# Roy Scheider's 5 Best Movies Ranked

> Roy Scheider's 5 best films ranked from 'Jaws' to 'Marathon Man' in the 1970s.
- Title: Roy Scheider's 5 Best Movies Ranked · SlashFilm | Shortify
- Summary: Roy Scheider's 5 best films ranked from 'Jaws' to 'Marathon Man' in the 1970s. Roy Scheider's 1970s films, including 'Jaws', 'The French Connection', and…
- Keywords: roy scheider, jaws, the french connection, marathon man, all that jazz, sorcerer, 1970s, oscar nominations, film rankings, roy scheider movies, entertainment, culture
- Source: SlashFilm — https://slashfilm.com/2284567/best-roy-scheider-movies-ranked
- Author: Devin Meenan
- Published: 2026-10-20T08:10:00+00:00
- Read time: 2 min
- Topics: roy scheider, jaws, the french connection, marathon man, all that jazz, sorcerer, 1970s, oscar nominations, film rankings, roy scheider movies, entertainment, culture
## Roy Scheider's Career Peak
Roy Scheider, born in New Jersey, worked as a boxer and served in the U.S. Air Force before becoming an actor. He was a tough guy with confidence, perfect for New Hollywood's naturalistic films.
## 1970s Film Peak
Scheider's career peaked in the 1970s, with each film on this list being a masterpiece from that decade. He passed away in 2008 at age 75.
## 5. Marathon Man
In 1976, Scheider starred in 'Marathon Man' as Doc, a brother to Thomas 'Babe' Levy, who is an espionage agent for the U.S. government.
## Marathon Man Spoilers
Doc dies early in the film, murdered by Christian Szell, a Nazi war criminal, which kicks off the plot where Babe becomes a reluctant hero.
## 4. The French Connection
Scheider broke out in 1971 with 'The French Connection', where he played Buddy 'Cloudy' Russo, a New York police detective.
## The French Connection Cast
Scheider stars alongside Gene Hackman as Jimmy 'Popeye' Doyle, two detectives trying to bust a French heroin smuggling ring.
## 3. Sorcerer
Scheider played Jackie Scanlon in 'Sorcerer', an Irish American criminal living under the name 'Juan Domínguez' in rural South America.
## Sorcerer's Survival
The film follows four fugitive men in a small village, paid to transport unstable dynamite through the jungle.
## 2. All That Jazz
Scheider played Joe Gideon, a Broadway theater director and dance choreographer who is a philanderer and addict.
## All That Jazz Ending
Joe suffers a heart attack in the second hour, leading to his death in a hospital where he sings 'Bye Bye Life' in his dying fantasy.
## 1. Jaws
Scheider played Chief Brody, the police chief who becomes the hero of 'Jaws' after a shark attacks a little boy on Amity Island.
## Key takeaway

Roy Scheider's 1970s films, including 'Jaws', 'The French Connection', and 'Marathon Man', are ranked as his best movies.