Lemmy Originally Cast as Quint in Jaws: Fired For Punching Spielberg

Did you know that iconic rocker Lemmy Kilmister was given the role of Quint in the 1975 classic movie “Jaws”. He was fired after two days of filming for punching Director Steven Spielberg in the mouth.

Lemmy, born Ian Fraser Kilmister was the hard drinking, groupie collecting, drug taking frontman for the band Motorhead. However, back in 1974 Lemmy was on the outs with his band at the time “Hawkwind” and had not yet formed “Motorhead”. 

Jaws

At this time Lemmy was sort of just roaming the Earth at the time figuring out his next move. As luck would have it, one afternoon, Lemmy ended up sitting next to the Jaws casting director at the Rainbow Bar and Grill in Hollywood, California. The two struck up a conversation and spent the night laughing, drinking and partying. At 4am the next day, Lemmy had the part of Quint. 

Lemmy As Quint

Lenny told Madhouse News back in 2005, “I was in my usual spot at the Rainbow at 2pm on a Tuesday. Eventually I struck up a conversation with the bloke next to me. He was a nice chap and he bought me a pint and some Jack Daniels. The next thing I know it’s 4AM and he is asking me to be in a movie. I said sure, how hard can acting be? It’s really just lying and pretending. If these fruits and nuts in Hollywood can do it, I can do it. The next day they fly me to Martha’s Vineyard and we start shooting.”

Lemmy continued, “They give me this crazy hat and jacket and tell me to be myself and act like a shark hunter. It just so happens that as a lad, I worked on a fishing boat out of Delacroix. The crew was great and the other actors were great. Well, except for that soft little tosser Dreyfuss. I wasn’t too keen on him. My acting was genius though, if I may say so myself. Everything was going great until the Director Spielberg started barking orders at me and sticking his finger in my face. I am not too keen on people telling me what to do.”

“The final straw was when he tried to take my pint away from me. I punched the bloke in the mouth. You don’t mess with a man’s pint. Well, I guess they didn’t like that because I was whisked off the set and flown back to California immediately. I spent a few months drinking then I formed “Motorhead”, so it turned out OK. It turned out to be a great movie, but it would have been a lot better with me as Quint.”

Robert Shaw

Lemmy was replaced by actor Robert Shaw. Jaws was released on June 20, 1975, and went on to become the highest grossing film of all time. Until Star Wars was released in 1977. It is a classic and Robert Shaw did a great job but I have to agree with Lemmy that the movie would have been much better with him playing Quint.

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