‘Jaws’ Star Shares Shocking Earnings 50 Years After Iconic Film

Steven Spielberg’s iconic thriller Jaws is a fairly old movie these days, but one of the film’s child actors, Jeffrey Voorhees, who was just 12 when he played Alex Kintner, is still making money from his brief role. Today, at 62, Voorhees has turned his tiny part into a lasting career thanks to dedicated fans of the film.

Although his character was quickly killed by a shark, Voorhees has embraced the fame that came from the movie.

He now travels around the world meeting fans, sells signed memorabilia, and even leads guided tours on Martha’s Vineyard, where the film was shot. “It pays to die,” Voorhees said in a past interview.

“I was a 12-year-old kid who was in the movie for, like, a minute, but there are some real Jaws fanatics out there. One guy in England just bought 125 photos. I do signings. They fly me all over the world and pay me in cash at those things—around £10,000 a time. There are Jaws tours and people pay double if I’m on them.” He said.

Voorhees also earns royalties whenever Jaws airs on television internationally. “My brother lives in Portugal, and I’ll get texts from him going, ‘Good news, you just died on TV over here. You’ll get another cheque,’” he joked.

In addition, he creates personalized video messages for fans on platforms like Cameo, sometimes in very unique situations, such as when a family asked him to make a message for a loved one who had passed away while watching the film.

The actor says he has grown to appreciate his time in Jaws and the opportunities it continues to provide. “At first, I used to hide from the fact that I’d been in Jaws, and then finally I realised I could make some good money and make people happy,” he said.

Jaws itself remains one of the most successful films in cinema history. The original movie inspired three sequels, theme park attractions, video games, and countless merchandise.

Voorhees’ story shows how even a small role in a classic film can have a lasting impact. Fifty years later, fans still celebrate the movie, and he has turned that attention into a unique career.

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