Jaws is widely regarded as a landmark in cinema history, often credited as the first modern blockbuster. The film launched Steven Spielberg’s career into the stratosphere and solidified lead actors Roy Scheider and Richard Dreyfuss as major stars of the 1970s and beyond. The movie became the highest-grossing film ever following its 1975 release, bringing in $480 million at the global box office – and it wasn't just the big names that cashed in on the success. Despite just five days of filming and only a minute of screen time, then-child actor Jeffrey Voorhees managed to earn a substantial sum.
Jeffrey portrayed Amity local Alex Kintner, the second child killed by the great white shark dubbed Bruce by the cast. Despite his character dying early on in the film, the now 62-year-old is still reaping the rewards of starring in the movie. Jeffrey frequently attends fan conventions and is reportedly paid $10,000 per appearance. The star also charged $35 for messages and can receive up to 25 requests a day.
The Jaws star opened up to The Independent about his continued earnings from the film. "I used to say, 'I don’t have time for this,' and then I said: 'OK, I’ll try it once,'" he shared. "The first one I ever did was in New York, and someone's at the airport holding your name up and the photos. You make good money at those things and you go all over the world and meet up with real actors."
Jeffrey eventually created his own website, where he stocks inflatable life rafts for $289, mugs worth $60, posters retailing for $35, and T-shirts up to $70. "I kind of retired because it's like I make more money off of Jaws stuff now," he explained. "I’ll be walking down the street sometimes and I can hear people saying, 'That’s the dead Alex Kintner over there!' It’s surreal."
He continued: "There was a 14-year-old girl crying because her parents drove her five hours down from Chicago and she was so moved to see me. I’m in the movie for one minute!” The former child star also revealed that a documentary about his life is currently in the works. "You get a little high off of that," he admitted. "You make some good money, and you make some people really happy, so why not?"