Robert Shaw: An Actor's Life on the Set of JAWS and Beyond

by Christopher Shaw Myers

Robert Shaw, the iconic star of Steven Spielberg’s Jaws, comes boisterously to life in an up-close-and-personal biography that reveals the brilliant actor, esteemed playwright, prize-winning novelist, and loving and hard-living family man as never before.

Robert Shaw unforgettably commanded attention as the weathered seaman Captain Quint in the blockbuster sensation, Jaws. But what came before and after that landmark film is as dramatic as the hunt for the great white shark itself.

Capturing the many facets of the vibrant, generous, and sometimes polarizing man is his nephew, Christopher, who explores the forces that shaped a dynamic personality—including Robert’s indomitable mother, his deeply troubled father, and his activist sister, Joanna, with whom Robert shared an unbreakable bond. Out of the traumatic events of their childhood in the Orkney Islands and Cornwall, Mrs. Shaw pushed her children to pursue their dreams. For Robert, that dream was acting and writing.

Despite a storied career on the British and American stage—as both performer and playwright—and a string of hit films including From Russia with Love, A Man for All Seasons, The Sting, and The Taking of Pelham One Two Three, international celebrity eluded Robert . . . until he was summoned to star in “a little horror film” called Jaws.

What happened on-screen was unforgettable. What happened off-screen was chaos. Now Christopher Shaw Myers reveals the true story of the making of the classic. Jaws would become both an artistic success and a worldwide triumph for Robert Shaw. Tragically, for a man shadowed by his father’s demons, it would also signal the beginning of the end.

Drawing on family recollections, personal letters, scrapbooks, recordings, extensive interviews, and a lifetime of his own memories, Christopher paints a unique, intimate, and honest portrait of a man he was proud to call his uncle.

Genres: Biography, Memoir, Biography Memoir, Nonfiction, History

337 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 27, 2025

Reviews

[Jo Lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Happy publication day 🎉🥳🎧

This was an interesting biography written by Robert Shaws nephew not only about his uncle but also the wider Shaw family. I have to admit to recognising some but not all of the actors work so I was intrigued to find out more.

I feel Christopher Shaw Myers has written a fair and balanced account of a man who was a fantastic actor and writer despite his struggles with alcoholism. I have to be honest and say that I was actually far more interested in the life of his sister and best friend Joanna, and his formidable mother Mrs. Shaw, perhaps fans will disagree with me. There were lots of great snippets of family lore, detail of the families early years and throughout. The time line could be a bit confusing in parts, but overall I didn’t enjoy this book.

I didn’t love the narration I must be honest, but I did come away having learned a great deal about the family. I think I’m more inclined to enjoy an autobiography, I like to hear it from the horses mouth so to speak.

Huge thanks to HighBridge Audio and NetGalley for the opportunity to review this ALC 🎧

[Lydia Wallace · Rating 5 out of 5]

Besides being a award winning actor, Robert Shaw is a fantastic story teller and the story of his life is worth knowing. Highly recommend.

[Jason Allison]

Abandoned after five pages. Nonfiction books that fabricate dialogue believed by the author to be “true to the spirit of the subjects” should not get published. A craven 50th anniversary Jaws cash grab.

[Karm Barter · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was 90% about Shaw sister. It wasn’t what I needed to be. The writing was good but wasn’t it.

[Mediaman · Rating 1 out of 5]

Major disappointment--this is a totally misleading book that has little to do with Robert Shaw himself. Written by his nephew, this is about Shaw's parents and sister (the author's mother), with less than one-third a true biography of Shaw himself. The publisher should be embarrassed to trick readers into buying this.

If you're expecting details on the actor's career or even Jaws you'll be totally disappointed. There's one short chapter near the end that does a Wikipedia-like summary of some of his other films, which skims past his incredible hits (a James Bond movie, A Man for All Seasons, The Sting). Actually, there's probably more about the man's acting work on Wikipedia than in this poorly-written biography.

Then the author decided to mix up the dates and confuse readers by jumping back and forth in a way that makes no sense. And he writes about himself in the third person! Why? All I can tell you is that the farther into the book you get, the more you wonder why there are full chapters devoted to Shaw's sister going to Africa, getting pregnant out of wedlock, and going with her son to a studio preview of Jaws. Then there are sections about the Shaw mother and mixed-up chapters about the drunk father who was a doctor and died young. It's like someone figured out this was dull stuff, so they had to chop it all up and move it around to keep our attention.

