Frank Mundus
Frank Mundus (October 21, 1925September 10, 2008) was a fisherman and charter captain based in Montauk, New York who is said to be the inspiration for the character Quint in the movie and book "Jaws". He started out as a shark hunter but later became a shark conservationist. Up until his death, he chartered out his boat "Cricket II" for those seeking the thrill of big game fishing. Mundus' early techniques, which included killing whales merely for chum and harpooning sharks (practices which are outlawed today), earned him criticism even at the time. In the last few years  of his life Mundus had campaigned for shark fishermen to catch and release their prey, even going as far as to publish a conservation book titled "White Shark Sam Meets The Monster Man." Mundus died on September 10, 2008, in Honolulu due to complications from a heart attack he suffered on September 6, the day he returned home to Hawaii after spending the summer in Montauk. According to his obituary he had spent the last night in Montauk aboard the "Cricket II" which had made him famous and had his heart attack in the Hawaii airport immediately after returning. Early  life. Mundus, was born in Long Branch, New Jersey and moved to Brooklyn when he was young. In 1945, he began a charter fishing operation in Brielle, New Jersey, with the "Cricket". In 1947, he had the "Cricket II" custom-built. The "Pelican". Mundus moved to Montauk in 1951 saying he wanted to start charters for bluefish. In his first year at Montauk he played an important role in the rescue and retrieval of the "Pelican", an overloaded party boat in which 45 of 64 on board perished after capsizing in a squall, including its captain Eddie Carroll. He was  among the second wave of searchers, and helped tow the hull of the "Pelican" to port with ten dead bodies still trapped inside. The disaster was the worst in Montauk recreational history and led to numerous laws regulating the industry. Monster Fish. Mundus soon discovered that bluefish were not plentiful in Montauk waters, but sharks were. Mundus started what he called "Monster Fishing" with boats leaving the port at Lake Montauk. Mundus with his colorful character became immediately popular. He further helped his reputation by catching a 4,500 pound great white shark by harpoon (the weight was estimated without the  shark having been weighed). In 1986 he and Donnie Braddick caught a 3,427-pound great white about 28 miles off Montauk, and only 18 miles from Block Island, which still holds the record, not only for the largest shark, but for the largest fish of any kind ever caught by rod and reel. The capture of the shark was controversial at the time, with some saying the shark was feeding on a whale when caught (which would have negated the so-called "official record"). The International Game Fishing Association ruled that the catch was legitimate based on photographs. In 1991  the U.S. Coast Guard said that Mundus' license had expired and he had to reapply. He initially attempted to sell the "Cricket II" and moved to Hawaii. The sale did not go through although the boat would be operated by others. He officially retired as a charter captain in 1997. In the years before his death he would come back to Montauk for its shark tournaments and would ride along on higher priced "Cricket II" excursions. He died in Hawaii shortly after returning from Montauk. Colourful character. Mundus' reputation was enhanced by his eccentric personality and ostentatious displays of the  killed sharks (something he would say later he regretted). "He always said the charter business was 90 percent show and 10 percent go," said Chris Miller, a Montauk resident who had seen him on the docks. He coloured his big toenails red and green for port and starboard. He wore a hoop earring and an Australian slouch hat and a shark tooth necklace. In 2005, he appeared in a Shark Week documentary, "Shark Hunter: Chasing the Great White", which was narrated by actor Roy Scheider, who played Martin Brody in "Jaws" and "Jaws II". The special told of Mundus' early  career, how he became the inspiration for Quint, his world record capture, and how he turned from shark hunter to shark conservationist. Mundus also joined Chris Fallows and other shark conservationists in viewing great whites in their natural habitat. In one such viewing of the breaching great whites (made famous in the "Air Jaws" series of specials), during which Fallows brought out a seal decoy he had humorously named "Frank" after Mundus (a hat like the ones Mundus usually wore was even added to it) and they used it to fool them into breaching. He said that the name of  his boat was inspired by the fact that his profile resembled that of Jiminy Cricket. Inspiration for Quint in "Jaws". Mundus is often said to be the inspiration for charter captain Quint in the "book" and "film Jaws". The novel's author, Peter Benchley says that Mundus was the inspiration but Mundus was not notably credited as a source in the movie. Nevertheless, Montauk residents have said that Mundus was definitely the inspiration for the character. John Ebel, a mate on the "Cricket II" said that Benchley had privately acknowledged that Mundus was the inspiration but had publicly denied the  association for legal reasons. They note the following: In comparisons to his character in "Jaws", his website quotes him: What did you think about the movie Jaws? Is it true that the shark hunter "Quint" in Jaws is based on you? In what ways does he resemble you?