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Gill-man
The Gill-man—commonly called the Creature—is the main antagonist of the 1954 in film, 1954 black-and-white science fiction film ''Creature from the Black Lagoon'' and its two sequels ''Revenge of the Creature'' (1955) and ''The Creature Walks Among Us'' (1956). In all three films, Ricou Browning portrays the Gill-man when he is swimming underwater. In the scenes when the Gill-man is walking on dry land, Ben Chapman (actor), Ben Chapman performed the Gill-man in the first film, followed by Tom Hennesy in the second, and Don Megowan in the third. The Gill-man's popularity as an iconic monster of cinema has led to numerous cameo appearances, including an episode of ''The Munsters'' (1965), the motion picture ''The Monster Squad'' (1987), a Creature from the Black Lagoon: The Musical, stage show (2009), and a reimagining in 2017's ''The Shape of Water''. Despite this popularity, the Gill-man appeared in the fewest movies of all the Universal Classic Monsters. Concept and desig ...
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Creature From The Black Lagoon
''Creature from the Black Lagoon'' is a 1954 American black-and-white 3D monster horror film produced by William Alland and directed by Jack Arnold, from a screenplay by Harry Essex and Arthur Ross and a story by Maurice Zimm. It stars Richard Carlson, Julia Adams, Richard Denning, Antonio Moreno, Nestor Paiva, and Whit Bissell. The film's plot follows a group of scientists who encounter a piscine amphibious humanoid in the waters of the Amazon; the Creature, also known as the Gill-man, was played by Ben Chapman on land and by Ricou Browning underwater. Produced and distributed by Universal-International, ''Creature from the Black Lagoon'' premiered in Detroit on February 12, 1954, and was released on a regional basis, opening on various dates. ''Creature from the Black Lagoon'' was filmed in three dimensions (3D) and originally projected by the polarized light method. The audience wore viewers with gray polarizing filters, similar to the viewers most commonly ...
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The Creature Walks Among Us
''The Creature Walks Among Us'' is a 1956 American monster horror film and the third and final installment of the ''Creature from the Black Lagoon'' series from Universal Pictures, following the previous year's ''Revenge of the Creature''. The film was directed by John Sherwood, the long-time Universal-International assistant director, in his directorial debut. Jack Arnold, who had directed the first two films in the series, had moved on to "A-list" films, and felt he had no more to contribute to the horror genre. He suggested that his assistant director, Sherwood, could move up to full director, which partly affected Universal's decision to allow him to direct the film.Weaver et al. 2014, p. 234. ''The Creature Walks Among Us'' starred Jeff Morrow, Rex Reason, Leigh Snowden, Gregg Palmer, and Maurice Manson. The Creature was played by Don Megowan on land, and for his final appearance as the Gill-man, played by Ricou Browning underwater. Like the original ''Creature from the B ...
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Revenge Of The Creature
''Revenge of the Creature'' ( ''Return of the Creature'' and ''Return of the Creature from the Black Lagoon'') is the first of two Universal-International sequels to '' Creature from the Black Lagoon''. It was the only 3D film released in 1955 and the only 3D sequel to a 3D film released during "the golden age of 3D". Produced by William Alland and directed by Jack Arnold (the director of the first Creature film), the film stars John Agar, Lori Nelson, John Bromfield and Nestor Paiva. The Creature was played by Tom Hennesy on land, and once again, portrayed by Ricou Browning underwater. It marked an early role for Clint Eastwood, in his film debut. ''Revenge of the Creature'' premiered in Denver on March 23, 1955 and a "flat", non-3D sequel, '' The Creature Walks Among Us'', followed in 1956. ''Revenge'' was released as a double feature with ''Cult of the Cobra''. Plot Having previously survived being riddled with bullets, the Gill-man is captured and sent to the Ocean ...
