Swimming Fritzi Cohen’s big fish story is no exaggeration. Portland’s Fritzi Cohen didn’t have to be asked twice to join the cast of Jaws…she was askedf it’s summer three in New England, times. you’ve got to be thinking Jaws. Especially if it’s Ithe summer of 2012, when Universal Studios is behind a monster clambake on Martha’s Vineyard from August 9-12 called “JAWSFEST: The Tribute.” Sponsored by MV Promotions Networks, the event will celebrate Universal’s 100th anniversary as well as the cast and crew of this frighteningly successful film. While the late Roy Scheider, Robert Shaw, and Jaws author Peter Benchley will sadly miss the BBQ, the event will still be thronged by well-wishers and fans hoping for glimpses of original cast mem- bers Richard Dreyfuss (Hooper), Susan Backlinie (Chrissie, the most famous night- swimming shark attack victim ever), Lee Fierro (Mrs. Kintner), and possibly Maine’s Fritzi Cohen (under the stage name of Fritzi Jane Courtney), who made the most of her part as a selectwoman in the fictional town of Amity. She reprised her role as Mrs. Taft 1 1 6 p o r t l a n d monthly magazine c l a ssi c S With the Swimming Sharksfrom staff & wire reports Roy Scheider, far left, Murray Hamilton, and Fritzi Cohen grab audience attention during the emergency town council scene in Jaws. in both Jaws 2 (1978) and Jaws: The i’d’d justjust beenbeen working onon Lenny Revenge (1987). Faced with tourism reve- at Charles playhouse inin Boston e C i nues in free fall because of great ff when i got the call to audition. white shark attacks, Cohen when i got the call to audition. ilm o F is memorable in juicy scenes i was exhausted. i asked S i was exhausted. i asked ett where the audience sees her ss staring into the public-relations what’s it about.. ““a big fish.”.” hu C a equivalent of the abyss. ss Who’sWho’s directing it?it? “Some“Some kid.”.” “When I auditioned for Spiel- : ma S berg for a role in Jaws, he was 24,” Cohen remembers, “just at the beginning could do it. Our month’s work on Martha’s viewers can clearly see Cohen at work and tion image of his incredible career. He saw every actor per- Vineyard was no glamorous picnic. It was channeling a Maine sensibility when she tells C sonally and couldn’t have been friendlier. freezing on the beach in May. In the water, it Chief and Mrs. Brody, “You’re not born here, rodu P “I was about to read from a script hand- was supposed to be July!” you’re not an Islander. That’s it.” ed to me, when he waved it aside and said, During shooting, Cohen impulsively told As shooting continued, a New England k & White ‘Let’s do an improvisation instead. You’re an the young director, “‘I have a feeling you are cliquishness ran through the entire cast. C Islander and this guy (another actor with me) going to have a dynamite career.’ To which he “There was a little gazebo on the beach,” al; Bla S isn’t. He wants to rent the Katharine Hepburn replied, ‘From your mouth to God’s ear!’ The Cohen says, “where Richard Dreyfuss, three suite in your hotel. Who does he think he is? rest, as they say, is history.” Spielberg also told crew members, and I’d meet to play poker. Okay, you know the attitude. Go!’ Cohen, “You sound just like my Aunt Sophie.” Peter Benchley walked by, and Richard art: univer “And so we did, and both of us got the When Bruce the shark begins devouring asked him to pick up a pack of cigarettes. Jaws parts simply on Steve’s gut feeling that we the locals at Oak Bluffs Ocean Park, today’s I said to Peter later, ‘He didn’t even say Summerguide 2 0 1 2 1 1 7 Evolving needs and technology had EvolvingEvolving needs needs and andEvolving technology technology needs had andhadEvolvingEvolving technology needs needs hadand and technology technology had had PeoplesChoice Credit Union needing PeoplesChoicePeoplesChoice Credit PeoplesChoiceCredit Union Union needing needing CreditPeoplesChoicePeoplesChoice Union needing Credit Credit Union Union needing needing a major renovation. PM Construction aa major major renovation. renovation.a major PM PM Construction Constructionrenovation.a majora PM major Construction renovation. renovation. 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PM Construction seamlessly preformed all the interior and exterior renovations without disrupting Evolving needs and technologyEvolving needs had and technology had the credit union’s normal business hours. Evolving needs and technology had Peoples Choice PeoplesChoice CreditPeoplesChoice Union needing Credit Union needing When you need a construction Credit Union needing a major renovation. manager to plan, budget, and a major renovation. PMa major Construction renovation. PM Construction PM Construction seamlessly performed all the perform a major renovation call seamlessly preformedseamlessly all the interior preformed all the interior Laura Blanchette at 207.282.7697 interiorand exterior and renovations exteriorand withoutrenovations exterior disrupting renovations without without disrupting disrupting thethe credit credit union’s union’s normal normalthe businesscredit businessunion’s hours. normal hours. business hours. When you you need need a construction a Whenconstruction you need managera construction to plan, manager to plan, budget,manager and to plan, budget, and budget, and performPeoplesChoice a major renovation, Credit Union, Biddeford call Laura Planning perform a major renovationperform call a major renovation call THEY’RE GOING TO NEED A BIGGER BOAT–Cohen, Lorraine Gary, Blanchette at 207.282.7697. and Phil Murray support Scheider between takes on Martha’s Laura Blanchette at 207.282.7697Laura Blanchette at 207.282.7697 Vineyard, along with Jaws author Peter Benchley (right) . please.’ But Peter said, ‘I’m not about to teach him courtesy at this point in his life.’” Of course, Jaws isn’t the only big fish Co hen’s caught. Among her co-stars across the years is Joan Crawford. No wonder she didn’t blink at the prospect of working with PeoplesChoice CreditPeoplesChoice Union, Biddeford Credit Union, Biddeford Planning Planning a shark. craWford notch “I wasn’t a bit surprised by Tina Craw- ford’s novel, Mommie Dearest, about her mother, Joan,” Cohen says. “I knew Tina years ago when we were both working at the Kennebunkport Playhouse, and I worked briefly with Joan at Poland Spring in ‘Same Picture, Different Frame,’ an epi- sode of the television series Route 66. “At the time Ms. Crawford was married to the Pepsi Cola magnate and she was Lady Bountiful, dispensing Pepsi to the peons on the set. I played a librarian in a scene with Patrick O’Neal. “The scenario is that he sees me and remembers Crawford in the same setting years before. There’s a dissolve and I become Joan in his mind. I’d had my hair done, lots of makeup, the works. The word came down that Ms. Crawford needed no competition–’I want the excitement taken out of her make- up’–so my makeup was removed and my hair was pulled back off the face and dowdy. Only then was the star pacified, without ever saying one word of any ohen kind to me. Oh well, the C residuals keep coming!” n ritzy F y S >> For more, visit portlandmonthly. ourte com/portmag/2012/05/jaws-extras. C 1 1 8 p o r t l a n d monthly magazine Brighter Smiles BRIGHTER DAYS AHEAD! Portland & Central Maine DENTAL HEALTH CARE & Implant Centers Entrust Your Smile to our Highly Trained Dentists At Portland and Central Maine Dental Health Care Michelle R. Verrier-Davis, DMD, FAGD & Implant Centers we work to ensure your teeth remain Diplomate of the International healthy, beautiful and functional at all ages. In our Congress of Oral Implantologists modern, comfortable and friendly offices we offer nearly unlimited services including: Peter M.