If any of this sounds interesting, it's not. Where is Robert Shaw? The mom and sister come to visit the Jaws set, which brings a little interest, but all of it is told from the sister's perspective. The author obviously got all of his information from his mom, so this book is more of a memoir about her, not her famous brother. Do the research and interviews to come up with great stories about this performer's career and life!

Then there are the voluminous sections of dialogue--lots of it, back and forth, from the 1930s on. There were no recordings, no transcripts, no footnotes, just apparently anecdotes from Shaw's sister, in which the author decides to quote all those involved despite having no idea whether the words are true. Namely, you can't trust anything you're told here.

What a big mistake, with almost no new insights into the making of Jaws. Robert Shaw deserved much better--but to do that you're going to need a bigger book (and a better author).

[Bill Dennison · Rating 2 out of 5]

Conflicted about this. Written by Shaw's nephew and so there is a lot of information about the author's mother. Sweet from the standpoint of a son wanting to honor his mother but not exactly what you are looking for if you pick up a book about Robert Shaw.

The information and stories about Shaw were interesting and informative and entertaining. But the book tends to jump from his childhood right to JAWS. I would have loved more details on his acting career outside of that particular film.

[Kim Mullee Kemp · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. However, I do agree if you are looking for just Robert Shaw, this is not the book. This is a Shaw family. Since I like genealogy and family stories, I enjoyed it. Even if the dialog is made up.

[Silver Screen Videos · Rating 3 out of 5]

Robert Shaw was a true Renaissance man, an Oscar-nominated actor and an award-winning novelist and playwright. At the height of his career, he appeared in several of the highest-grossing films of the era, including “Jaws,” which is widely considered one of the best movies of all time. Yet, despite his fame, little has been written about Shaw’s life in the decades since his untimely passing in 1978. Now, his nephew, Christopher Shaw Myers, tries to provide greater insight into the man and his career in “Robert Shaw: An Actor’s Life on the Set of JAWS and Beyond.” Although the book contains much valuable information about Shaw, serious questions about its accuracy and some poor editing decisions limit its value for those interested in the actor.

Although the biographical information about Christopher Myers is sketchy, he appears to have been in his teens when his uncle died. Myers refers briefly to a couple of occasions when he met his uncle. Still, it’s fair to say that his firsthand knowledge of Robert Shaw is limited, thanks to the boundaries of youthful comprehension and the vagaries of decades-old memories. “Robert Shaw” contains no bibliography, endnotes, or index, and the only mention of source material is included in the book’s Acknowledgements. There, the author credits his mother (who is still alive as of the book’s publication date), who told “her stories of the Shaw family. She held nothing back, including their triumphs and failures, their joys and successes.” Myers also credits his grandmother, who relayed family stories to him over the years. However, she died in 1998, well before the author began actively researching this book. The author mentions several other relatives, including Robert Shaw’s other siblings, so Myers may well have interviewed them as well about the book. The only other credited source is Carl Gottlieb, the screenwriter of “Jaws,” who provided material about the filming of that classic movie and Robert Shaw’s involvement. In the introductory Author’s Note, Myers adds he had access to “a trove of information my mother kept in her closet for decades, including personal letters, audio recordings, playbills, and scrapbooks.”

I mention the author’s source material at length because “Robert Shaw” reads like the screenplay of a biodrama, giving readers the impression of being present on many occasions in Robert’s life. This was a deliberate decision on the author’s part, who confesses, “I have filled in details and crafted dialogue to capture how they talked, how they thought, and what they saw.” I doubt the author knows how celebrities like Thornton Wilder, Donald Pleasence, and Richard Dreyfuss thought, or even much of what they saw, so conversations involving these individuals are fictionalizations. In that regard, the author credits documentarian Bill Guttentag, a childhood friend, who taught him “to keep the story moving forward, identify the arc in every chapter, and treat every chapter like a story unto itself, with a beginning, middle, and end.” In other words, treat the book like a fictional work.

