Comments on: Killer Shark

By: Chris

Chris — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 07:25:12 +0000

Correct. The first comment was made before I spoke to him this evening. I was fairly young when he was working on the project, so my memory is spotty at best. I thought the one-sheet came directly from Magidell alone. I inquired about this specifically and that is when he corrected me and said the one-sheet was the product of a consortium of several groups (as noted above) using the original book art as the primary image for the campaign.

Sorry for my initial confusion. I will post again if I hear any interesting stories from his time working on the campaign.

I enjoyed your site by the way. Thanks.

By: posterwire

posterwire — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 05:25:15 +0000

Thanks for the info. The only item I can find referencing your father (William Gamm) is from this December 1975 issue of Boxoffice Magazine:

SHARK THAT LOST -- W. J. Christian, Kansas City projectionist, with the "Jaws" star he caught while deep-sea fishing off the coast of Santa Barbara, Calif., during the summer of '73. The boothman says he is looking forward to presenting the film "Jaws" on the screen and concedes that the one he caught "really wasn't such a bad guy." Coincidentally, Christian's nephew William Gamm of Burbank, Calif., through his advertising company, helped with the pressbook designed to promote "Jaws" for Universal Pictures, which is releasing the Zanuck/Brown production.

Knowing that no single hand ever touches a campaign, I don't doubt your father and his agency were involved with the campaign as he said. However, your comment: "The one-sheet and advertising was done by the Magidell Agency, Studio City, CA, not Seiniger in NY." would not be accurate either. (You said your father knew Seiniger to be involved.) More importantly, you are welcome to post any recollections your father may have working on the campaign. ;)

By: Chris

Chris — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 03:34:52 +0000

To explain, my father was the owner of the Maigidell Agency (1968-1993; now retired) and I spoke to him tonight about it. He knows Seiniger and says that Seiniger was involved but was not the sole creative force as the article suggests. He further explained that it was a consortium of talent, including both agencies and Jay Rothman of Universal and other in-house talent.

As a side note, he confirmed that Roger Kastel did the original cover art for the book that was later used on the poster. He has never heard of Mick McGinty.

By: posterwire

posterwire — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 02:59:04 +0000

Chris, then why did Tony Seiniger give an interview about the Jaws poster and how it launched his career?

By: Chris

Chris — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 02:12:41 +0000

The one-sheet and advertising was done by the Magidell Agency, Studio City, CA, not Seiniger in NY.

By: Horror Artist Jerrod Brown

Horror Artist Jerrod Brown — Sat, 30 May 2009 11:47:28 +0000

Perhaps Jaws lovers would like to see the paintings I’ve done based on the movie. Check ‘em out and many other Horror Paintings on Myspace. (Prints also available).

By: posterwire

posterwire — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 04:42:19 +0000

No, it was Roger Kastel who illustrated the Jaws poster:

http://www.sharkisstillworking.com/video2.asp

By: Jamie

Jamie — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 05:58:46 +0000

Hey Mick McGinty painted Jaws, not Roger Kastel!

By: Alice Keymer

Alice Keymer — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 19:12:01 +0000

They need to re-release Jaws on DVD again, and this time put the classic orignal atwork on. That’s what most people want. Why the stupid studio requersted a new updated look I’ll never understand.

By: Giving It Bite « Posterwire.com « the movie poster weblog

Giving It Bite « Posterwire.com « the movie poster weblog — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 18:26:44 +0000

[...] Piranha poster also follows the Jaws poster formula: swimming beauty on the water, in danger from said creature (with large teeth) from below. [...]