Ricou Browning

(Deceased) Born February 16, 1930 — Died February 27, 2023. Ricou Browning was an American actor, stunt performer, director, writer and underwater filmmaker best known for portraying the Gill-man during the underwater scenes in the 1954 horror classic *Creature from the Black Lagoon*. An accomplished swimmer and diver, Browning performed the role without scuba equipment and reprised the underwater character in *Revenge of the Creature* and *The Creature Walks Among Us*. Ben Chapman portrayed the creature during the original film’s land scenes. Browning also helped create the popular *Flipper* franchise, co-writing the story for the 1963 film and contributing to the television series that followed. His extensive behind-the-scenes work included directing underwater sequences for several major productions, including the James Bond film *Thunderball*. He also worked on films such as *20,000 Leagues Under the Sea*, *Hello Down There* and *Caddyshack*. Recognized as a pioneer of underwater filmmaking, Browning enjoyed a varied Hollywood career that included acting, writing, producing, directing and stunt coordination.