The Brody Bunch: The actors who played Michael and Sean Brody in the JAWS movies
Hello, Islanders!
As the 36th Anniversary of JAWS THE REVENGE passes, I thought it would be fun to take a look at the Brody boys and the actors that portrayed them.
JAWS
If you’ve read Peter Benchley’s novel, you know that there were originally three Brody children – Martin, Jr., Michael, and Sean. Somewhere between page and screen, the Brody brood was trimmed down to a family of four, with sons Michael and Sean joining their mother and father.
Michael: The oldest Brody boy was played by Martha’s Vineyard local Chris Rebello. Here Michael is around 11 or 12-years old, celebrating a birthday during the film. Rebello actually celebrated his 11th birthday during the filming. It is the attack on the Estuary victim, which Michael witnesses, that is the impetus for Brody finally getting Quint hired. Michael also is the inspiration for a long-time JAWS debate of whether, at the hospital, Michael asks his mother to bring him coffee or coffee ice cream? The correct answer is coffee ice cream. Rebello went on to become an assistant football coach at Martha’s Vineyard High School. Sadly, he passed away on November 30th, 2000 after suffering a heart attack while hunting.
Sean: Younger son Sean was also played by a local boy, 6-year-old Jay Mello. Here, Sean is the typical little brother, always trying to tag along with his big brother. His most memorable scene is when, at the dinner table with his father, he begins to mimic his father’s actions. Like Chris Rebello, JAWS is Mello’s only film role. He currently lives with his family in Vermont.
JAWS 2
Due to the amazing success of the first film, Universal soon put a sequel into production. However, the script dictated that the Brody boys, especially Michael, be a little older then either Chris Rebello and Jay Mello. So, as with the rest of the film series, they went with established actors to play the parts.
Michael: A tall and good looking 17-year-old, Michael Brody is one of a collection of teenagers that love to sail boats and drink beer. While the last part may seem illicit, you need to know that, until 1984, the age required to drink alcohol in the United States was 18. Yes, technically when Polo tells the group that he found a couple of cases of beer in his father’s garage he was being a naughty boy, it doesn’t seem as big a deal knowing they were only a year away from being legal and not four.
Michael was originally scheduled to be played by Tegan West, who was chosen for the role of Michael by original JAWS 2 director John D. Hancock. After Hancock was replaced, the part was recast, with Michael Brody now being played by actor Mark Gruner, who was 18 when the film went into production. At the time of filming, Gruner’s credits included roles on “The Brady Bunch” and “Dan August.” JAWS 2 was his last role. Mark currently lives in California and is a very accomplished outdoorsman.
Sean: Like Michael Brody, the role of Sean was also originally filled by another actor, Ricky Schroder. It was during the break in filming after Hancock was let go that 10-year-old Marc Gilpin was brought in to read for new director Jeannot Szwarc. Liking what he saw, Szwarc replaced Schroder with Gilpin, whose plays Sean as a true little brother, tagging along at the worse possible time. This was the first time, but certainly not the last, time that Gilpin and Schroder’s paths would cross.
Gilpin was a finalist to play the role of T.J., the young son of the title character in THE CHAMP when at the last minute Schroder got the role, presumably because he more resembled Jackie Cooper, the actor that had played T.J. in the original 1931 version. Several years later, Gilpin was signed for a recurring role on “Silver Spoons,” a popular television show starring Schroder. Rumor has it that when Ricky Schroder’s mom discovered that the new kid was the same actor that had replaced her son on JAWS 2, the recurring part become a one episode job.
Gilpin came from a family of actors. His sister April played the little girl that calls out the shark tower in JAWS 2 while another sister, Peri, played Roz on the long running television show “Frasier.” Marc currently lives with his family in Texas.
JAWS 3-D
This installment finds the oldest Brody son putting the shark experiences of his youth behind him as he now works as an engineer at the Florida based Sea World. He is soon visited by his younger brother, Sean, who is immediately smitten by a beautiful member of the water skiing team.
Michael: Now a responsible adult, Michael is played by Dennis Quaid, whose resume’ needs no introduction. However, as the film progresses, Michael becomes more and more animated, allegedly fueled by the rampant drug use on the set. Quaid has gone on to an amazing 40-year career that continues today and is, in this writer’s opinion, criminally without a single Academy Award nomination.
Sean: Young and out to sow his wild oats, this version of Sean Brody is, in my opinion, pretty annoying. He is played by John Putch, the son of producer/director John Putch and Emmy Award winning actress Jean Stapleton. JAWS 3D was his first feature film, following several appearances on television, including “All in the Family.” He continues to act today and has also become an award winning filmmaker.
JAWS THE REVENGE
The final (hopefully) installment in the series, this one finds both Brody boys tangling with sharks, with much different outcomes.
MICHAEL: Now living in the Bahamas with his wife and daughter, Michael Brody spends his days in the water, currently researching conch shells. However, unbeknownst to him, a Great White Shark with a presumed vendetta against his family, is about to face the Brody’s in a final showdown. Here Michael is played by Lance Guest, who at the time was probably best known for his starring role in the film THE LAST STARFIGHTER. His Michael is now a family man, especially after the deaths of his father and brother make him, by default, the head of the family. Guest worked steadily through 2001, and today still takes the occasional role. He will turn age 63 on July 21st.
Sean: Now all grown up and responsible, Sean Brody has followed in his father’s footsteps and is now a Deputy for the Amity P.D. As luck would have it, he is called to investigate something floating in the water and is attacked and killed by a shark. Sean is played by Mitchell Anderson, who had made numerous appearances on film and television prior to JAWS THE REVENGE.
Apparently the filmmakers no longer were concerned about the ages of the Brody boys, as Anderson is only a year younger than Lance Guest. He continued to work steadily after the film, including recurring roles in “Doogie Howser M.D.” and “Party of Five.”
Words by Michael A Smith. Michael is co-author of Jaws 2: The Making Of The Hollywood Sequel. You can order the book by contacting Michael at OsFanMike@aol.com.
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