How much readers enjoy “Robert Shaw” will depend in large part on their appreciation for this type of “biography.” This book is not the type of scholarly reference work you often find. I would be hesitant to rely on it as a definitive source for any information about Robert other than some readily verifiable details. The invented dialogue may be skewed to present Robert more favorably. However, some details of the actor’s life are clear. His father, a onetime respected local doctor, became an alcoholic and died in the family home when Robert was 13. Later, Robert became an alcoholic himself, which probably contributed to his premature death. The author includes some details about Robert’s career of which I was unaware, including his starring role in a 50s TV series, “The Buccaneers.” That role led to his taking part in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade that year. The author also outlines a possible friendship between Robert and Sean Connery, which may have aided both their careers. Robert and Sean played soldiers in a British TV adaptation of one of Robert’s novels. A couple of years later, Robert got his big break when he was cast as the villain in the second James Bond movie, “From Russia with Love.”

“Robert Shaw” contains several chapters about the making of “Jaws” and specifically Robert’s role in the movie. During the filming at Martha’s Vineyard, Joanna and several of Robert’s children spent a few days on location watching Robert. Every day, a boat would take them out to sea, where they waited with the other support boats that were positioned so they wouldn’t be visible during filming. (Steven Spielberg insisted that no other boats besides the “Orca” could ever be seen when that vessel was at sea.) When the time came for Robert to film his scenes for the day, a motorboat would ferry him over to the “Orca.” The waits were often lengthy, giving Robert considerable time to drink heavily, which undoubtedly contributed to his growing alcohol problems.

The material on “Jaws” also includes a discussion of Robert’s well-documented treatment of co-stars, in which he would antagonize them to produce better performances on their part. This approach worked well with Richard Dreyfuss on the set of “Jaws.” (In one anecdote, Dreyfuss throws Robert’s flask overboard during a day of filming, only to discover the flask was a gift from Paul Newman, who co-starred with Robert in “The Sting.”)

Although “Robert Shaw” contains much new material about Robert (how much of which is true is open to question), the author also devotes considerable time to discussing his mother’s life and career. Joanna and Robert were close, so many of the events depicted were conversations between the two or with other notables, including Alan Bates, Donald Pleasence, and Harold Pinter, all of whom were involved in Robert’s Broadway career. However, the author also includes several chapters in the book about Joanna that have nothing to do with Robert. This material includes a discussion of the two years Joanna spent in South Africa in the 1950s, where she was introduced to the harsh realities of apartheid (and also met Nelson Mandela). I found this material highly interesting, albeit irrelevant to an understanding of Robert’s life. Others may be upset that a somewhat slim book devotes so much space to a woman whose only claim to fame is being Robert Shaw’s sister.

“Robert Shaw” is also haphazardly edited. The book skips around chronologically. The author describes his grandfather’s death in 1940 twice. It’s a shocking moment that affected the family tremendously, but there was no need to go over the same information a second time. The material about the making of “Jaws” is followed by what will seem to many as too brief a chapter summarizing Robert’s career in the preceding decade. During this time, he made most of his best-known films, including “From Russia With Love,” “A Man for All Seasons” (which garnered Robert his only Oscar nomination), “Young Winston,” and “The Sting.” Unfortunately, the author’s discussion of Robert’s participation in those movies is cursory. (The only mention of “The Sting” is in the story about Richard Dreyfuss tossing the Paul Newman flask overboard.) Even after Robert’s death, Myers devotes two lengthy chapters to detailing what happened to Joanna and her mother in the subsequent years.

“Robert Shaw: An Actor’s Life on the Set of JAWS and Beyond” was a disappointment for me. The author squandered his unique perspective on his uncle’s life in favor of middling biodrama. I wouldn’t use this book as a reference for Robert’s life or career, but it contains new information that gives me a better understanding of his life. However, I could never quite get past the author’s dialogue-heavy style and questionable attention to accuracy. Some readers, especially fans of “Jaws,” may overlook the book’s flaws or may even find the author’s writing style engrossing. Others may find the work a complete non-starter because of those same flaws. I am somewhat in the middle. I can’t recommend “Robert Shaw,” and I would rate it 2.5 stars if I could. However, I’m rounding it up to three primarily for the material on “Jaws.” Unfortunately, the definitive biography of Robert Shaw remains to be written.

NOTE: The publisher graciously provided me with a copy of this book through NetGalley. However, the decision to review the book and the contents of this review are entirely my own.

[Simon S. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This family memoir of Robert Shaw (release May 27) was hugely enjoyable. Written by his nephew, Christopher Shaw Myers, and drawn from stories passed down through the family (augmented by the author’s research), it portrays a complex and fascinating man from the perspective of those who perhaps knew him best — from childhood in Orkney and Cornwall, through RADA, early stage and film appearances, and eventually to his later years of fame and torment.

