Sad news. We’ve lost Lee Fierro, who was one of the many Martha’s Vineyard locals who stole their scenes in Jaws. Mrs. Kintner will forever hold her own corner of movie history.

I met Lee Fierro once, briefly, at Jawsfest on the island many moons ago. She was delighted at all the attention she was getting and happily slapped a surprisingly large number of fans (at their request).

Fierro wasn’t just “local color,” she has one of the most important roles in the movie. Mrs. Kintner is the push that sends Brody out on the water. All the guilt he’s feeling for the deaths that have occurred on his watch is said in the naked light of day by this grieving mother.

If memory serves Fierro was a drama teacher at the local school. And she ran with her part. Her desperate search for son on the beach always breaks my heart just a little bit. She doesn’t quite know his fate yet and you can tell that in her performance.

Anyway, Fierro was proof positive that there are no small roles. She has less than 10 lines in the movie, yet has a huge impact on the main characters and is unforgettable to the audience. I’m glad she knew how much Jaws fans adore her.