Filmmaker Jeannot Szwarc earned directing credits on 80 different projects over the course of a career that spanned more than 50 years – but most movie fans will likely remember him as the director of the shark thriller sequel Jaws 2, the time travel romance Somewhere in Time, and/or the DC Comics adaptation Supergirl. Sadly, Szwarc is no longer with us, as his Somewhere in Time star Jane Seymour took to social media to confirm that he has passed away at the age of 85. Seymour wrote, “Today, we say goodbye to a true visionary. Jeannot Szwarc was not just a brilliant director but a kind and generous soul. He gifted us many timeless stories, including Somewhere in Time, a film that changed my life forever. May his memory be a blessing, and may his artistry live on in our hearts.“

Born in Paris on November 21, 1939, Szwarc graduated from Harvard University before getting his directing career started in the late 1960s by taking the helm of episodes of TV shows like Ironside, The Virginian, Alias Smith and Jones, and Marcus Welby, M.D., among others. In the ’70s, he continued directing for TV shows (Night Gallery, Columbo, The New Perry Mason, The Six Million Dollar Man, Kojack, The Rockford Files, Baretta) while also racking up credits on several TV movies, including Night of Terror, The Weekend Nun, and The Devil’s Daughter. His first theatrically released feature was the 1975 mutant cockroach horror movie Bug. That was followed by Jaws 2 in 1978. In the ’80s, he worked primarily on feature films – Somewhere in Time, Supergirl, Santa Claus: The Movie, etc. – but also made room in his schedule for TV work, including directing a couple TV movies and some episodes of The Twilight Zone.

As of the ’90s, he shifted back to working mostly in television. Over the last few decades, he directed Rockford Files TV movies and episodes of Boston Public, Ally McBeal, C.S.I.: Miami, The Practice, JAG, Numb3rs, Without a Trace, Heroes, Cold Case, Smallville, Fringe, Supernatural, Castle, Bones, Designated Survivor, Grey’s Anatomy, and more.

Swarz passed away on January 15th. Our sincere condolences go out to his family, friends, and fans.

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