'Jaws 2' actor Marc Gilpin dead at 56
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“Jaws 2” child actor Marc Gilpin has died. He was 56.
The actor was mostly known for playing Sean Brody, the young son of Roy Scheider’s Martin Brody, in the 1978 shark-infested sequel.
His sister and “Frasier” actress Peri Gilpin confirmed the news of his death on Tuesday to the Hollywood Reporter.
Marc suffered from glioblastoma, a form of brain cancer, and died at his home in Dallas, Texas, on July 29.
Peri, known for playing Frasier’s producer Roz Doyle on the sitcom, also paid tribute to her brother and his wife, Kaki Gilpin, in an emotional Instagram post.
“Kaki and Marc took care of each other with kindness, strength, dignity and invaluable humor,” the 62-year-old wrote.
“When Marc became ill, Kaki and their boys surrounded Marc with love, hugs, and round the clock support and care. I just want to say how much I admire Kaki as a wife, mom, first grade teacher, sister and sister-in-law and undaunted caregiver,” Peri continued.
She concluded: “You are an amazing person Kaki and [it’s] so easy to see how much he has always loved you and always will.”
Marc had a short stint in Hollywood, credited with acting in only about 15 projects, the most recent of which was in 1989.
Alongside “Jaws 2,” Gilpin also made appearances in the 1981 films “The Legend of the Lone Ranger” and “Earthbound.”
He had a guest role on the 1979 TV series “Fantasy Island” and “CHiPs.”
In 1985, he had a part in the movie “Surviving,” alongside Ellen Burstyn, River Phoenix and Molly Ringwald.
This breakout role led to Gilpin signing with a talent manager, who also started working with Peri.
Other Tinseltown credits included spots on the show “Silver Spoons” and in the movie “She’s Out of Control.”
He retired from the entertainment industry in the late 1980s and pursued a career in software engineering.
Gilpin was diagnosed with cancer in May 2022, and a GoFundMe page was set up to help pay for medical expenses.
In their plea, they noted that doctors found two tumors in his brain and he was undergoing treatment.
“So many people have reached out to us in this past year to support. It’s been humbling,” Kaki wrote in the most recent update, posted this May. “And I thought I was already humble enough. Damn. Marc is an amazingly strong man and he wants to continue the battle. So do I and our boys. Any parent would be so proud of their kids if you could see how Spencer and Presley are living with this.”
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