Robert Redford rubbed shoulders with the JAWS cast
Robert Redford, one of Hollywood’s most enduring screen legends, has died at the age of 89, passing away on September 16, 2025, at his home in Sundance, Utah, surrounded by loved ones.
During his life, Redford shared the screen with several notable actors — including two who are forever linked to JAWS. In 1973, Redford starred in The Sting, a stylish caper film directed by George Roy Hill that paired him once again - following Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid - with Paul Newman.
Among the supporting cast was Robert Shaw — later famous as Quint, the shark hunter in JAWS (1975).
In The Sting, which was also produced by Zanuck and Brown, Shaw played Doyle Lonnegan, the ruthless mob boss who becomes the target of Newman and Redford’s elaborate con. His performance added menace and tension to the film, creating a compelling foil to Redford’s con artist. The Sting went on to win seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture.
Later, in the 1980 prison drama Brubaker, Redford starred as warden Henry Brubaker, determined to expose corruption and inhumanity in a state prison. Among the ensemble was Murray Hamilton, best known as Mayor Larry Vaughn in JAWS.
Hamilton, once again directed by The Ammityville Horror's Stuart Rosenberg, played John Deach, a politician tangled up in the system Brubaker sought to reform. Though his role in Brubaker was more subdued compared to his iconic work in Spielberg's JAWS, it underscored his range and the depth he brought even to smaller parts.
Redford’s death marks the end of an era. Besides acting, he was a champion for independent film — founding the Sundance Institute and Festival, mentoring young filmmakers, and advocating for art that challenged the mainstream. As an actor, producer, director and an absolute icon, he'll be missed but forever alive on our screens.
Words by Dean Newman
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