This isn’t a film book as such, nor a full biography. It’s more like sitting in a boat with Christopher — perhaps during those endless hours waiting for a shark to start working — listening to him tell family tales.

The Shaw family had a good start, but their father’s alcoholism and early death soon brought harder times. Doreen — Robert’s mother — determined and fearless, with four other children to raise, was pragmatic, tough, and unsociable. The children looked largely to each other for warmth and companionship in these years.

Christopher’s mother, Joanna, idolised her brother, and they remained close throughout his life. She often visited while he was performing, joining actors in cafés and bars after shows to hear their dissection and analysis. She visited him on film sets — the peak being a week she and their mother spent with Robert while he was making Jaws, towards the end of his life, troubled and now dependent on alcohol.

Another kind of book would have picked over Robert’s alcoholism and its echoes of his father’s, and dwelled on the horror of finding his wife dead at home. There’s little of that here. The pain and confusion of these times emerge instead through the family’s observation of his behaviour and denial.

I really appreciated learning so much about him — novelist, playwright — and meeting his indomitable mother and quietly remarkable sister, Joanna, who pushed boundaries under apartheid in South Africa and later fought for equal pay for women.

This was an audio ARC and I applaud narrator Daniel Thomas May, who carries off dozens of speaking parts with aplomb, even if a few UK accents slide around the map.

[A Cesspool · Rating 2 out of 5]

WTF is this?? Pretty safe to presume should Robert Shaw's nephew want to author a memoir concentrated on his mother (Shaw's sister), readership engagement probably wouldn't necessitate lucrative film/tv adaptations, or demand for additional language translations (for global distribution) ...much less .. a publisher with enough interest/resources to qualify for book contract. So how might they garner manufacture enough enthusiasm for such a nominal subject-individual???

...market his mom's diaries as a ROBERT SHAW Biography instead; But with overwhelming concentration on -- Shaw's biggest, most profitable ip -- The MAKING OF JAWS (1975)!!

brilliant.

Other reviewers acknowledging the "Shaw family" (as this book's primary thesis) are being way too generous forgiving; this text is principally concerned with the author's mother (Shaw's sister, Joanna), after her, the book is equally focused on Robert Shaw and [Robert & Joanna's] mother, Doreen. But Robert's [2] other siblings are allotted equal study, to the making of Jaws, rather, barely any, imho.
- - - - -

fyi:

[as far as this novel's subtitle is concerned] this is, technically, a book Chapter regarding behind-the-scenes on JAWS, recalled through Joanna Shaw's POV, specifically! Anything that may have happened before, or after, Joanna's arrival to the Martha's Vineyard film site isn't addressed here -- bc this isn't a book about Robert Shaw, or the making of Jaws; It's most plainly a biography of Robert Shaw's oldest sister, Joanna.
so, yeah!
- - - - -
double-barrel blast celebrity-familial exploitation: Pair this with Bob Crane's son -- Robert Crane Jr.'s personal memoir, Crane: Sex, Celebrity, and My Father's Unsolved Murder marketed as True Crime/unsolved mystery/Celebrity-legacy bio, but really just Crane Jr.'s autobiography.

[Ammon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Robert Shaw was a cinematic chameleon: the shark-obsessed Quint in Jaws, King Henry VIII in A Man for All Seasons, a Bond villain in From Russia with Love, the Sheriff of Nottingham in Robin and Marian, and a mobster in The Sting. He was also an Academy Award nominee and an acclaimed writer—his novel The Hiding Place was adapted into the film Situation Hopeless... But Not Serious, starring Alec Guinness and a young Robert Redford.

This biography, however, is a bit of a bait-and-switch. While it promises Shaw’s life and career, it’s also a stealth biography of the author’s mother, Dr. Joanna Shaw Myers—Shaw’s sister. There’s far too much about her and her life for my liking, especially after Shaw’s death, and it often feels like filler. Without these detours, the book would have been considerably shorter (and more focused).

The highlight, hands down, is the behind-the-scenes account of how Shaw wrote his iconic USS Indianapolis speech for Jaws. The book’s non-linear structure builds toward this moment, culminating in the delivery of the unforgettable monologue.

I genuinely enjoyed the stories about the larger-than-life Robert Shaw—beloved by his family, but haunted by tragedy. Like his father, Shaw battled alcohol addiction. His life was marked by loss: his father’s suicide, the overdose of his second wife (Mary Ure), and his own early death.

