Former Jaws child actor becomes chief of police has been an arresting story the world over

It's only May and it looks like we might already have the Jaws story of the year, with the announcement that former Jaws child actor Jonathan Searle has been announced as the new chief of police for Oaks Bluff  which is part of Martha's Vineyard.

The Vineyard was of course where Jaws was filmed in 1974, ahead of  its release the following year in June. The rest, as they say, is history.

As we reported - along with the likes of the New York Post, The Independent and The Daily Mail and seemingly everyone else in between - Searle, had played one of the boys hoaxing the town and scaring up the beach with a cardboard fin. A marked difference to where his future career took him, essentially taking on the same role as Chief Brody (Roy Scheider) in Jaws.

Photo credit Jeanna Shepard for Vineyard Gazette

Not bad coverage for a film that is chasing 50 and an actor who was only in that one short scene.

Dean Newman,  head of content at The Daily Jaws, the world's number one Jaws site, penned their version of the story.

He said: "The excitement around this story has been amazing, it is easy to see why Jaws fans have been enchanted by how a young islander who featured in the film briefly has now gone on to become the Real Chief Brody. It is a little like life imitating art.

"And I think that is why the rest of the world's media has latched on the story, it just has a nice symmetry and payoff. It just shows that the power and influence of Jaws is as strong today as it was back in 1975.

“Whether it has been this, The Shark Is Broken play in the West End with the son of Robert Shaw, or the shark from Jaws taking pride of place in the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures. Jaws is all around, circling us more than ever before."

The Daily Jaws has even featured in some of that coverage, with its own article being quoted in the likes of ScreenCrush, Boston.com and WFUV.

Searle begins his position as chief in June, here's hoping he has a quiet fourth of July weekend. Perhaps any dogs named Pipit and yellow inflatables should be banned, just to be on the safe side.

Words by Dean Newman

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