Date Posted:23:29:00 02/23/08 Sat Author: Tim Subject: Re: Ben Chapman of Creature of the Black Lagoon In reply to:
Rick
's message, "Ben Chapman of Creature of the Black Lagoon" on 02:38:22 02/23/08 Sat
I didn't realize he had passed away. I was a big fan of Creature from the Black Lagoon as a kid, and still feel it's a classic horror-science fiction film with a great cast. The creature, or "Gill Man", is the quintessential Universal monster from the 1950s.
A long time ago it seemed like Ricou Browning was getting the bulk of the credit and praise for playing The Gill Man, but over time Ben Chapman received the recognition and admiration he deserved for his equally important part. Chapman portrayed the monster on land, while Browning played the role in the underwater sequences. Both men made an important contribution, although neither received any screen credit in the film's titles, as I recall.
Ben Chapman proudly embraced his historic role as The Gill Man, and always seemed enthusiastic about the subject in interviews over the years.
