Ricou Browning

• Name — Ricou Browning • Birth Name — Ricou Ren Browning • Born — 16 February 1930 • Birthplace — Fort Pierce, Florida, U.S. • Died — 27 February 2023 • Place of death — Southwest Ranches, Florida, U.S. • Occupation — * Film director • actor • producer • screenwriter • cinematographer • stuntman • Years Active — 1945–1986 • Children — 4

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

• Illustration — 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. 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. 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, 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.

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.

• Year — Title — Role — Notes — Reference(s) • 1954 — Creature from the Black Lagoon — Gill-man — Underwater scenes • 1954 — 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea — Stunt diver • 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

• Year — Title — Role — Notes — Reference(s) • 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"

• Year — Title — Notes — Reference(s) • 1958–1961 — Sea Hunt — Underwater scenes; multiple episodes • 1964–1967 — Flipper — 37 episodes

Ricou Browning is recorded with the occupation television actor. Recorded with the occupation stunt performer. Recorded with the occupation film director. Recorded as screenwriter, film director, film producer, actor and stunt performer.