Jeannot Szwarc - French director of Jaws 2 - passes away at 85
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Just hours after beloved director David Lynch passed away, the filmmaking world is in mourning once again.

French filmmaker Jeannot Szwarc – best known for films such as Jaws 2 and Supergirl – passed away at 85.

Actress Jane Seymour, who starred in his 1980 film Somewhere In Time with Christopher Reeve and Christopher Plummer – revealed the news on Instagram.

‘Today, we say goodbye to a true visionary. Jeannot Szwarc was not just a brilliant director but a kind and generous soul,’ Seymour began in an Instagram post on Wednesday. 

‘He gifted us many timeless stories, including Somewhere in Time, a film that changed my life forever,’ she added. 

‘May his memory be a blessing, and may his artistry live on in our hearts,’ the actress concluded.

Just hours after beloved director David Lynch passed away, the filmmaking world is in mourning once again

Just hours after beloved director David Lynch passed away, the filmmaking world is in mourning once again

French filmmaker Jeannot Szwarc - best known for films such as Jaws 2 and Supergirl - passed away at 85.

French filmmaker Jeannot Szwarc – best known for films such as Jaws 2 and Supergirl – passed away at 85.

Actress Jane Seymour, who starred in his 1980 film Somewhere In Time with Christopher Reeve and Christopher Plummer - revealed the news on Instagram

Actress Jane Seymour, who starred in his 1980 film Somewhere In Time with Christopher Reeve and Christopher Plummer – revealed the news on Instagram

'May his memory be a blessing, and may his artistry live on in our hearts,' the actress concluded

‘May his memory be a blessing, and may his artistry live on in our hearts,’ the actress concluded

Film producer Jeffrey Kramer also shared a throwback snap of the director alongside a heartfelt tribute.

‘RIP my dear JEANNOT SZWARC One of the finest most talented souls I was privileged to know!’ he said.

The filmmaker was born November 21, 1939 in Paris, spending his early years in Argentina before earning a Masters degree in political science from Harvard.

He returned to Paris, working for a production company on documentaries and commercials before returning back to the United States.

He began working as a freelance screenwriter in the late 1960s, with his first writing credits on a pair of Ironside episodes in 1967 and 1969. 

He also made his directorial debut on Ironside, which he followed with It Takes a Theif, Paris 2000, The Virginian, Marcus Welby M.D. and many more.

The filmmaker then started directing TV movies before his feature film debut with 1973’s Extreme Close-Up, which marked the screenwriting debut of Michael Crichton.

He continued directing TV episodes of shows like Columbo, The Six Million Dollar Man and The New Perry Mason and The Rockford Files.

Film producer Jeffrey Kramer also shared a throwback snap of the director alongside a heartfelt tribute

Film producer Jeffrey Kramer also shared a throwback snap of the director alongside a heartfelt tribute

The filmmaker was born November 21, 1939 in Paris, spending his early years in Argentina before earning a Masters degree in political science from Harvard

The filmmaker was born November 21, 1939 in Paris, spending his early years in Argentina before earning a Masters degree in political science from Harvard

He directed episodes of Ally McBeal, Heroes, Smallville, Fringe, Supernatural and his last credits were a 2017 episode of Designated Survivor and a 2019 episode of Grey’s Anatomy

Szwarc then took over the helm from Steven Spielberg on the 1978 sequel Jaws 2, which he followed up with 1980’s Somewhere in Time.

He went on to make the 1982 film Enigma starring Martin Sheen and Sam Neill, 1984’s Supergirl starring Helen Slater, Faye Dunnaway and Peter O’Toole and 1985’s Santa Claus: The Movie.

While he would occassionally return to film with Honor Bound and Hercule & Sherlock, he largely spent the rest of his career in TV.

He directed episodes of Ally McBeal, Heroes, Smallville, Fringe, Supernatural and his last credits were a 2017 episode of Designated Survivor and a 2019 episode of Grey’s Anatomy. 

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