Is ‘Jaws’ Based on a True Story? The Truth May Surprise You
It’s time for a rousing game of Two Truths and a Lie. Here we go: First, Jaws is one of the most beloved horror films of all time. Second, it’s widely considered to be the first blockbuster released. Third, the film is based on a true story. The first two statements are irrefutable truths. The third is a dirty lie.
Although there are a number of blog posts that claim the film Jaws (and the novel on which it is based) is inspired by the 1916 Jersey Shore shark attacks, those claims are patently untrue. Some of the blame for the flurry of misinformation can likely be attributed to the city of Matawan, New Jersey. Merchants of the coastal town have enthusiastically embraced their reputation as the inspiration behind the film. But the claims have no basis in fact.
So What Did Inspire Jaws?
How do I know the reports are false? It’s simple. Peter Benchley, who penned the novel on which Jaws is based and co-wrote the screen treatment, says the book and film are works of fiction. Although Benchley was a resident of New Jersey, he has said he didn’t take any inspiration from the New Jersey shark attacks of 1916. The author came up with the idea after hearing lifeguards in Nantucket, Massachusetts recounting horror stories of shark attacks. The novelist also looked into shark sightings in New York state while he was conducting research for the manuscript. However the New Jersey attacks did not play a role in the creation of Jaws.
A separate source of confusion is a 2002 New York Times article that erroneously attributed the New Jersey attacks as a source of inspiration for Jaws. A correction was printed several days later (and can be seen as a footer in the linked article) but the damage was already done by that point. So, there you have it. Neither the novel nor the film was inspired by the infamous Jersey Shore shark attacks.
What Happened in 1916 at the Jersey Shore?
Although the Jersey Shore attacks didn’t inspire Jaws, there is still a fascinating story behind the headlines. So, I’d like to spend a moment speaking to the unsavory ordeal that terrified the nation. The summer of 1916 saw a total of 5 shark attacks reported on the Jersey Shore. 4 people were killed, with one more seriously injured, making for a total of 5 victims. According to Field & Stream, there are about five human fatalities caused by sharks in a given year. So, the idea that four shark-related deaths transpired in the same geographic region, in the same month, is truly shocking.
Prior to the Jersey Shore shark attacks, sharks were thought to be relatively harmless to humans. People were shocked when Charles Vansant was mauled by a shark during a night swim while vacationing in Beach Haven, New Jersey. The 23-year-old died from injuries related to the attack, which took place on July 1, 1916.
The 1916 Attack Victims
The second Jersey Shore shark attack transpired on July 6 in Spring Lake, which is about 45 miles outside Beach Haven. The victim in this attack was 27-year-old Charles Bruder. He was swimming with friends at Spring Lake. He was about 130 yards from shore when a shark bit off both of his legs. A lifeboat caught up to Bruder but he expired on the way back to shore.
The next victim was Lester Stillwell, a pre-teen boy who left work to go swimming with friends in Matawan Creek. The creek was thought to be a safe place where children could swim. There was no concern of predatory aquatic life, seeing as the swimming spot is located several miles from the bay that it connects to before flowing into the ocean. Still, a shark entered the creek on July 12 and killed Stillwell. Stanley Fisher, a local merchant, attempted to retrieve Stillwell‘s remains. But he was bitten by a shark in the process. Fisher’s femoral artery was severed during the grisly attack. He was later transported to a nearby facility where he passed from blood loss.
A Sole Survivor
The next victim in the rash of attacks was Joseph Dunn, a 12-year-old boy from New York City. The young man was swimming roughly a half mile from the Wycoff dock where Stillwell and Fisher were attacked. Dunn was enjoying a swim with friends when they heard someone shouting to beware of sharks. Dunn was the last to attempt to exit the water. A shark bit his lower left leg and pulled the boy underwater.
A group of people tried to pull Dunn out of the water but he was still in the shark’s grasp, resulting in a tug of war. Joseph was later taken to the Wycoff dock where a physician was onsite and lending aid to Fisher, who hadn’t yet expired. Dunn was taken to New Brunswick for additional care. He made it through the ordeal, which makes him the sole survivor of the Jersey Shore shark attacks of 1916.
The Work Of One Shark
Experts concur that all five attacks were likely the work of one shark. The town responded by setting off dynamite in the creek, hoping to put a stop to the reign of terror. When that proved unsuccessful, hundreds of sharks were hunted and killed by angry locals. Eventually, Michael Schleisser apprehended the perpetrator. Reports have circulated that the marine creature had 15 lbs. of human flesh inside upon capture. But those claims have been challenged over the years.
The predator was initially identified as a Great White Shark. But experts have since countered that the creature was most likely a Bull Shark who was misidentified as a Great White. That distinction would explain how the perpetrator was able to sustain life in fresh water.
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