For 50 years, Jeffrey Voorhees has made a living by being dead.
Chosen from a group of Martha’s Vineyard youngsters to play the unfortunate Alex Kintner, who was killed and presumably devoured by the shark during the “Jaws” Fourth of July scene, Voorhees has received royalty checks ever since. In recent years, Voorhees has added making personal appearances and selling merchandise through his website, deadalexkintner.com.
Also, for many years, Voorhees operated a restaurant on the island, The Wharf, which offered an Alex Kintner burger – actually a fish sandwich sprinkled with red pepper sauce.
“I didn’t say if it was supposed to be the shark or me,” said Voorhees, who still lives on the island.
And then there was the woman who purchased a personalized greeting (for $50) after her father died while viewing the movie.
“I said, ‘Your father died watching me die. Have a Jawsome funeral!’ Voorhees recalled. “She seemed to like it.”
Jaws was being filmed on Martha Vineyard in the spring of 1974 when the call went out for locals to be extras at the going rate of $40 a day.
Someone was needed to play Alex, who begs his mother to go back into the water and is then attacked while floating on a plastic raft. The casting director picked then 12-year-old Jeffrey based on his picture and line readings.
“I guess I looked like a kid a shark would eat,” Voorhees said. “All I knew was it paid … and I had to join the Screen Actors’ Guild, which means I get a check every time ‘Jaws’ is on.”
Originally a manikin was supposed to be used when the shark attacked. But when the head and arm popped off, director Stephen Spielberg decided that was too gruesome and instead Alex was seen being jerked down by a couple of scuba divers grabbing his legs while fake blood filled the water.
“Jaws” turned out to be Voorheees’ only acting experience, but as one of a handful of the “Jaws” cast with speaking roles still alive, the 50th anniversary of the movie has been financially rewarding.
“Since I was dead, I couldn’t be in any of the sequels,” Voorhees said. “But it was all a wonderful experience.
“’Jaws’ is a great movie that will live forever. And in my case, I guess it pays to die.”