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. He majored in physical education at Florida State University.

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 newsreels conceived by Newt Perry, who later took Browning along when he opened Weeki Wachee Springs. 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." 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. Browning continued writing and directing for the subsequent Flipper television series that debuted in 1964.

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

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

As director/writer/stunt coordinator Year Title Director Writer Stunt coordinator Notes 1963 Flipper Underwater scenes; co-wrote story with Jack Cowden; also associate producer 1967 Island of the Lost Underwater scenes 1969 Hello Down There Underwater scenes 1973 Salty Co-wrote with Jack Cowden 1978 Mr. No Legs 1979 Hot Stuff 1980 Caddyshack 1980 Raise the Titanic 1981 Nobody's Perfekt 1960–1961 The Aquanauts Stunt double 1964–1967 Flipper Water Skier/The Monster 2 episodes: "Lifeguard" and "Flipper's Monster"

As director Year Title Notes 1958–1961 Sea Hunt Underwater scenes; multiple episodes 1964–1967 Flipper 37 episodes