separated the property from the outside world.
"I've grown to hate cities," Shaw admitted.
For a man who spent much of his life working in crowded studios and theaters, the solitude clearly held enormous appeal.
A Fearless Voice
The interview also touched on politics and the growing tensions surrounding Northern Ireland. Shaw spoke candidly about Britain's role in the conflict, expressing views that were controversial at the time.
Whether discussing politics, acting, or everyday life, Shaw displayed the quality that made him such a fascinating public figure: a refusal to hide behind rehearsed answers.
The Quint Connection
Fans of Jaws often remember Robert Shaw for Quint's unforgettable Indianapolis speech and his fierce on-screen presence. Yet interviews like this reveal another side of the actor — thoughtful, self-deprecating, witty, and often brutally honest.
The same intelligence and authenticity that made Quint one of cinema's greatest characters made Shaw one of television's most engaging guests.
Watching him trade jokes with Dick Cavett, it's easy to understand why Shaw remains such a beloved figure decades after his death.
He wasn't just a great actor.
He was a great storyteller.
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