1916 Shark Attacks

A GOOD NIGHT SNACK
PATREON EXCLUSIVE SERIES
SEASON 3 : EPISODE 3
JULY 17, 2024

A Good Night Snack is a series available exclusively for our Housekeeper and Butler tier members on Patreon.

One of the reasons I started this podcast is because I love getting to the bottom of myths or legends. Some of my favorites are local myths and legends. When I learned that one of my favorite summer thriller films was inspired by events in New Jersey - where I am from - I immediately fell down that rabbit hole.

This is the story of the 1916 shark attacks that some say inspired the movie Jaws.

Follow along on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube @agoodnightforamurder.

Engleside Hotel where first victim had been vacationing

Wikipedia.org

Juvenile Great White presumed to be the “Jersey man-eater”

Wikipedia.org

Vansant - first victim

Weirdnj.com

Coverage of second victim

Weirdnj.com

Search for Lester Stillwell - Matawan Creek

Weirdnj.com

3rd and 4th victims - Stanley Fisher (bottom right) and Lester Stilwell

Wikipedia.org

Philadelphia Inquirer coverage of the shark h

Weirdnj.com

A photo from July 1916 of a man and his catch, a 300 pound 10 foot shark

Smithsonianmag.com

Map of attacks

Wikipedia.org

Contemporary artwork near Matawan Creek incident

Jerseysbest.com

Jaws movie poster

Wikipedia.org

• Episode Sources

  ARTICLES

  Jersey Shore shark attacks of 1916

  Jaws (film)

  Jaws (novel)

  Peter Benchley

  Frank Mundus

  Great white shark

  1916 New York City polio epidemic

  Jaw’s Real-Life Inspiration Is Much Less Terrifying Than You Think

  The Matawan Man-Eater: The Real-Life Jersey “Jaws”

  The Real-Life ‘Jaws’ That Terrorized the Jersey Shore

  One rogue shark. Five victims. A mysterious threat. And the era of the killer great white was born

  What Inspired the Movie "Jaws"?

  The true story of Jaws

  Is ‘Jaws’ Based On A True Story?

  Was ‘Jaws’ actually inspired by New Jersey shark attacks?