REVENGE OF THE CREATURE
The last surviving Universal Classic Monster actor has sunk into the murky deep, aged 93. Ricou Browning was active in water shows throughout the 40s and 50s when offered the part of the Gill-man for horror classic Creature from the Black Lagoon. His underwater prowess caught the eye of the crew, and the Florida native hailing from the state known for its gators and elected officials made him a perfect fit to play the grody swamp creature. Browning wore the monster suit for underwater scenes, while Ben Chapman played the Gill-man on land. He filmed his scenes in wintertime and got through with shots of brandy, then while filming the sequel, a turtle bit off the costume’s foot and the crew had to chase it!
Maritime roles coloured the remainder of his career – fostering two dolphins inspired him to co-create Flipper, and he directed underwater film scenes such as the harpoon fight in Thunderball and the pool scene in Caddyshack. He was a cult pick last year (including by yours truly) due to reports of declining health; this time around two teams were lurking ominously in the lake for their reward.
Ricou Browning
16 February 1930 – 27 February 2023, aged 93
2 TEAMS (💀💀💀💀💀 5 POINTS)