Marc Gilpin, renowned for his role as Sean Brody, the youngest son of Chief Martin Brody in the film Jaws 2, has unfortunately passed away at 56 years old following a courageous battle with glioblastoma. The Hollywood Reporter confirmed the sad news, and actor David Morwick shared the information on Instagram. Later, Marc Gilpin’s elder sister, Peri Gilpin, known for her role in the TV show Frasier, reposted the news.
In his touching tribute, David Morwick fondly recalled the cherished memories of his childhood, where he first experienced the thrill of “Jaws 2” on the grand movie screen. It was this film that sparked his love for cinema and ignited his passion for acting. He nostalgically shared how he used to play with action figures and reenact scenes from the movie in his room, a place where his journey into the world of acting began.
He concluded his tribute by sending heartfelt prayers and best wishes to Marc’s family during this difficult time while also wishing Marc’s soul to find eternal peace and soar among the angels.
Marc Gilpin was having financial hardship due to his health crisis
After Gilpin was diagnosed with brain cancer in 2022, his friends took the initiative and created a GoFundMe campaign to support him. As a husband and father of two, he was not only battling his medical condition but also facing financial difficulties and challenges in finding suitable employment due to his health condition.
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During the examination, doctors found two tumors. Regrettably, one of these tumors was located in a critical central area of his brain, making surgical removal impossible due to its risky position, according to the medical team’s report.
Rewinding back to the 1978 film Jaws 2
Jaws 2 was released in the summer of 1978 and continues the story of Amity Island, where a massive, man-eating shark returns to terrorize the town for a second time. The movie was directed by Jeannot Szwarc, a French filmmaker, as Steven Spielberg chose not to return to the franchise after the challenging experience of the first Jaws film. Interestingly, both directors had previously worked on episodes of Rod Serling’s anthology series, Night Gallery, which aired on NBC.
Even with Steven Spielberg’s absence, the second installment of Jaws still brought back several familiar actors, such as Roy Scheider, reprising his role as Chief Martin Brody, Lorraine Gary as Martin’s wife Ellen, Murray Hamilton as Mayor Larry Vaughn, and composer John Williams providing the music.
However, the roles of Chief Brody’s two sons, Michael and Sean, were portrayed by Mark Gruner and Marc Gilpin in Jaws 2, respectively, while Chris Rebello and Jay Mello played them in the original 1975 film.
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Gilpin recalled behind the scenes in The Shark Is Still Working documentary
In the documentary “The Shark Is Still Working,” Marc Gilpin shared a memorable incident from the shoot of Jaws 2. He recounted how he and some other cast members were stalked by a real hammerhead shark one day while filming. The rest of the crew, who were safe on a nearby barge, had no idea about the close encounter with the shark.
He recalled the incident vividly, stating that the creature must have been at least 15 feet long. The scene required them to exclaim, “Hey! There’s a shark!” In the midst of their panic, they realized that the raft they were on was not very stable. They shouted urgently to the crew, “There’s a shark! There’s a shark! We need to get out of the water! Please place us on the barge.” The crew responded with enthusiasm, encouraging them to continue in the same manner.
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