# Ben Chapman (actor)

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{{Short description|American actor}}
{{more citations needed|date=December 2017}}
{{Infobox person
| name               = Ben Chapman
| image              = CreaturefromtheBlackLagoon.jpg
| caption            = Chapman as the [Gill-man](/source/Gill-man)
| birth_name         = Benjamin F. Chapman, Jr.
| birth_date         = {{birth date|1928|10|29|mf=y}}
| birth_place        = [Oakland, California](/source/Oakland%2C_California), U.S.
| death_date         = {{death date and age|2008|2|21|1928|10|29|mf=yes}}
| death_place        = [Honolulu, Hawaii](/source/Honolulu%2C_Hawaii), U.S.
| restingplace       = 
| restingplacecoordinates = 
| othername          = 
| occupation         = 
| years_active       = 1949–2006
| spouse             = {{marriage|Merrilee Kazarian<br>|1982}}
| domesticpartner    = 
| children           = 2
| parents            = 
| website            = {{URL|http://www.the-reelgillman.com}}
}}

'''Benjamin F. Chapman Jr.''' (October 29, 1928 – February 21, 2008) was an American actor best known as playing the [Gill-man](/source/Gill-man) on land in the 1954 horror film ''[Creature from the Black Lagoon](/source/Creature_from_the_Black_Lagoon)''.

==Early life==
Born in [Oakland, California](/source/Oakland%2C_California), he spent much of his childhood in [Tahiti](/source/Tahiti) and moved to San Francisco at age 12 or 13.<ref name=adv>{{cite news|title='Black Lagoon' star Ben Chapman, 79|url=http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080222/OBITS01/802220360/1187/OBITS01|work=[Honolulu Advertiser](/source/Honolulu_Advertiser)|date=2008-02-22|access-date=2008-02-23|archive-date=2013-01-26|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130126131959/http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080222/OBITS01/802220360/1187/OBITS01|url-status=dead}}</ref>

A [Marine Corps](/source/United_States_Marine_Corps) veteran of the [Korean War](/source/Korean_War) he served with the [1st Marine Division](/source/1st_Marine_Division_(United_States)).<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.kaos2000.net/interviews/benchapman/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180120070555/http://www.kaos2000.net/interviews/benchapman/|url-status=dead|archive-date=2018-01-20|title=KAOS2000 Magazine interview with Ben Chapman: The original Creature From The Black Lagoon|date=2018-01-20|access-date=2019-02-09}}</ref>  He was believed to have earned a [Silver Star](/source/Silver_Star), a [Bronze Star](/source/Bronze_Star_Medal), and two [Purple Heart](/source/Purple_Heart)s for battle injuries.<ref name=adv/><ref name=MCT1>{{cite news
|access-date=2008-03-17
|url=http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/2008/02/marine_chapman_022708/
|title=Horror movie legend, a former Marine, dies
|work=Marine Corps Times
|date=March 1, 2008
|format=online version
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120213203827/http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/2008/02/marine_chapman_022708/
|archive-date=February 13, 2012
|url-status=dead
}}</ref><ref name=MCT2>{{cite news
|title=Creature from the Chosin Reservoir: Gill Man star dies at age 79
|author=Lamothe, Dan
|work=Marine Corps Times
|date=March 10, 2008
|page=4 (print edition)}}</ref> 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](/source/Battle_of_Chosin_Reservoir). 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.<ref name=MCT3>{{cite web
|access-date=2008-03-17
|url=http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/2008/03/marine_chapman_031708/
|title=Records do not support award claims by actor
|author=Lamothe, Dan
|work=Marine Corps Times
|date=March 17, 2008
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080323072828/http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/2008/03/marine_chapman_031708/
|archive-date=23 March 2008
|url-status=dead
}}</ref>

Before he played the Creature, he worked as a real estate executive.<ref name=adv/>

==Gill Man==
{{Main|Gill-man}}

Chapman was selected as the Gill Man due to his large size at 6'5".<ref name=adv/> His famous suit was made out of a [foam-rubber](/source/foam-rubber) body suit and a large-lipped headpiece.<ref name=adv/> He cited horror film predecessors [Lon Chaney Sr.](/source/Lon_Chaney_Sr.) in ''[The Phantom of the Opera](/source/The_Phantom_of_the_Opera_(1925_film))'' and ''[The Hunchback of Notre Dame](/source/The_Hunchback_of_Notre_Dame_(1923_film))'' in the 1920s, [Bela Lugosi](/source/Bela_Lugosi) in ''[Dracula](/source/Dracula_(1931_English-language_film))'' and [Boris Karloff](/source/Boris_Karloff) in ''[Frankenstein](/source/Frankenstein_(1931_film))'' and ''[The Mummy](/source/The_Mummy_(1932_film))'' in the 1930s, and [Lon Chaney Jr.](/source/Lon_Chaney_Jr.) in ''[The Wolf Man](/source/The_Wolf_Man_(1941_film))'' in the 1940s as inspirations to his character.<ref name=adv/>

In a 1993 interview, Chapman explained that there were really two actors who played the Gill Man.<ref name=adv/> He was the creature on land; [Ricou Browning](/source/Ricou_Browning) was the actor in water sequences.<ref name=adv/> However, Chapman was the one who participated in ''Creature'' related events.<ref name=adv/> Chapman further relayed that the studio did not want the public to know that the Gill Man was a man in a suit <ref>{{cite web|url=http://jerryattheoldmovies.blogspot.com/2012/06/aerobic-sashaying-gill-man.html|title=An aerobic, sashaying Gill Man}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://movies.yahoo.com/photos/split-screen-the-men-behind-the-masks-slideshow-2014/men-behind-the-masks-halloween-photo--1714109101.html#crsl=%252Fphotos%252Fsplit-screen-the-men-behind-the-masks-slideshow-2014%252Fmonsters-creature-black-lagoon-ben-chapman-34125.html|title=Split Screen: The men behind the masks|publisher=Yahoo! Movies|date=26 October 2012|access-date=26 October 2012}}</ref>

==Death==
Ben Chapman died shortly after midnight on February 21, 2008, at the [Tripler Army Medical Center](/source/Tripler_Army_Medical_Center) in [Honolulu, Hawaii](/source/Honolulu%2C_Hawaii).<ref name=adv/> His son Ben Chapman III stated that he had "... heart problems [and] breathing problems."<ref name=adv/> 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.<ref name=adv/> Chapman's ashes are to be scattered off [Waikiki](/source/Waikiki).<ref name=adv/>

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

{{cquote|...always very happy and so giving. People would ask him about the movie, or Hollywood, and he would always provide the answers, help out. Ben would bring his briefcase and inside he had his memorabilia – posters, 8-by-10 glossies – and a good pen for autographs. He was just wonderful. In fact, we expected him this year. I think we will make a shrine for him.<ref name=adv/>}}

==See also==
{{Portal bar|Biography}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Wikiquote}}
*{{IMDb name|0152304}}
*{{Tcmdb name}}
*[http://www.the-reelgillman.com The Real Gillman]
*[https://www.variety.com/article/VR1117981430.html?categoryId=25&cs=1 Variety Magazine: Actor Ben Chapman dies at 79]
*[https://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]

{{authority control}}

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

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Ben Chapman (actor)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ben_Chapman_(actor)) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ben_Chapman_(actor)?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.