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Ricou Browning
Ricou Browning (born February 16, 1930) is an American film director, actor, producer, screenwriter, underwater cinematographer and stuntman. He is best known for his underwater stunt work, especially in the 1954 film ''Creature from the Black Lagoon'', in which he portrayed the titular Gill-man during the film's underwater scenes (actor Ben Chapman played the Creature on land). Browning reprised the role for the underwater scenes in the film's sequels ''Revenge of the Creature'' and ''The Creature Walks Among Us''. He is the last surviving original actor to portray any of the Universal Classic Monsters. Browning also co-created '' Flipper'' with Jack Cowden, and directed a number of episodes of the 1960s television series. Browning made his feature film directorial debut with '' Salty'' (1973), which he also co-wrote with Cowden, and went on to direct '' Mr. No Legs'' (1978). Browning directed the underwater sequences in 1965's '' Thunderball'', the fourth James Bond film by E ...
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Milicent Patrick
Milicent Patrick (born Mildred Elizabeth Fulvia di Rossi, after marriage Milicent Trent; 11 November 1915 – 24 February 1998) was an American actress, makeup artist, special effects designer and animator. Born in El Paso, Texas, Patrick spent much of her early life in California, most notably in San Simeon, as her father, Camille Charles Rossi, was superintendent of construction at Hearst Castle. In 1939 Patrick began working for Walt Disney Studios and during her time there became one of the studio's first female animators. Patrick continued her career at Universal Studios and is cited as being the first woman to work in a special effects and makeup department. She is best known for being the creator of the head costume for the iconic Gill-man from the film ''Creature from the Black Lagoon''. Early life Mildred Elizabeth Fulvia di Rossi was born on November 11, 1915, in El Paso, Texas, the second of three children. Her father, Camille Charles Rossi, was superintendent of constr ...
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The Monster Squad
''The Monster Squad'' is a 1987 American black comedy horror film directed by Fred Dekker, and written by Dekker and Shane Black, who met as classmates at UCLA. Peter Hyams and Rob Cohen served as executive producers. It was released by TriStar Pictures on August 14, 1987. The film features pastiches of the Universal Monsters, led by Count Dracula. They are confronted by a group of savvy kids out to keep them from controlling the world. While being financially unsuccessful during its theatrical run and receiving mixed reviews from critics, the film has gained a positive reception from audiences and has become a cult classic in the years since its release. Plot The Monster Squad is a club of pre-teens who idolize classic monster movies and their non-human stars. Club leader Sean Crenshaw (Andre Gower), whose younger sister, Phoebe (Ashley Bank), desperately wants to join the club, is given the diary of legendary monster hunter Dr. Abraham Van Helsing (Jack Gwillim), but his ...
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The Shape Of Water
''The Shape of Water'' is a 2017 romantic fantasy film directed by Guillermo del Toro and written by del Toro and Vanessa Taylor. It stars Sally Hawkins, Michael Shannon, Richard Jenkins, Doug Jones, Michael Stuhlbarg, and Octavia Spencer. Set in 1962 Baltimore, Maryland, the film follows a mute cleaner at a high-security government laboratory who falls in love with a captured humanoid amphibian creature, and decides to help him escape from death at the hands of an evil colonel. Filming took place on location in Ontario, Canada, from August to November 2016. ''The Shape of Water'' was screened as part of the main competition in the 74th Venice International Film Festival, where it premiered on August 31, 2017, and was awarded the Golden Lion. It was also screened at the 2017 Toronto International Film Festival. It began a limited release in two theaters in New York City on December 1, 2017, before expanding wide on December 23, 2017, and grossed $195 million worl ...
