Jaws: 9 Easters Eggs You Never Noticed

Jaws author Peter Benchley makes a brief appearance in the middle of the film, playing a reporter covering the shark attacks in Amity as the beach is reopened for the summer. The role was a natural fit for Benchley, as he’d worked as a journalist at The Washington Post for a number of years prior to becoming a novelist. 

Although Benchley's novel was a big success, it wasn't very well received critically - Spielberg himself hated Jaws when he first read it, finding most of the characters so unlikable he ended up rooting for the shark. The film adaptation subsequently trimmed a lot of pointless subplots from the novel - including a steamy affair between Hooper and Chief Brody’s wife Ellen - and focused on the adventure side of the story instead. 

Anyone who's read the book will agree this was a smart choice.