Unfortunately, the narration by Daniel Thomas May left a lot to be desired. His attempts at voicing female characters (especially children) and various accents were so jarring they pulled me right out of the story. There were a couple of moments where the narration was so off-putting, I almost abandoned the book entirely.

Ratings:

Shaw’s biography: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Joanna’s biography (which I don’t recall asking for): ⭐️⭐️
Narrator: ⭐️
Overall: ⭐️⭐️1/2

Disclaimer: I received a free advanced reader copy (ARC) from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest, unbiased review. These opinions are my own.

[Kevin Derouin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jaws was my absolute all-time favorite movie as a kid and so I had to read this biography of Captain Quint played by Robert Shaw. It was Shaw’s performance as well as the theme music and not seeing the shark for the longest time that made the movie the classic that it is.

The book was a nice collage of Robert Shaw’s life and specifically his time on the set of Jaws. Yet sometimes throughout the book it seemed like it was just as much a biography on Robert’s sister Joanna (the author’s mother) than it was about him. Entire chapters were devoted to Joanna so the book was every bit about her than it was of her actor brother. This was invariably due to the very close bond between Robert and Joanna. Their mother also had a lot of attention and space in the book.

The timelines could be a little confusing as a chapter would focus on the filming of Jaws only to go back to the Shaw’s childhood in World War II in the next chapter. That said, the characters and life experiences Joanna experienced was reminiscent of a Forrest Gump like existence: Meeting Nelson Mandela while she was teaching in South Africa, teaching former heavyweight champion Gene Tunney’s troubled daughter (and meeting the ex champion) in the United States, and suing the school where she taught to ensure equal pay for females. These were all experiences that made for a fascinating life for Joanna Shaw Myers. I read the book to learn more about Robert Shaw and his time on Jaws but learned just as much if not more on his sister Joanna and mother.

This was an interesting book and read that I would recommend just as much for learning about Robert Shaw’s family members than it was about him. Learning about his driven and adventurous mom (and his alcoholic father) helped understand how Robert Shaw came to be as an actor and person.

[ManOfLaBook.com · Rating 4 out of 5]

For more reviews and bookish posts visit: https://www.ManOfLaBook.com

Robert Shaw: An Actor’s Life on the Set of JAWS and Beyond by Christopher Shaw Myers is a biography of the actor, with a special focus on his family and role in the movie Jaws. Mr. Myers is an American author and nephew of the actor.

While I know that Robert Shaw shined in Jaws, as a James Bond fan I know him as Red Grant in From Russia with Love. While I do appreciate Jaws, the first “summer blockbuster”, I like the Bond movie better.

Robert Shaw’s biography is written by his nephew, Christopher Shaw Myers, who inherited his uncle’s writing chops. It’s an enjoyable tale, which gives readers not just stories about the famous actor, but also mini bios of the entire Shaw clan as a frame of reference. One can say that the book is just as much about his sister Dr. Joanna Shaw Meyers as it is about Robert.

I felt that this book is meant more for the future relatives of the actor, than it is for the public. It concentrates on wonderful family anecdotes just as much, if not more, than timelines and screen credits. Frankly, to me those anecdotes are what makes any biography or auto-biography worth reading.

We get to not only appreciate Robert Shaw’s impact on Jaws and it’s “young director”, but also understand the man. This is not an all-encompassing biography at all, the subtitle of the book makes clear, but a loving work from one relative to another.

The 007 flick (which is still one of the better ones, almost 50 years later) as well as such classics as The Sting, and The Man in the Glass Booth which Shaw wrote are all mentioned but are not the focus of this book. It is, nonetheless, a fascinating , well written and delightful insight into a fascinating man and a fascinating family.

[Bargain Sleuth Book Reviews · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley, High Bridge Audio and Kensington Books for the digital copy of this book and audiobook; I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I was curious to know more about the actor and writer, Robert Shaw. I, of course, remember him so vividly in Jaws and was shocked when I recognized him, albeit barely, in From Russia With Love as an albino assassin. And one of my favorite movies growing up was The Sting, so I admired his acting but didn’t know much about him.

This biography, however, is not what I expected at all. Written by his nephew, Christopher, the book is as much about Shaw’s sister (the author’s mother). Joanna Shaw Myers. And quite frankly, I found Joanna’s story much more interesting than Robert’s. However, if we didn’t learn about Joanna and Robert’s close relationship, this book would have been a short story.

