Ben Chapman (actor) facts for kids

Benjamin F. Chapman Jr. (born October 29, 1928 – died February 21, 2008) was an American actor. He is most famous for playing the scary Gill-man on land. This was in the classic 1954 horror movie Creature from the Black Lagoon.

Ben Chapman's Early Life

Ben Chapman was born in Oakland, California. He spent a lot of his childhood in Tahiti. When he was about 12 or 13, he moved to San Francisco.

Chapman was a veteran of the United States Marine Corps. He served in the Korean War with the 1st Marine Division. Before becoming an actor, he worked as a real estate executive.

Playing the Gill-Man Character

Ben Chapman was chosen to play the Gill-Man because he was very tall. He stood at 6 feet 5 inches! His famous monster suit was made from a special foam-rubber material. It also had a large headpiece with big lips.

Chapman looked up to other famous horror movie actors. These included Lon Chaney Sr. in The Phantom of the Opera. He also admired Bela Lugosi as Dracula. Boris Karloff in Frankenstein was another inspiration.

Two Actors, One Creature

In a 1993 interview, Chapman shared a secret about the Gill-Man. There were actually two actors who played the creature! Ben Chapman played the Gill-Man when the monster was on land. Another actor, Ricou Browning, played the creature in all the underwater scenes.

The movie studio wanted to keep it a secret. They didn't want people to know that the Gill-Man was a person in a suit. The suit was made of latex rubber. It was so tight that Chapman couldn't sit down while wearing it. To stay cool during breaks, he would rest in a studio lake. This helped him avoid overheating.

Ben Chapman's Later Years and Death

Ben Chapman passed away on February 21, 2008. He died shortly after midnight in Honolulu, Hawaii. His son, Ben Chapman III, said his father had heart and breathing problems.

He was married to Taylor Schlewitz for 25 years. She even called herself "Mrs. Creature." Chapman had two sons, Ben III and Grant. He also had a stepdaughter, Elyse Maree Raljevich. His ashes were scattered off Waikiki in Hawaii.

Ilene Wong helped organize the Hawai'i All-Collectors Show. Ben Chapman attended this show every year from 1999 to 2007. She remembered him as a very happy and generous person. People would ask him about the movie or Hollywood. He always gave helpful answers. Ben would bring his briefcase filled with posters and photos. He loved signing autographs for his fans.

See also

• Gill-man