The Men behind the Creature from
the Black Lagoon
Boris Karloff, Bela Lugosi, Lon Chaney, Lon Chaney Jr, Vincent Price, and Claude Rains. These are names that come to mind when you think about classic horror monsters. But who is missing? Who kept you out of the lake each summer? What made you need your mom to sit outside the door when you took a bath (was that just me)? That would be Ben Chapman and Ricou Browning. These are the two men responsible for bringing to life the Gill Man aka The Creature From the Black Lagoon.
Ben Chapman: He played the Gill Man in all the above water scenes. Ben fought in the Korean war before becoming an actor. He was selected for the role of the Gill Man due to the fact that he is 6’5. I am 6’2 and let me tell you that is one tall man, especially for 1954. His famous suit, which was made of latex-rubber, made it difficult for him to sit down. In between takes, he would rest in a lake on the studio backlot to keep from overheating. Chapman was the only one to participate in “Creature” related events. In a 1993 interview, Ben explained that there were really two different actors that played the Gill Man. Him and…
Ricou Browning: He is the unsung hero who played The Gill Man underwater. The terrifying and iconic shots of the Creature swimming underwater were portrayed by this man. Browning worked at Wakulla Springs in the 1940s, where he was a lifeguard when the filmmakers of The Creature From The Black Lagoon were scouting. He learned to perform in underwater newsreels conceived by Newt Perry, but Creature was his first acting role. He reprised the role in the sequels Revenge of the Creature and The Creature Walks Among Us, making him the only actor to play the Gill Man more than once. He went on to co-write and co-produce the 1963 MGM film Flipper and wrote on the subsequent television show. He also worked as a second-unit director, stunt coordinator, and underwater sequence director on a number of features, including Thunderball, Island of the Lost, Caddyshack, and Never Say Never Again. Take that Bela Lugosi. Just kidding, if the family or ghost of Bela is reading this, that man is a legend. Please don’t hurt me.
Universal Studios, at the time, did not want people to know that The Creature was a man/men in a rubber suit but now…we know the truth. The Creature from the Black Lagoon is a staple of Halloween.
*NOTE* Ricou Brownings’ health is going down and his daughter has asked for any fans to send get-well cards to help cheer him up. If you would like to send one, the address is below.
Ricou Browning
5221 SW 196 Lane
Southwest Ranches,
FL 33332
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