Jaws Inspired Dog Names

When a director works with talent they like, those actors have a high likelihood of being re-cast in another role down the road. While Steven Spielberg has had the privilege of working with some of Hollywood’s greatest over the last few decades, there is one breed of actor he prefers to work with above all others: his own dogs.

For anyone who knows him or his work, it should come as no surprise, as dogs are featured in a significant portion of his movies. In his personal life, Spielberg is also known to be a dog-lover as well, as he’s had a large number of dogs over his professional career, many of whom have made the transition onto the set. One of his most famous dogs, Elmer, a spunky and highly intelligent Cocker Spaniel, was featured in no less than four movies including Close Encounters of the Third Kind, The Sugarland Express, 1941 and, most importantly for our purposes, even Jaws. 

Thankfully for the viewing audience who may have had a clue-in to Spielberg’s Easter egg, Elmer was featured as Brody’s dog, shown several times in the movie from when Brody is studying up on sharks to when Ellen asks Brody if he wants to get drunk. The other famous dog in the movie, Pippet, unfortunately falls victim to Jaws himself, which is not an uncommon theme in Spielberg’s movies — he’s actually known to be one of few directors who has the clout and ability to get away with allowing dogs to die in his films, a testament to his knowledge of knowing how to pull at the heartstrings of his audience. 

Although he’s well-known for killing off canines in his blockbuster hits, Spielberg’s love for dogs began to surface more publicly just a handful of years later. His cinematographer’s dog Larry, a Labrador who used to visit his movie sets frequently, also appeared in another one of his big hits: E.T. A famous anecdote from the early casting for the movie details Henry Thomas, who plays the main protagonist Elliott, talking about how he used thoughts of his dog dying to generate genuine sadness in front of the camera. It was moving enough to make Spielberg tear up and hire Thomas on the spot. 

Another story explains the famed director’s love even further. Apparently, when his own Lab was put down, he opted to have her put down not just in his home but on his lap as well. When he finally passed, Spielberg sat around for an hour telling stories about how great his canine companion truly was.