Fans were delighted to catch a glimpse of a familiar face from classic cinema in Los Angeles recently, as the elusive actor made a rare public appearance.
At 79, the star—best known for playing the earnest Deputy Hendricks in Jaws and Jaws 2—looked upbeat and in good spirits, flashing a relaxed smile while out running errands.
Dressed casually in a laid-back jacket and jeans, he radiated the easygoing charm that made his character a standout amidst the chaos of Amity Island, far from the blood-soaked panic of Spielberg’s shark-infested blockbusters.
Adding a nostalgic touch to the moment? A cap embroidered with ‘Amity Police’—a perfect wink to his iconic role.
But beyond his Jaws fame, this versatile actor also popped up in horror classic Halloween II, trading his badge for dental tools as a nervous dentist, and made memorable appearances on hit TV shows like Ally McBeal and Barney Miller.
Can you guess which character actor this is?
Fans were delighted to catch a glimpse of a familiar face from classic cinema in Los Angeles recently, as the elusive actor made a rare public appearance
At 79, the star—best known for playing the earnest Deputy Hendricks in Jaws and Jaws 2 —looked upbeat and in good spirits, flashing a relaxed smile while out running errands
Adding a nostalgic touch to the moment? A cap embroidered with ‘Amity Police’—a perfect wink to his iconic role
If you guessed Jeffrey Kramer, you’re right!
Before he was dodging great whites, Kramer grew up in Teaneck, New Jersey, graduated from Teaneck High School with the Class of 1963, and went on to attend Ithaca College.
He made his TV debut in the beloved sitcom Barney Miller in the episode ‘Snow Job’—the first step in what would become a diverse and enduring career across film and television.
Throughout the ’70s and ’80s, Kramer became a staple of both the big and small screen.
He popped up in everything from Baretta, MASH*, Laverne & Shirley, Soap, and Chico and the Man, to cult favorites like Hollywood Boulevard and You Light Up My Life.
Horror fans remember his turn as the uneasy dentist Graham in Halloween II, where he examined the wrong corpse, believing it to be the infamous Michael Myers.
He even found time to face courtroom drama in The People vs. the Fonz and flash his comedic timing in Happy Days.
Kramer co-starred with Jack Elam in the short-lived but fondly remembered NBC series Struck by Lightning, and went on to appear in Heartbeeps, Clue, Santa Claus: The Movie, and The ’Burbs—building a resumé full of quirky, beloved roles.
If you guessed Jeffrey Kramer, you’re right!; (Jeffrey Kramer As Deputy Hendricks in Jaws)
He popped up in everything from Baretta, MASH*, Laverne & Shirley, Soap, and Chico and the Man, to cult favorites like Hollywood Boulevard and You Light Up My Life
He even found time to face courtroom drama in The People vs. the Fonz and flash his comedic timing in Happy Days
Dressed casually in a laid-back jacket and jeans, he radiated the easygoing charm that made his character a standout amidst the chaos of Amity Island, far from the blood-soaked panic of Spielberg’s shark-infested blockbusters
But beyond his Jaws fame, this versatile actor also popped up in horror classic Halloween II, trading his badge for dental tools as a nervous dentist, and made memorable appearances on hit TV shows like Ally McBeal and Barney Miller
Horror fans remember Kramer’s turn as the uneasy dentist in Halloween II, where he examined the wrong corpse, believing it to be the infamous Michael Myers
But the next chapter of his career proved just as impressive. In the ’90s, Kramer pivoted to producing, launching his behind-the-scenes work with the Bob Dylan: 30th Anniversary Concert Celebration in 1992.
From there, he helped shape some of television’s most defining shows—most notably Ally McBeal and The Practice.
In 1998, The Practice took home the Emmy for Best Drama Series, but it was 1999 that made history: Kramer and his co-producers became the first team ever to win Emmy Awards for both Best Comedy (Ally McBeal) and Best Drama (The Practice) in the same year.
Kramer would go on to earn six Emmy nominations in total, including a Daytime nod in 2007 for producing Bigfoot Presents: Meteor and the Mighty Monster Trucks.
Even today, he remains active in the industry—producing the upcoming CBS series H-Town in 2024.
