We remember those Sea Stars who gave so much of themselves to protect our oceans.
1936 – 2015
Actor. In films since 1965, American actor Alex Rocco specialized in tough-guy roles, sometimes leavening his hard-bitten portrayals with a dash of roguish humor. Rocco’s film assignments included such parts as gangster Legs Diamond in St. Valentine’s Day Massacre (1967) and Moe Greene in The Godfather (1974). He has been a regular or semi-regular on a number of television shows, beginning with 1975’s Three for the Road, in which he starred as freelance photographer (and full-time family man) Pete Karras. Alex Rocco has since been seen in such TVers as The Facts of Life as Mr. Polaznek, Sibs as Howie Roscio, The Famous Teddy Z as Al Floss, and The George Carlin Show as Harry Rossetti. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide. Alex has provided the voiceover for Rocco the Shark in Sea Save Foundation’s video production, “Rocco, the Cocos Island Whitetip Shark.”
Pioneer underwater film producer and photographer Stan Waterman, winner of five Emmys, has been at the forefront of scuba diving since its inception. In 1968 he collaborated with Peter Gimbel on the classic shark film “Blue Water, White Death.” He was an associate producer and underwater cameraman. Stan directed underwater photography in the production of “The Deep,” based on Peter Benchley’s best-selling novel. He and his oldest son, Gordy, won the first father-and-son Emmy for their work together in the National Geographic Explorer production, “Dancing With Stingrays.” Stingray City, the topic of the film, was coincidentally discovered by two of our other advisors, Jay Ireland and Pat Kenney. Stan’s commercial success is surpassed only by his passion for diving and his commitment to education and mentoring new filmmakers.
Marie Levine was a transformative voice in marine conservation and a lifelong champion for sharks. As founder and executive director of the Shark Research Institute (SRI), she worked tirelessly to shift public perception of sharks from fear to respect, and to elevate scientific understanding and protection of these vital species.
While she created the Global Shark Attack File, a groundbreaking resource for shark-human interaction data, her legacy reached far beyond it. Marie was a pillar of the CITES community, bringing deep scientific credibility and moral clarity to the fight for international wildlife protections. She was instrumental in introducing the Sea Save Foundation team to CITES, opening the door to a decade of collaborative conservation work on the global stage.
A mentor to countless conservationists, Marie combined sharp intellect with deep compassion. She was a gifted educator, advocate, and collaborator whose influence stretched from classrooms to policy arenas. Through her leadership, SRI became a driving force in shark research, international protection efforts, and public education.