Jaws 2, Supergirl and Santa Claus director Jeannot Szwarc dies aged 87 after six-decade-long movie career

LEGENDARY film director Jeannot Szwarc from Jaws 2 and Somewhere in Time has died at the age of 87.

The French-American director's death was confirmed by his son Sacha Szwarc.

His father died on Tuesday of respiratory failure at Central Hospital in Loches, France, he told .

Szwarc had a legendary six-decade career in the film industry taking part in movies as well as producing and writing for television.

He worked on films like Santa Claus: The Movie, Bug, and Supergirl as well as popular television shows like Grey's Anatomy, The Practice, and Smallville.

Tributes have poured in for the talented producer, including a touching note from James Bond star Jane Seymour.

On Facebook, she wrote: "Today, we say goodbye to a true visionary.

"Jeannot Szwarc was not just a brilliant director but a kind and generous soul.

"He gifted us many timeless stories, including Somewhere in Time, a film that changed my life forever.

"May his memory be a blessing, and may his artistry live on in our hearts."

Meanwhile, his son said: "He was a passionate filmmaker and cinephile his whole life.

"Traits he has passed down to both his sons."

On Thursday, Jim Michaels a director on the series Supernatural posted a tribute to Szwarc.

He wrote: "Very sad to disclose Jeannot Szwarc who directed 5 episodes of #Supernatural has passed away (here with yours truly and ⁦@JerryWanek⁩).

";His other credits are too many to list. The film & television world sends a virtual group hug to his family."

Jeffrey Kramer who starred in the first two Jaws movies called him "one of the finest most talented souls."

BIRTH OF A FILM LEGEND

The director was born in Paris in 1937 but grew up in Argentina before heading stateside to get a master's degree at Harvard University.

Once back in France, he worked on documentaries and television adverts before returning to the US to work on television shows and films.

Szwarc started his 60-year career at Universal in Hollywood where he was hired to replace Jaws 2 director Verna Fields while also preparing a TV pilot for Quinn Martin.

This would be his second film after directing Bug in 1975.

Speaking to in 2019 about taking on the shark film, he said: "I didn't know what was going on. I didn't have a clue.

"I told them that the dialogue was terrible, but the action was good."

His work on that successful film which earned $77 million in its initial release making it the sixth highest-grossing film of 1978, started a domino effect for the director.

He was then selected to direct Somewhere in Time and from there his career took off.

Szwarc is survived by his two sons Sacha and Stefan and his wife Cara.