# 'Jaws' Author Peter Benchley---Farewell and Adieu

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jaws-author-peter-benchley-farewell-and-adieu/344184>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [February 13, 2006, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jaws-author-peter-benchley-farewell-and-adieu/344184 "2006-02-13T00:06:59Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Stephe96](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Stephe96](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stephe96)\
**Post date:** [February 13, 2006, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jaws-author-peter-benchley-farewell-and-adieu/344184/1 "2006-02-13T00:06:59Z")

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I met him last summer and he did not look good. Still, he was a very nice guy and he sure as hell contributed a classic story into the popular culture.  
[http://news.yahoo.com/fc/entertainment/literature\_and\_authors](http://news.yahoo.com/fc/entertainment/literature_and_authors)

NEW YORK - Peter Benchley, whose novel “Jaws” terrorized millions of swimmers even as the author himself became an advocate for the conservation of sharks, has died at age 65, his widow said Sunday. Wendy Benchley, married to the author for 41 years, said he died Saturday night at their home in Princeton, N.J.

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**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\
**Post date:** [February 13, 2006, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jaws-author-peter-benchley-farewell-and-adieu/344184/2 "2006-02-13T00:37:45Z")

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Strange timing in a way:  
Discovery channel had on the 2 hour Mythbusters where the were proving out 5 things from Jaws. This was already scheduled, not put on in tribute.  
It looked into the exploding scuba tank, Sharks ram & breaking shark cages, ramming boats, and pulling a boat back-wards.

Jim

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**Author:** ![Malodorous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e47774/32.png) [@Malodorous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malodorous)\
**Post date:** [February 13, 2006, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jaws-author-peter-benchley-farewell-and-adieu/344184/3 "2006-02-13T00:55:37Z")

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I saw him in a bookstore in Mystic once. Snook up behind him making the jaws theme song noise, then shark attack sounds. He didn’t think it was very funny (and he was probably right).

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**Author:** ![Rodgers01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b19c9b/32.png) [@Rodgers01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rodgers01)\
**Post date:** [February 13, 2006, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jaws-author-peter-benchley-farewell-and-adieu/344184/4 "2006-02-13T00:56:13Z")

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Wow, 65 is too young to die. He sure was married for a long time, considering how young he must have been when he was married.

“Jaws” was a good read; the other book I read by him, “The Deep”…eh, not so good (in spite of its high rating on [Amazon.com](http://Amazon.com)). Still, I’m sad to hear of his passing.

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**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\
**Post date:** [February 13, 2006, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jaws-author-peter-benchley-farewell-and-adieu/344184/5 "2006-02-13T02:39:48Z")

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“You’re going to need a bigger funeral.”