Where is…the Shark from Jaws?

Unlike the Partridge Family Bus, I had better luck on this one. The story on the mechanical sharks they used…approximately 25 feet long is clear.

Everyone knows the great 1975 movie Jaws that made people think twice about going into the water. The movie stands up today. They had no CGI back then and had to use a mechanical shark for the scenes. All together they used 3 of them. All of them malfunctioned but they called all three of them “Bruce” after Steven Spielberg’s lawyer, Bruce Ramer.

When the movie was over they dumped all three fake sharks on the backlot and let them rot away…however they kept the mold and made a fourth Bruce out of fiberglass and hung him up at Universal Studios in 1976. It stayed there until 1990, that is when Universal cut him down and sent him away to the junkyard.

Image result for bruce the shark universal studios

The junkyard (U Pick Parts) owner Sam Adlen didn’t consider Bruce junk and mounted him on poles until 2016 at his junkyard. Sam had died but his son Nathan Adlen sold the business and donated Bruce to the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures.

No photo description available.

Bruce mounted at the junkyard

Greg Nicotero had been a Jaws fan since the day he watched the movie with his mom in 1975. He had his picture taken with “Bruce” at Universal Studios in 1976 before Bruce’s journey to the Junkyard. He had been inspired to be a special effects person because of it. He took the job of restoring Bruce to his former glory.

The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures plans to unveil Bruce to the public soon. Although this Bruce wasn’t in the movie he was the last made of the original mold.

Image result for bruce the shark jaws restored

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Author: Badfinger (Max)

Power Pop fan, Baseball, Beatles, Alternative music, old movies, and tv show fan. Also anything to do with pop culture in the 60s and 70s... I'm also a songwriter, bass and guitar player. Not the slightest bit interested in politics at all.

17 thoughts on “Where is…the Shark from Jaws?”

    1. Thank You Pam…I wonder stuff like this all of the time… i just can’t help it. I thought I might as well search.

      It is a shame! At that time I guess they had no clue.

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  2. I bet that would be a great museum to visit. I remember reading the book before seeing the movie. Each have their good points, but seeing the shark in the movie really brought it to life for me.

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      2. That is a good one also.
        Oh I saw The Irishman last night. Love the actors but it could have used some edits to me…I’m going to watch it again and see if I change my mind.

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      3. I saw most of the Irishman a few weeks back and I was very disappointed to put it mildly. I don’t even have any desires to go back and finish it.
        I saw ‘Judy’ at the theaters yesterday. I thought it was really good. I’d be surprised if Renee Zellweger doesn’t get best actress for this.

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      4. For me the best thing about The Irishman is Al Pacino.
        Thats the movie about Garland right? I do want to see that.

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      6. That whole period interests me… My wife’s dad was in the Teamsters in the 60s and 70s…it was close to what he told me about.

        Garland was a sad case…

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    1. Thank you… I sometimes have shallow thoughts. I always think when I see a show or something…I wonder where that car, chair, guitar is now?

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