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Ben Chapman (actor)
Benjamin F. Chapman Jr. (October 29, 1928 – February 21, 2008) was an American actor best known as playing the Gill-man on land in the 1954 horror film ''Creature from the Black Lagoon''. Early life Born in Oakland, California, he spent much of his childhood in Tahiti and moved to San Francisco at age 12 or 13. A Marine Corps veteran of the Korean War he served with the 1st Marine Division. He was believed to have earned a Silver Star, a Bronze Star, and two Purple Hearts for battle injuries. However, after his death, the ''Marine Corps Times'' began an investigation of these claims based on the improbability of the claim of receiving Purple Hearts in the Chosin Reservoir campaign. Information from Marine Corps records, which were received a month after obituaries with the claims awards of valor and of serving at the Chosin Reservoir, reveal that Chapman did serve in Korea. The ''Marine Corps Times'' reports that, "according to Marine Corps officials and a copy of Chapman’ ...
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Don Megowan
Don Megowan (May 24, 1922 – June 26, 1981) was an American actor. He played the Gill-man on land in ''The Creature Walks Among Us'', the final part of the ''Creature from the Black Lagoon'' trilogy. Early life Don Megowan was born in Inglewood, California to Robert and Leila (née Dale) Megowan. His mother Leila worked as a negative cutter for Pathé. At 6'7" Megowan was very active in sports, playing baseball, football, and throwing discus. He went to the University of Southern California on a football scholarship before serving in the United States Army during World War II.Don Megowan "Coolest Father in the World"
Interview with Vikki Megowan by Tom Weaver a
Clas ...
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Tom Hennesy
Tom Hennesy (August 4, 1923 – May 23, 2011) was an American actor and stuntman. He is known for playing the Gill-man (on land) in ''Revenge of the Creature'', the second installment of the ''Creature from the Black Lagoon'' trilogy. Early life Hennesy was born in Los Angeles, California. He attended the University of Southern California and the University of California, Los Angeles. Career Hennesy began his movie and television career as a stuntman and actor, while he was in college and playing football at USC. Hennesy played the title role in the classic Universal horror film "Revenge Of The Creature" (the sequel to the Creature From The Black Lagoon). Hennesy served in the United States Navy in World War II. Hennesy acted and performed stunts in numerous John Wayne and John Ford films. Hennesy was the stunt double for many stars, including Rock Hudson, Randolph Scott, Rod Cameron, Jeff Chandler, and more. Hennesy also worked as a general secondary, as well as elementary s ...
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Gabriel Figueroa
Gabriel Figueroa Mateos (April 24, 1907 – April 27, 1997) was a Mexican cinematographer who is regarded as one of the greatest cinematographers of the Golden Age of Mexican cinema. He has worked in over 200 films, which cover a broad range of genres, and is best known for his technical dominance, his careful handling of framing and chiaroscuro, and affinity for the aesthetics of artists. Early life and career Born in 1907, Figueroa grew up in Mexico City, where he studied painting at the Academy of San Carlos, and violin at the National Conservatory. He was the grandson of the famous lawyer, journalist and liberal writer Juan A. Mateos and first cousin to Mexican president Adolfo Lopez Mateos. His mother died after giving birth to him and his father, unable to cope with the loss of his wife, left Gabriel and his brother Roberto to be cared for by their aunts. He then fled to Paris, where he eventually succumbed to alcohol and despair. When the family fortune ran dry, Figue ...
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Orson Welles
George Orson Welles (May 6, 1915 – October 10, 1985) was an American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter, known for his innovative work in film, radio and theatre. He is considered to be among the greatest and most influential filmmakers of all time. While in his 20s, Welles directed high-profile stage productions for the Federal Theatre Project, including an adaptation of ''Macbeth'' with an entirely African-American cast and the political musical '' The Cradle Will Rock''. In 1937, he and John Houseman founded the Mercury Theatre, an independent repertory theatre company that presented a series of productions on Broadway through 1941, including ''Caesar'' (1937), an adaptation of William Shakespeare's ''Julius Caesar''. In 1938, his radio anthology series ''The Mercury Theatre on the Air'' gave Welles the platform to find international fame as the director and narrator of a radio adaptation of H. G. Wells's novel ''The War of the Worlds'', which caused s ...
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