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Susan Backlinie, an actress and stuntwoman who played the first person eaten by the shark in Jaws, has died.
Backlinie passed away at home in Ventura, California, on Saturday. She was 77 years old.
Matthew Templeton, her convention agent, confirmed the news.
โIt is with heartfelt regret to confirm our beloved Susan passed away this morning,โ he said.
โWe want to thank everyone who sent their condolences at this time.
โPlease respect the familyโs privacy during this difficult time.โ
She was best known for her role as Chrissie Watkins in Steven Spielbergโs 1975 movie Jaws.
At just 28 years old, the nationally ranked swimmer and professional diver played the memorable role of the skinny-dipping victim.
Before her big break in Hollywood, Backlinie worked with animals and water.
She worked as a mermaid at Floridaโs Weeki Wachee Springs tourist attraction and had experience with many wild animals, such as tigers and bears.
Backlinie was eager to take on her first movie role, knowing she could offer something unique that intrigued Spielberg.
โIf you hire me, you might get close-ups of the stunt itself,โ she reportedly told the director. โIf you hire an actress, sheโll have to cover her face.โ

โI went to stunts to find the perfect stuntwoman, and Susan was up to the task,โ Spielberg wrote in Laurent Bouzerauโs book Spielberg: The First Ten Years.
In a 2017 interview, Backlinie recalled a conversation with Spielberg before filming the iconic scene.
โThe first thing he said to me was, โWhen your scene is done, I want everyone under the seats with the popcorn and the bubblegum,โโ she told The Post.
Many people have paid tribute to the actress and stuntwoman on social media, especially highlighting her role in Jaws.
โSusan was a loving and kind person, and the Jaws community will miss her very much,โ said Jeffrey Kramer, who also worked with her on the film.
โShe has a special place in our hearts.โ
One fan wrote, โRest in peace to Susan Backlinie. Her Chrissie Watkins in โJawsโ had the most memorable tug on the leg in movie history.โ
Another fan shared, โShe has to go down in movie history,โ while a third said, โShe did an unbelievable job that made the whole world afraid of the ocean.โ

Many have described her with words like โscream queen legendโ and โclass act.โ
One fan even noted that her role fueled his lifelong interest in sharks.
โSusan will be remembered forever and immortalized as the first victim of the great white shark of Jaws fame,โ he wrote on The Daily Jaws.
โAs an 11-year-old, it sparked my fascination with GW sharks. Now at 61, I have cage dived in South Africa and Australia, recording over 29 different GW sharks. RIP Susan, thank you.โ




