Ricou Browning

 ( 1930 Births ) 

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.

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Early life Ricou Ren Browning was born in Fort Pierce, Florida, on February 16, 1930. He majored in physical education at Florida State University.

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Career 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 conceived by Newt Perry, who later took Browning along when he opened Weeki Wachee Springs.

While working at Wakulla Springs in 1953, Browning was asked to show around a film crew scouting for shooting locations. 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." Days later, the crew offered Browning the role of the titular Gill-man in the film Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954). Browning accepted, and played the Gill-man in the film's underwater scenes, while actor Ben Chapman played the monster on land.

Roy Kinnard (1988). 9780810820623, Scarecrow Press. . ISBN 9780810820623

During filming, Browning reportedly held his breath underwater for up to four minutes at a time. 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.

(2025). 9781580631013, St. Martin's Griffin. . ISBN 9781580631013

Browning continued writing and directing for the subsequent Flipper television series that debuted in 1964.

(1994). 9780810829398, Scarecrow Press. . ISBN 9780810829398

He made his feature film directorial debut with Salty (1973), which he also co-wrote with Cowden, 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).

A Florida native, Browning was inducted into the Florida Artists Hall of Fame in 2012. In 2019, he was inducted into the Rondo Hatton Classic Horror Awards' Monster Kid Hall of Fame.

Prior to his death, Browning was considered the last surviving original actor to portray any of the Universal Classic Monsters.

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Personal life and death Browning had two sons and two daughters. His wife, Fran, died in March 2020.

Browning died at home in Southwest Ranches, Florida, on February 27, 2023, at age 93.

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Selected filmography

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Film

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As actor/stuntman

1954	Creature from the Black Lagoon	Gill-man	Underwater scenes
1954	20,000 Leagues Under the Sea		Stunt diver	Bill Warren (1997). 9780786404797, McFarland & Company. . ISBN 9780786404797
1955	Revenge of the Creature	Gill-man	Underwater scenes
1956	The Creature Walks Among Us	Gill-man	Underwater scenes
1964	Flipper's New Adventure	Dr. Burton

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As director/writer/stunt coordinator

1963	Flipper				Underwater scenes; co-wrote story with Jack Cowden; also associate producer
1965	Thunderball				Underwater scenes
1966	Around the World Under the Sea				Diving sequences	(2025). 9781476673868, McFarland & Company. ISBN 9781476673868
1967	Island of the Lost				Underwater scenes	Leonard Maltin (2025). 9780452298545, Plume. . ISBN 9780452298545
1969	Hello Down There				Underwater scenes	John Cocchi (1991). 9780806511863, Citadel Press/Carol Publishing Group. ISBN 9780806511863 Tim Hollis (2025). 9780811732666, Stackpole Books. . ISBN 9780811732666
1973	Salty				Co-wrote with Jack Cowden	Tom Weaver (2025). 9780786413669, McFarland & Company. ISBN 9780786413669
1978	Mr. No Legs					Gene Freese (2025). 9781476662107, McFarland & Company. . ISBN 9781476662107
1979	Hot Stuff					Gene Scott Freese (1998). 9780786405114, McFarland & Company. ISBN 9780786405114
1980	Caddyshack					Scott Martin (2025). 9781589793583, Taylor Trade Publishing. ISBN 9781589793583
1980	Raise the Titanic
1980	Island Claws				Co-wrote with Jack Cowden	Brian Albright (2025). 9780786472277, McFarland & Company. ISBN 9780786472277
1981	Nobody's Perfekt
1983	Never Say Never Again				Underwater scenes
1985	The Heavenly Kid
1986	Opposing Force
1988

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Television

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As actor/stuntman

1958–1961	Sea Hunt		Second unit stunt double; 30 episodes
1960–1961	The Aquanauts		Stunt double
1964–1967	Flipper	Water Skier/The Monster	2 episodes: "Lifeguard" and "Flipper's Monster"

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As director

1958–1961	Sea Hunt	Underwater scenes; multiple episodes
1964–1967	Flipper	37 episodes

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Notes

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Bibliography

• Gene Scott Freese (2025). 9780786476435, McFarland & Company. . ISBN 9780786476435

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External links

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

Categories: 1930 Births, 2023 Deaths, American Cinematographers, American Television Show Creators, American Male Film Actors, American Male Screenwriters, American Male Television Actors, American Stunt Performers, American Underwater Divers, Film Directors From Florida, Film Producers From Florida, Florida State University Alumni, Male Actors From Florida, People From Fort Pierce, Florida, Screenwriters From Florida

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