Ricou Browning

Ricou Ren Browning (February 16, 1930 – February 27, 2023) was an American stunt performer, filmmaker and actor. A skilled swimmer, he was known for his innovative underwater stunt work, notably in the 1954 film Creature from the Black Lagoon, in which he portrayed the titular Gill-man during the film's underwater scenes, and in the 1965 James Bond film Thunderball, for which he was the underwater sequences director. He was also the co-creator of the Flipper media franchise.

Early life

Ricou Ren Browning was born in Fort Pierce, Florida, on February 16, 1930.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>Template:Sfn<ref name="Rizzo 2013">Template:Cite web</ref> He majored in physical education at Florida State University.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>

Career

File:Ricou Browning, March 2019.jpg

Browning in March 2019

Browning started a career in water shows, moving on to produce shows. Browning worked at Wakulla Springs in the 1940s and learned to perform in underwater newsreels conceived by Newt Perry, who later took Browning along when he opened Weeki Wachee Springs.<ref name="FL Artists Hall of Fame" />

While working at Wakulla Springs in 1953, Browning was asked to show around a film crew scouting for shooting locations.<ref name="Dunne 2016">Template:Cite web</ref> According to Browning, "Their cameraman asked if I could swim in front of the cameras so they could get the perspective of the size of a human being against the fish and the grass. So I did."<ref name="Dunne 2016" /> Days later, the crew offered Browning the role of the titular Gill-man in the film Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954).<ref name="Dunne 2016" /> Browning accepted, and played the Gill-man in the film's underwater scenes, while actor Ben Chapman played the monster on land.<ref name="Kinnard 1988">Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> During filming, Browning reportedly held his breath underwater for up to four minutes at a time.<ref name="Rizzo 2013" /><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Browning reprised his role as the underwater Gill-man in two sequels, Revenge of the Creature (1955) and The Creature Walks Among Us (1956).

Browning continued in movie production and joined Ivan Tors' studios in Florida, where he co-wrote and co-produced the 1963 film Flipper (about an intelligent bottlenose dolphin) together with Jack Cowden; Browning also directed the second unit underwater scenes for the film.<ref name="O'Barry & Coulbourn 2000">Template:Cite book</ref> Browning continued writing and directing for the subsequent Flipper television series that debuted in 1964.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

He made his feature film directorial debut with Salty (1973), which he also co-wrote with Cowden,<ref name="Dunne 2016" /> and directed the cult film Mr. No Legs (1978).

He worked as second unit director, stunt coordinator and underwater sequence director on a number of features, including the James Bond films Thunderball (1965) and Never Say Never Again (1983), Around the World Under the Sea (1966), Island of the Lost (1967), Hello Down There (1969), and Caddyshack (1980).<ref name="FL Artists Hall of Fame" />

A Florida native,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Browning was inducted into the Florida Artists Hall of Fame in 2012.<ref name="FL Artists Hall of Fame">Template:Cite web</ref> In 2019, he was inducted into the Rondo Hatton Classic Horror Awards' Monster Kid Hall of Fame.<ref name="17th Annual Rondos">Template:Cite web</ref>

Prior to his death, Browning was considered the last surviving original actor to portray any of the Universal Classic Monsters.<ref name="Squires 2023" /><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Personal life and death

Browning had two sons and two daughters.<ref name="Dunne 2016" />Template:Sfn<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="Barnes 2023">Template:Cite web</ref> His wife, Fran, died in March 2020.<ref name="Barnes 2023" />

Browning died at home in Southwest Ranches, Florida, on February 27, 2023, at age 93.<ref name="Squires 2023">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="Barnes 2023" />

Selected filmography

Film

As actor/stuntman

Year	Title	Role	Notes	Template:Tooltip
1954	Creature from the Black Lagoon	Gill-man	Underwater scenes	<ref name="Kinnard 1988" />
1954	20,000 Leagues Under the Sea	Template:N/A	Stunt diver	Template:Sfn<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
1955	Revenge of the Creature	Gill-man	Underwater scenes	Template:Sfn
1956	The Creature Walks Among Us	Gill-man	Underwater scenes	Template:Sfn
1964	Flipper's New Adventure	Dr. Burton		<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

As director/writer/stunt coordinator

Year	Title	Director	Writer	Stunt coordinator	Notes	Template:Tooltip
1963	Flipper	Template:Yes	Template:Yes	Template:Yes	Underwater scenes; co-wrote story with Jack Cowden; also associate producer	<ref name="O'Barry & Coulbourn 2000" />
1965	Thunderball	Template:Yes		Template:Yes	Underwater scenes	Template:Sfn
1966	Around the World Under the Sea	Template:Yes			Diving sequences	<ref name="Weaver et al. 2018">Template:Cite book</ref>
1967	Island of the Lost	Template:Yes			Underwater scenes	<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
1969	Hello Down There	Template:Yes			Underwater scenes	<ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
1973	Salty	Template:Yes	Template:Yes		Co-wrote with Jack Cowden	<ref name="Weaver 108">Template:Cite book</ref>
1978	Mr. No Legs	Template:Yes				<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
1979	Hot Stuff	Template:Yes				<ref name="Freese 1998">Template:Cite book</ref>
1980	Caddyshack	Template:Yes				<ref name="Weaver 108" /><ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
1980	Raise the Titanic	Template:Yes				<ref name="Weaver 108" /><ref name="Freese 1998" />
1980	Island Claws		Template:Yes		Co-wrote with Jack Cowden	<ref name="Weaver 108" /><ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
1981	Nobody's Perfekt	Template:Yes				<ref name="Weaver 108" />
1983	Never Say Never Again	Template:Yes			Underwater scenes	Template:Sfn
1985	The Heavenly Kid			Template:Yes		<ref name="Freese 1998" />
1986	Opposing Force			Template:Yes		<ref name="Weaver 108" />
1988	Police Academy 5: Assignment Miami Beach	Template:Yes				<ref name="Freese 1998" />

Television

As actor/stuntman

Year	Title	Role	Notes	Template:Tooltip
1958–1961	Sea Hunt	Template:N/A	Second unit stunt double; 30 episodes	<ref name="Rizzo 2013" /><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
1960–1961	The AquanautsTemplate:Efn	Template:N/A	Stunt double	<ref name="Freese 1998" />
1964–1967	Flipper	Water Skier/The Monster	2 episodes: "Lifeguard" and "Flipper's Monster"	<ref name="Weaver et al. 2018" />

As director

Year	Title	Notes	Template:Tooltip
1958–1961	Sea Hunt	Underwater scenes; multiple episodes	<ref name="O'Barry & Coulbourn 2000" />
1964–1967	Flipper	37 episodes	<ref name="Weaver et al. 2018" />

References

Bibliography

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External links

• "Ricou Browning, Who Made the Black Lagoon Scary, Dies at 93", obituary in The New York Times
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