News
Original ‘Creature from the Black Lagoon’ Performer Ricou Browning Has Passed Away
We’ve lost another true legend in the world of horror. Bloody Disgusting has learned today that Ricou Browning, known for playing the titular Creature from the Black Lagoon in Universal’s original 1954 horror classic, has passed away this week at the age of 93.
Ricou Browning played the Gill-Man for the film’s extensive underwater sequences, and he subsequently reprised the iconic role in the sequels Revenge of the Creature (1955) and The Creature Walks Among Us (1956).
An underwater cinematographer and stuntman, Ricou Browning was uniquely equipped to play the Creature from the Black Lagoon, and he went on to direct the underwater sequences in films including Thunderball (1965), Hello Down There (1969), Caddyshack (1980), and Never Say Never Again (1983). Browning made his directorial debut with 1973’s sea lion movie Salty, and he notably also co-created the classic “Flipper” franchise. Browning later directed the movie Mr. No Legs (1978), centered on a man with shotguns built into his wheelchair.
Wikipedia details Browning’s interesting career trajectory, “Browning started a career in water shows, moving on to produce shows. Browning worked at Wakulla Springs in the 1940s and learned to perform in underwater newsreels conceived by Newt Perry, who later took Browning along when he opened Weeki Wachee Springs.
“While working at Wakulla Springs in 1953, Browning was asked to show around a film crew scouting for shooting locations. Days later, the crew offered Browning the role of the titular Gill-man in the film Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954).”
For many years, Browning had been the last surviving original actor to portray any of the classic Universal Monsters. We send our deepest condolences to his friends, family, and fans.
Ricou Browning is survived by his children Ricou Browning Jr., Renee, Kelly and Kim.
In the grim darkness of the far future there is only war, but it was a cheerful illustrator from England who helped to define the terrifying war-torn imagery that inspired what we now know as Grimdark (a hybrid genre combining horror with sci-fi/fantasy).
Unfortunately for fans of Warhammer 40,000, Trench Crusade and countless other sources of Grimdark thrills, veteran artist John Blanche passed away this week after struggling with health issues for the past few years.
While the artist retired back in 2023, he leaves us with an enormous legacy of iconic artwork that continues to inspire gamers and storytellers around the world to this very day.
The news is especially gloomy as it was only last year that Daniel Lowman and Napoleon Dynamite himself Jon Heder released The Grim & the Dark: The Search for John Blanche, a documentary following Heder’s exploration of the Grimdark genre culminating in a heartwarming encounter with Blanche in his own home.
Below is one of my favorite pieces by Blanche, his highly influential depiction of Warhammer 40k’s God-Emperor of Mankind on his Golden Throne.
We send our deepest condolences to John Blanche’s family, friends, and fans.
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