Take a Bite Out Of This: Behind the Scenes Facts About Jaws

Richard Dreyfuss and Robert Shaw Butted Heads

Photo Credit: Universal Studios

It was not a rarity for Robert Shaw to be drunk during the filming of Jaws. His constant drinking and drunken behavior led him to butt heads with Richard Dreyfuss. At one point, Shaw announced to the crew that he wanted to stop drinking. In response, Dreyfuss grabbed the current glass of alcohol from Shaw’s hand and threw it off of the ship.

This led to even more tension between the two. That was only one particular instance during filming, but the two were known to always be at each other’s throat. The hot weather, mechanical failures, and constantly being in close quarters on a boat certainly didn’t help either.