Westhoughton has been home to many famous faces over the years, but few have left as lasting a legacy as Robert Shaw. His name is proudly displayed above the Robert Shaw Wetherspoon’s pub, yet many locals might not realise just how big a star he was.
Shaw wasn’t just an actor—he was a cinema icon, starring in some of the most legendary films of his time. And of all his roles, none are more famous than Quint, the shark-hunting fisherman in Jaws. As we mark the 50th anniversary of Jaws, it’s the perfect time to look back at the life, career, and Westhoughton roots of one of Britain’s greatest actors.
From Westhoughton to the world
Robert Shaw was born on 9th August 1927, right here in Westhoughton. His early years, however, were shaped by tragedy. His father, Dr. Thomas Shaw, was a well-respected local GP, but when Robert was just 12 years old, his father died by suicide—an event that haunted him throughout his life. Following this, his family moved to the Orkney Islands in Scotland, but Westhoughton remained the place of his birth—the town where his journey started.
Despite the hardship, Shaw’s talent and ambition drove him forward. He trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) and soon made a name for himself on stage and screen. By the 1960s, he was starring in some of the biggest films of the era, including:
🎥 From Russia with Love (1963) – Playing the chilling Bond villain Red Grant opposite Sean Connery.
🎥 A Man for All Seasons (1966) – Earning an Academy Award nomination for his role as King Henry VIII.
🎥 The Sting (1973) – Starring alongside Paul Newman and Robert Redford in this con artist classic.
But nothing would define his career quite like his gritty, unforgettable performance in Jaws.
How Jaws made Robert Shaw a legend
When Steven Spielberg was casting Jaws, he needed an actor who could play Quint—the tough-as-nails fisherman hired to take down the great white shark terrorising Amity Island. Shaw was perfect. He gave Quint a real sense of menace, charisma, and dark humour, turning what could have been a simple monster movie into something legendary.
His most famous moment in the film? The USS Indianapolis monologue. If you’ve seen Jaws, you’ll know it—the scene where Quint tells the haunting true story of American sailors stranded at sea after a torpedo attack, being slowly picked off by sharks.
Spielberg later admitted he was worried about the scene, fearing it would slow the film down. But Shaw insisted it was crucial, even rewriting parts of it himself. The result? One of the most chilling moments in cinema history.
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Even Richard Dreyfuss, who played marine biologist Hooper in Jaws, later said: “He was an absolute genius of an actor. I may have found him difficult at times, but on-screen, he was mesmerising. That Indianapolis speech? No one else could have done that.”
Steven Spielberg himself described Shaw as “one of the most compelling actors I’ve ever worked with. A force of nature.”
His performance made Quint one of cinema’s greatest characters—equal parts terrifying and magnetic. Even after his character’s famous demise, his presence looms over the entire film.
A complicated but brilliant man
Shaw was not just a talented actor—he was also a writer, poet, and an intense, sometimes unpredictable personality. He was known for his sharp wit, love of literature, and a fondness for a drink, which sometimes caused friction on film sets.
