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Ricou Browning: Beyond the Creature Comforts

RicouBrowning 6Ricou Browning: Beyond the Creature Comforts. By Brian Kirst

When it is suggested to Ricou Browning’s daughter that she must have grown up with perennial questions about her father, “The Creature from the Black Lagoon”, she insists that was not the case. Her friends were much more interested in Flipper, the 1960’s television show about the heroic dolphin that Browning produced, directed and wrote for.

This situation is a good indication of how vast Ricou Browning’s career has actually been. Besides menacing Julie Adams and a bevy of other fine ladies as the underwater Creature in all three Universal Creature films, Browning has also tangled with James Bond, Rodney Dangerfield and Liza Minnelli – just to name a few.

RicouBrowning 5For Thunderball, one of the most popular Sean Connery Bond entries, Browning directed all the underwater sequence and, apparently, appeared in one of the most dangerous and exciting aqua based stunts himself.

While the water based aspects of his career are perhaps unsurprising (Browning even directed the sea based battle portions of Lucky Lady featuring Burt Reynolds, Gene Hackman and the above mentioned Minnelli), what is truly interesting are Browning’s more land line credits. Most significantly, he directed second unit for one of the classic comedies of the late 20th century, Caddyshack, and then went on to supervise stunts for the mid-1980’s teen fest, The Heavenly Kid with Iron Eagle’s Jason Gedrick.

RicouBrowning 4Speaking of the kiddies, Browning also directed the underwater sequences for 1969’s quirkily fun (fan favorite) Hello Down There which featured Tony Randall as an inventor who designs a multi-functioning (ultimately malfunctioning) underwater home. Old fashioned hilarity ensues as Psycho’s Janet Leigh cutely puzzles her fate and mod rockers happily float around, making this one a nostalgic favorite for many. In 1967, Browning also directed a Swiss Family Robinson type adventure with some monster ascetics called Island of the Lost featuring Flipper favorite Luke Halpin. This enjoyable adventure found an admirable place in society as a perennial of the late, late, late show.

RicouBrowning 2Halpin also appeared in one of Browning’s most unusual directing credits, Mr. No Legs. A 1970’s drive-in feature, Mr. No Legs’ lead was an actual champion martial arts amputee, Ted Vollrath. Most interesting is that Mr. No Legs is no gentleman enforcer – rather he is a handy man for the mob determined to take over the highest ranking cartels. With an aggressive performance from character actor Richard Jaeckel and some of the most authentic battle scenes ever displayed, Mr. No Legs is definitely begging for a major revival. Browning’s gritty direction shines forth in every camera angle.

Another unique credit of Browning’s deserving further exploration is Island Claws. Browning wrote the script for this deadly killer crab epic and the 1980’s were never the same afterward! And I’d bet my last pincher on that!

Ricoubrowning 3So, if you are lucky enough to ever make the acquaintance of Mr. Browning, just know that there is plenty more to ask him than just the standard Creature body suit questions. As a skilled and unique entertainer, Browning ultimately has so much more to offer.

(Ricou Browning is appearing, care of Horrorbles, on Saturday, July 9th in Chicago at the historic Portage Theater, 4050 North Milwaukee. Tickets are $15. Mr. Browning will begin signing autographs at 7 PM and Creature from the Black Lagoon will start showing at 8:30.)

Mitchell Wells

Founder and Editor in Chief of Horror Society. Self proclaimed Horror Movie Freak, Tech Geek, love indie films and all around nice kinda guy!!

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