Author Peter Benchley was the man who wrote director Steven Spielberg's first big cinema hit, Jaws. With Benchley's passing over the weekend (read the full story), Spielberg has issued the following statement regarding his respect for the author.

"Peter Benchley gave the world a jolt when he found the perfect formula for combining human nature and nature itself -- and JAWS was born. I owe so much to Peter because the success of JAWS gave me artistic freedom in all of my films thereafter.

What I will ultimately never forget about Peter was his complete devotion in the post-JAWS era to giving the world a better understanding of the life and evolution of sharks. He made a commitment to preserve the species and help dispel the fear and loathing of them that the JAWS phenomenon extended."

Steven Spielberg is currently nominated for two Oscars for his recent film, Munich. He also has several projects on the horizon, including Jurassic Park IV and "Nine Lives" another mini-series he's producing for the Sci-Fi Channel.

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