Carl Gottlieb


Biography

As a writer, director, and comic actor, Carl Gottlieb has enjoyed success in a wide range of roles, most notably for his writing on such classic films as "Jaws" and "The Jerk." He studied drama at Syracuse University before heading to San Francisco and entering the comedy fray with improv troupe the Committee. After a couple of minor TV appearances, he began writing for "The Smothers Bro...

Biography

As a writer, director, and comic actor, Carl Gottlieb has enjoyed success in a wide range of roles, most notably for his writing on such classic films as "Jaws" and "The Jerk." He studied drama at Syracuse University before heading to San Francisco and entering the comedy fray with improv troupe the Committee. After a couple of minor TV appearances, he began writing for "The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour" in 1968, earning an Emmy for his contribution. He played a supporting part in the renowned Robert Altman war comedy "M*A*S*H," before joining the cast of the game-changing blockbuster "Jaws," initially called upon just to play the newspaper editor but subsequently tapped by Spielberg to rewrite the script in order to bring more depth and humor to the characters. After the troubled production process of that film, Gottlieb wrote a book detailing the experience, "The Jaws Log." Amidst other acting and writing projects, he joined forces with Steve Martin, sharing writing duties on "The Jerk," in which Gottlieb also played the part of the unforgettably named Iron Balls McGinty. Gottlieb's subsequent work, such as writing for the first two "Jaws" sequels, would be less noteworthy, though "Amazon Women on the Moon"--a sketch-driven send-up of '50s science fiction films for which Gottlieb directed several segments--achieved a cult following.

Filmography

 

Director (Feature Film)

Amazon Women On The Moon (1987)
Director
Caveman (1981)
Director

Cast (Feature Film)

Clueless (1995)
Into The Night (1985)
Johnny Dangerously (1984)
The Sting II (1982)
The Jerk (1979)
More Than Friends (1978)
The Deadly Triangle (1977)
Cannonball (1976)
Jaws (1975)
Editor Meadows
Crime Club (1975)
Savage (1973)
Floorman
Up the Sandbox (1972)
Vinnie
Something Evil (1972)
Celebration at Big Sur (1971)
Man in mineral bath
M*A*S*H (1970)
Ugly John
A Session with the Committee (1969)
Maryjane (1968)
Larry Kane

Writer (Feature Film)

The Jerk, Too (1984)
Characters As Source Material
Doctor Detroit (1982)
Screenwriter
Jaws 3 (1982)
Screenplay
Caveman (1981)
Screenplay
The Jerk (1979)
From Story
The Jerk (1979)
Story By
The Jerk (1979)
Screenplay
Crisis in Sun Valley (1978)
Screenplay
Jaws 2 (1978)
Screenplay
The Deadly Triangle (1977)
Screenplay
Which Way Is Up? (1977)
Screenplay
Jaws (1975)
Screenwriter

Producer (Feature Film)

Celebration at Big Sur (1971)
Producer

Director (Special)

Partners in Life (1990)
Director
Paul Reiser: Out on a Whim (1987)
Director

Cast (Special)

Hype With John Stossel (2000)

Writer (Special)

The New Lorenzo Music Show (1976)
Writer
The Flip Wilson Special (1975)
Writer
The Flip Wilson Special (1975)
Writer
The Flip Wilson Comedy Special (1975)
Writer
Flip Wilson... Of Course (1974)
Writer
The Flip Wilson Special (1974)
Writer

Producer (Special)

Partners in Life (1990)
Producer
The New Lorenzo Music Show (1976)
Producer

Special Thanks (Special)

The New Lorenzo Music Show (1976)
Writer
The Flip Wilson Special (1975)
Writer
The Flip Wilson Special (1975)
Writer
The Flip Wilson Comedy Special (1975)
Writer
Flip Wilson... Of Course (1974)
Writer
The Flip Wilson Special (1974)
Writer

Misc. Crew (Special)

Local News (2001)
Advisor

Life Events

Videos

Movie Clip

M*A*S*H (1970) -- (Movie Clip) Open, Suicide Is Painless The opening from Robert Altman, including the rarely-heard lyric from the song, which became the TV title theme, which made writer Mike Altman (the director’s son) rich, and a brief introduction of Colonel Blake (Roger Bowen) and Radar (Gary Burghoff), from M*A*S*H, 1970,
Jaws 2 (1978) -- (Movie Clip) -- The Bites Are Big After we’ve seen two shark attack scenes, Chief Brody (Roy Scheider), who’s the only one suspicious so far, brings Dr. Elkins (Collin Wilcox Paxton) to see the killer whale that the kids, including his son Mike (Mark Gruner), found on Amity Island, in the sequel Jaws 2, 1978.
Jaws 2 (1978) -- (Movie Clip) -- Get Out Of The Water! While his wife (Lorraine Gary) who works for developer Peterson (Joseph Mascolo), and the mayor (Murray Hamilton) are showing the beach to prospective buyers, Brody (Roy Scheider), haunted by the last movie and suspecting a shark, overreacts to a shadow in the water, in the sequel Jaws 2, 1978.
Jaws 2 (1978) -- (Movie Clip) -- Everything Is Next Week We viewers know well that there’s another shark in the waters off Amity Island, but there’s no public alarm, as teens Tina and Ed (Ann Dusenberry, Gary Dubin) just miss seeing what really happens to a water-skier and her driver (Jean Coulter), in the sequel Jaws 2, 1978.
Jaws (1975) -- (Movie Clip) I'll Catch This Bird Civic panic in "Amity" (in fact, Martha's Vineyard), as Mayor Vaughn (Murray Hamilton) chairs, Chief Brody (Roy Scheider) comments, and crusty shark-hunter Quint (Robert Shaw) takes over, in Steven Spielberg's Jaws, 1975.
Jaws (1975) -- (Movie Clip) That's Some Bad Hat Famous scene from director Steven Spielberg with advanced shooting and editing, Chief Brody (Roy Scheider) scanning the beach which the city fathers refused to close, Lorraine Gary his wife, Wally Hooper Jr. the geriatric swimmer, in Jaws, 1975.
Jaws (1975) -- (Movie Clip) Ben Gardner's Boat Pretty much pure spookery, as Hooper (Richard Dreyfuss) has persuaded aquaphobic Chief Brody (Roy Scheider) to come out shark-hunting at night, and the discovery of a local fishing boat and a big tooth, in Steven Spielberg's Jaws, 1975.
Jaws (1975) -- (Movie Clip) Beach Closed Signs Chief Brody (Roy Scheider) interviewing Cassidy (Jonathan Filley) about the girl who went missing, soon found by Hendricks (Jeffrey Kramer), leading back to the first Martha's Vineyard location shots and the introduction of Mayor Vaughn (Murray Hamilton), in Steven Spielberg's Jaws, 1975.
Jaws (1975) -- (Movie Clip) I Can Swim! The opening but for a brief shark's-eye-view shot with John Williams music, as Chrissie (Susan Backlinie) lures Cassidy (Jonathan Filley) into the moonlit surf, in Steven Spielberg's Jaws, 1975.
Jaws (1975) -- (Movie Clip) The Bite Radius On This Animal Co-screenwriter Carl Gottlieb is the bossy flack as Chief Brody (Roy Scheider) greets the mayor (Murray Hamilton) with news of the captured shark, Hooper (Richard Dreyfuss) casting doubt and Mrs. Kintner (Lee Fierro) wailing on the chief, in Steven Spielberg's Jaws, 1975.

Bibliography