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

The Shark’s Name Was Bruce

Photo Credit: Universal Studios

During the process of shooting, the giant mechanical shark was given the nickname “Bruce.” Bruce Ramer is a prominent lawyer in Los Angeles and was Spielberg’s at the time, so the crew jokingly named the shark Bruce, and it stuck. Apparently, both of the Bruces gave Spielberg an exceptionally tough time during filming, but the shark more so than the lawyer.

The crew often referred to the shark as “the big white turd” and other more explicit names. If a great white shark named Bruce sounds familiar, it’s because Pixar gave a nod to Spielberg and named the shark in Finding Nemo Bruce.