Forever immortalized in the world of horror cinema for playing Mrs. Kintner in Steven Spielberg’s Jaws, we’ve learned the sad news today that actress Lee Fierro has passed away.
Fierro, who was 91 years old, died of complications from COVID-19.
Mrs. Kintner had a brief but incredibly memorable appearance in the 1975 horror classic, slapping Chief Brody across the face and taking Amity officials to task for not doing anything to prevent the death of her son. The heartbreaking moment is the catalyst for everything that comes next, with Brody taking matters into his own hands and killing the shark.
Fierro was a theater actor on Martha’s Vineyard prior to being cast in the role of Mrs. Kintner by Steven Spielberg. And though movie fans know her primarily for that role, she’s remembered for much more on the island. As noted by The Martha’s Vineyard Times, Fierro “taught and mentored more than 1,000 children in theater” for the Island Theatre Workshop.
The Martha’s Vineyard Times explains in their touching obituary, “The Island Theatre Workshop was started by Mary Payne, but Fierro spent more than 25 years as artistic director and [for] several years after that she continued to assist, working well into her 80s.”
Lee Fierro passed away over the weekend in Ohio.