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’s military Report of Separation," Chapman never received the Silver Star, Bronze Star or Purple Hearts.

Before he played the Creature, he worked as a real estate executive.

Gill Man

Chapman was selected as the Gill Man due to his large size at 6'5". His famous suit was made out of a foam-rubber body suit and a large-lipped headpiece. He cited horror film predecessors Lon Chaney Sr. in ''The Phantom of the Opera'' and ''The Hunchback of Notre Dame'' in the 1920s, Bela Lugosi in '' Dracula'' and Boris Karloff in ''Frankenstein'' and ''The Mummy'' in the 1930s, and Lon Chaney Jr. in '' The Wolf Man'' in the 1940s as inspirations to his character.

In a 1993 interview, Chapman explained that there were really two actors who played the Gill Man. He was the creature on land; Ricou Browning was the actor in water sequences. However, Chapman was the one who participated in ''Creature'' related events. Chapman further relayed that the studio did not want the public to know that the Gill Man was a man in a suit The suit, made of latex rubber, made it impossible for Chapman to sit down so during breaks from filming he would rest in a studio back lot lake to keep from overheating.

Death

Ben Chapman died shortly after midnight on February 21, 2008, at the Tripler Army Medical Center in Honolulu, Hawaii. His son Ben Chapman III stated that he had "... heart problems ndbreathing problems." Other survivors include his wife of 25 years, self-proclaimed "Mrs Creature" Taylor Schlewitz; another son, Grant Chapman; stepdaughter Elyse Maree Raljevich; sister Moea (Harry) Baty; and "several" nieces and nephews. Chapman's ashes are to be scattered off Waikiki.

Ilene Wong, co-producer along with Wayne Maeda of the Hawai'i All-Collectors Show which Chapman attended from 1999 to 2007, said that he was

See also

References

External links

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The Real Gillman
* ttps://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/01/movies/01chapman.html?ex=1362200400&en=58f13ebc1d077df1&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss New York Times: Ben Chapman, ‘Black Lagoon’ Creature, Dies at 79

{{DEFAULTSORT:Chapman, Ben
1928 births
2008 deaths
American male film actors
United States Marine Corps personnel of the Korean War
United States Marines
Male actors from Oakland, California
Military personnel from California
20th-century American male actors