The biggest part of this biography is how Robert Shaw developed his USS Indianapolis speech for the first summer blockbuster, Stephen Spielberg’s Jaws. Because the book does not unfurl in a chronological order, but rather non-linear, you get snippets throughout the book until Shaw delivers his monologue.

For the unlucky Shaw, his life was marked by tragedy. His father battled an alcohol addiction, and so did he. His father’s life ended by suicide, his second wife overdosed, and Shaw himself suffered an early death.

This book is narrated by Daniel Thomas May, and he was okay, but he’s not that great performing female or children’s voices. I’m not sure I would listen to something narrated by him again, and I was glad to have the digital ARC to follow along with or I would have been pulled out of the narrative more easily.

[Vicuña · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a teenager in the mid 1960s, my first memory of Robert Shaw was in the film A Man for All Seasons. He gave a blistering performance as Henry VIII and I saw the film three times in one week. It’s stayed with me for decades and that performance is, in my view, unmatched. He was such an amazing character actor; Quint was also exceptional and memorable and it’s a tragedy that his talent was lost so soon. I haven’t read any biographies, but was thrilled to have the opportunity to listen to this audiobook, written and partly narrated by his nephew. Wow! What a listen. I could almost feel Shaw’s presence in every anecdote about his time in Ireland and on set with an unknown Spielberg and huge production issues.
I knew nothing of his early life in Scotland and Cornwall or the tragic circumstances of his father’s death. Shaw remained close to his sister ( the author’s mother and equally distinguished in a different way) and this bond shines through. I’ve been glued to this biography for a large part of the night and listened to it in a couple of sittings. Like the subject, it’s brimming with life and vigour. Shaw comes across as a very ordinary and likeable individual, a real man of the people, so content in his little bar in Ireland. I absolutely loved this account which is unflinching and feels honest. A great insight into behind the scenes on sets, as well as the more interesting aspects of this actor’s life. My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an early review copy.

[Charissa Wilkinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book courtesy of the Goodreads First Reads Program for the purpose of a fair and honest review.

Overview: In the late 1970's, a young filmmaker by the name of Spielberg decided to take a chance on a creature flick called "Jaws". We've heard Roy Schieder's and Richard Dreyfuss's side of the story about the problems on the set. But what about Robert Shaw's side of the story? Mr. Myers has decided to write his uncle's story for us. How did he do? Let's find out.

Dislikes: I had two problems with this book. For starters, this book is not written chronologically. We jumped from Jaws to Mr. Shaw's father's inquest, to his childhood et cetera. This can make a book a jarring read, regardless of the genre.

The second thing is that Mr. Shaw appeared to be a supporting actor in his own biography.

Likes: It was cool to find out that Mr. Shaw was a writer. He had novels, plays, and was at least working on one screenplay to his name.

He also re-wrote the "Indianapolis" speech from Jaws. Outside of Bruce, that speech seemed to be the heart of the movie. Mr. Shaw did have quite a way to encourage a realistic animosity between two opposing characters in his movies.

We also had a few photographs included in the book. The best one was when Mr. Shaw invited his mother and one of his sisters to the set of the Orca II.

Conclusion: I was a little disappointed in this book. In my opinion, Mr. Shaw should have had a bigger role in the work. It's still a good biography though. And fans of biographies and memoir might want to pick it up. Enjoy the read.

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to the publisher, who sent this book my way.

I listened to this via audiobook and thought the narration was amazing. However, I recommend having the physical and/or e-book copy because there are pictures that add to this biography.

The author is Robert Shaw’s nephew and does a great job detailing his life. I particularly liked that this was written very much like a novel, putting the reader into the story of Robert Shaw’s life.

I didn’t know too much about Robert aside from bits and pieces I’d learned from other Jaws sources. Reading this gave me a greater appreciation for Robert as a person and an actor. I’d also like to read one of his novels, The Hiding Place, as it sounds fascinating.

Robert definitely had an interesting life and seemed to be a colorful character. I will have to watch more of his films as I found his portrayal of Quint in Jaws, my favorite movie, to be outstanding. I would have liked to have heard even more about his time on the Jaws set.

While I understand why the author featured Joanna so much, I also feel like her narrative overshadowed Robert. I especially felt that the ending wasn’t very focused on Robert, which surprised me once the book reached the finish line.

Overall this is a great and informative read if you’re interested in Robert Shaw and I throughly enjoyed learning more about him. He is so richly detailed in this book that he almost seemed to be alive within the pages.

