Hollywood Titan #632: David Brown Papers

Published September 22, 2026 at 6:00 AM MDT

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Press release announcing the hire of Steve Spielberg as director of the film Jaws. Box 23, David Brown papers, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming.

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Excerpt from Premiere Magazine about the filming of Jaws. Box 41, David Brown papers, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming.

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Letter from David Brown to Steven Spielberg. Box 46, David Brown papers, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming.

Film titan David Brown left an indelible mark. His success began at Twentieth Century Fox with the 1953 Oscar-nominated Biblical epic The Robe. But Brown truly made his name in the 1970s.

He co-founded a company with Richard Zanuck, delivering blockbusters like the record-smashing film Jaws. During pre-production on Jaws, Brown brought on new talent – Steven Spielberg. Captivated by Peter Benchley’s novel, Jaws, Spielberg eagerly signed on to direct. It was a fortuitous combination and ignited their legendary partnership.

Despite hurdles, Jaws became the highest-grossing film ever. It pioneered the modern blockbuster model of big summer releases with massive marketing. Alongside Star Wars, Jaws transformed Hollywood to focus on high-concept action films.

Explore this Hollywood icon's incredible life and impact in the David Brown Papers at UW’s American Heritage Center