Ricou Browning was an American film director, actor, producer, screenwriter, underwater cinematographer, and stuntman.
He was born on February 16, 1930 in Fort Pierce, Florida, United States to Clement Walker Browning, an auto salesman in Stuart and Inez Louise Ricou.
Browning obtained a degree in physical education at Florida State University.
He began his career in water shows, moving on to produce shows.
Known for his underwater stunt work, particularly in the 1954 film Creature from the Black Lagoon, in which he portrayed the titular Gill-man in the film’s underwater scenes.
Browning reprised the role for the underwater scenes in the film’s sequels Revenge of the Creature (1955) and The Creature Walks Among Us (1956). He also co-created Flipper with Jack Cowden, and directed several episodes of the 1960s television series.
Browning directed the harpoon-filled fight in Thunderball in 1965, an underwater scene in Never Say Never Again in 1983 and the hilarious Jaws-inspired scene in Caddyshack in 1980.
In 2022, Browning was inducted into the Florida Artists Hall of Fame. He was also inducted into the Rondo Hatton Classic Horror Awards’ Monster Kid Hall of Fame in 2019.
Ricou Browning died on February 27, 2023, at age 93 at his home in Southwest Ranches, Florida.
He is survived by his four children; Ricou Browning Jr, Renee Browning, Kelly Browning and Kim Browning, his 10 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren. His wife, Fran, died in March 2020.