[Tabby · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was really excited to read this book, right before the 50th anniversary of the movie release for Jaws. I throughly enjoyed reading stories and memories about the Shaw family and learned a great deal about Robert Shaw himself. Honestly I only knew him from Jaws, I knew he did other movies but I haven’t seen any of them nor did I know he also performed in plays and was even a writer. There were so many small details and relatable stories that added to the enjoyment of the book. I had no idea him and his family had so many ups and downs, but hearing them makes you appreciate each family member even more and for who they are. Knowing he wrote the speech about the USS Indianapolis makes me appreciate that scene even more and how good of an actor he is because everything in that movie was pure gold. I also can’t tell when he was drunk or not, I guess he really was a truly wonderful actor. Reading about his life made me appreciate his life more and now I am eager to watch some of his other movies and read some of his books, particularly The Man in the Glass Booth. Overall a really enjoyable read, from three different viewpoints spanning several countries and decades about a remarkable family that never gave up and one outstanding actor that always made people laugh.

[Maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

I grew up in the 70's and Jaws was and is a yearly watch for me. This memoir by Shaw's nephew Christopher Shaw Myers is a nice read though I question "why now" as Robert has been dead since 1978. We read about his childhood in London then moving to rural , rugged Orkney Islands with his strict mother and Dr father and 4 or 5 siblings....Joey (Joanne) being the closest to Robert and the authors mother.
Through his RADA schooling in London to theater plays and playwright Shaw loves the spotlight and uses his brash, caustic personality to his advantage. The parts of the book that bothered me the most were the elaborate conversations that the author was not present for or could any of these conversations be verbatim. The favorite part for me was the disasterous shoot filming Jaws. And how the famous USS Indianapolis speech was written by a drunk Shaw (and a drunk Thornton Wilder) hashing out the storyline inn a bar on Martha's vineyard. Like father, like son both Shaws had a overwhelming problem with alcohol with the author pointing out many times quoting Robert Shaw himself as "I need it to act". All in all a good read. Thank you publishers and NetGalley for the fun read.

[Jennifer Bagley · Rating 3 out of 5]

JAWS was a formative film for me and I have always thought Robert Shaw was such a natural talent taken too soon. To say I was excited to listen to this audiobook is an understatement. However, it focuses a lot more on Shaw’s family than Shaw himself which makes it an interesting read but not giving me everything I wanted.

Shaw’s family history from learning about his father to what they survived through during the war and how he got into acting is absolutely fascinating. I really enjoyed the conversations the author wrote, making the Shaw family feel alive and like you are in the room through these events.

The book also gives great detail on the infamous speech Shaw gives in JAWS and how it came to be. It was hooked on every word through those chapters.

Overall, I am yearning for more moments with Shaw on set and more about his own personal struggles like his father before him. This is definitely worth a listen as the audiobook gives different characters real life.

Thank you to NetGalley and RBMedia for an advanced audiobook copy; all opinions expressed in this review are my own.

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

As someone with thalassophobia and a very rational fear of sharks but who also likes scary movies - of course I love JAWS. Of course I think Quint is utterly iconic, and now I appreciate his character even more.

Robert Shaw and his family had a life of endless challenges, and truly, loving his sister Joanna was probably one of the things that got him through it. Having a compatriot against parents, villages, poverty, addiction, prejudice, and someone who always believed you were capable of your dreams is such a beautiful thing to read about even if it was happening in the midst of pain. Their sibling relationship redeems some of the most tragic or frustrating things about Robert Shaw.

He was clearly brilliant - not just an actor but when I looked into the things he wrote, he had a unique view on the world and lived in a time that was unlikely to nurture it. He was the guy that knew everyone and wanted to give a piece of himself to everyone. I don't think he ever expected to do it through JAWS, but you'll feel lucky to have that with you by the time you finish this book.

[Joe Meyers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Christopher Shaw Myers tells the story of his uncle, the great actor Robert Shaw, in this biography that is written with the flair and insight of a good novel.

Among its many virtues, the book is filled with ‘Jaws’ lore - the movie that made Shaw a full-fledged movie star after decades of playing supporting roles in films such as ‘A Man for All Seasons’ and’From Russia with Love.’ Sadly Shaw was not able to enjoy his new status for long - he died three years after ‘Jaws’ at the age of 51.

