Susan Backlinie, the actress and stunt double, has died at the age of 77. The performer was an expert swimmer and for this reason she was chosen for the iconic scene of the film shark, in which she bathes in the sea during the night and is suddenly dragged away by the killer, becoming his first victim official.
According to information from the New York Times, Backlinie died last Saturday in Ventura, California, due to cardiac arrest, as reported by his agent Sean Clark. His husband Harvey Swindall He reported that it was a «very unexpected» death and that it occurred at his home.
Although his role was small, he was crucial to the success of the success of the 80s, as it managed to capture the attention of viewers and keep them in suspense. Additionally, many agree that because of her scene, people were afraid of going into the sea and being overwhelmed by something they couldn’t see.
The scene required the actress to know aquatic stunts, so she could appear calm, but also withstand the physical effort that the action required.
To film the scene, Susan was attached to a swimsuit with metal plates sewn into the sides, with which they could attach a harness and pull it in the way seen in the film. She would not know when she would be immersed, this with the aim of creating a real surprise.
Backlinie has worked on other films, both as an actress and as a stuntman, such as animal day (1977), The Great Muppet Caper (1981) and in The boy of autumn (1982); even though it has always been his most remembered work Shark.