Shaw’s family life is full of drama too - his doctor father committed suicide after the collapse of his parent’s marriage, but Shaw’s indomitable mother held the family together through very difficult times. The book’s portrait of middle class life in England during World War II is fascinating.

Bottom line: an excellent book about a great actor and the family that produced him.

[Tabby Shiflett · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25-4.5 Stars

Just in time for the upcoming summer season, a worthy biography of the infamous Robert Shaw to accompany my annual Jaws marathon. Written by a relative and including mini bios on the entire Shaw family as a frame of reference (I enjoyed learning about Joanna's life just as much as I did her older brother's), I truly relished this work. It's realistically tragic in some sections, but overwhelmingly thoughtful and enduring. So many interesting experiences and achievements during tumultuous times are intertwined here. The book has inspired me to go back and watch some my favorite Robert Shaw films, view others for the first time, and explore some of his writing (beyond the legendary Jaws soliloquy).

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[Red Book Review · Rating 4 out of 5]

Robert Shaw: An Actor's Life on the Set of Jaws and Beyond is a biography that is intimate and will have you turning pages until the end. The author, who is a relative of Robert Shaw, wrote this well and I was glad to read and learn about Robert Shaw. This book has me wanting to watch Robert Shaw's films beside Jaws, which is my favorite. Overall, I highly enjoyed this read and would recommend to any reader who loves biographies or liked the movie Jaws. Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing/ Citadel Press for this ARC read in exchange of my honest review of Robert Shaw: An Actor's Life on the Set of Jaws and Beyond by Christopher Shaw Myers.

[Gabi Coatsworth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this biographical memoir for the reasons that some other reviewers didn’t. Biographies of famous people tend to focus on the known facts with contributions from other well-known people.
I’m more interested in where Robert Shaw, the actor, came from - the effect of genetics vs upbringing vs character. And this book does an excellent job of revealing the family dynamics that went to making a temperamental star, and to the formation of Shaw’s sister, who led a life that helped other people.
So long as the reader understands that this isn’t the history of how that film was made, they’ll enjoy it.

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Netgalley for the early copy!

This was super enjoyable I am a big fan of Jaws but did not know about Robert Shaw. This book almost felt like a fictional story about an actor- it was very engaging and you learn so much about the whole family. This was easy to read and I enjoyed it. I removed a star just because I felt like this needed to go a bit deeper and more into Jaws.

I may be biased because I prefer a first hand retelling and I have a hard time believing a lot of the stories- they are far too detailed for someone to hear second hand...but I really enjoyed this!

[Michael · Rating 3 out of 5]

The subtitle is silly, but I understand wanting to coordinate its publication with the 50th anniversary of the film. Of course, Jaws is not the primary subject—it's a family memoir, and Robert's sister and mother are interesting subjects as well. The author, Shaw’s nephew, obviously had a lot of sources to draw on, but I was skeptical that all these direct quotes and occasional internal thoughts were not the work of creative nonfiction. It’s overly constructed. Still, there is a number of enjoyable anecdotes and a fairly vivid portrait of a great actor and writer.

[meejieweegie · Rating 4 out of 5]

ok disclaimer that ive never seen jaws and had no idea who robert shaw was but i won this in a giveaway and im a good sport so i read it

and honestly really enjoyed it. just british people doing british things - like a jane austen novel 20 years later but without the wit lmao. would say that if you're a diehard robert shaw fan, this is really mostly about robert's sister and the mom of the author, joanna

my guy just wanted to write a book about his mom and needed to put his famous uncle on the cover to get it made. and i appreciate the chutzpah

8/10

[Jim · Rating 2 out of 5]

Biggest problem with this book is that it’s really a biography on Myers’ mother (Robert Shaw’s sister) and consists largely of secondhand stories about his uncle. A better, more interesting book would be about her and the experiences of the larger Shaw clan or an actual researched book about Shaw, one of the more dynamic and talented personalities of his era. Was a breezy enough read, but given that the dialogue was not actually true to events and my prior sentences, it’s hard to really rate it much higher than 2.

[Chelsea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Netgalley for the advance audiobook copy of Robert Shaw by Christopher Shaw Myers in exchange for an honest review. I grew up watching Jaws, like so many people. I had seen a documentary about it and how it almost didn't get made, which made me look up the actor and I was intrigued. When I saw this audiobook I wanted to learn more. Robert Shaw and his large family led a very interesting life. I loved getting a behind the scenes look at him, his mom and siblings, and his friends.