- Born
- Died
- Height6′ 5″ (1.96 m)
- Ben Chapman was born in Oakland, California, while his Tahitian parents were on a trip to the United States. He was raised in Tahiti, relocated to the U.S. in 1940 and went to school in the Bay Area of San Francisco. Working as a Tahitian dancer in nightclubs led to his first movie job, a bit in MGM's "Pagan Love Song" (1950); other small film roles followed before Korean War duty temporarily sidetracked his modest screen career. Talent scouts from Universal-International "discovered" Chapman upon his return, and for a year he became a U-I stock player--and, at six-foot-five, an ideal choice for the finny title role in "Creature from the Black Lagoon." (Chapman is the Creature in scenes where the camera is out of water; Ricou Browning is the Creature in scenes where the camera is underwater.) In his later years, Chapman frequently commuted to autograph shows in the mainland United States.- IMDb Mini Biography By: Tom Weaver <TomWeavr@aol.com>
- Ben is the cousin of screen actor, Jon Hall. The role of the Gill Man in Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954) came after a meeting with Jonny Rennig (she worked with many cowboys, stuntmen, etc.) when he had dropped into the casting office. Ben also worked bartending roles between night club gigs and movies. He was tending bar when he first met Peter Lawford and later Jack Kennedy when he was still a Senator and would later enjoy parties at the Lawford home.- IMDb Mini Biography By: Bogie-24
- RelativesJames Norman Hall(Aunt or Uncle)
- Was fluent in French, Tahitian, and Chinese as well as English.
- A careful review of the Official Military Personnel Folder shows Chapman was authorized the Korean Service Medal with One Star and the United Nations Service Medal". These awards were given to soldiers who served in the wartime theater; a star was for participation in a campaign.
- He is survived by his three children: Benjamin Franklin Chapman III, Grant Chapman, Elyse Maree Raljevich, and by his sister, Moea Baty.
- Interviewed in Tom Weaver's book "Attack of the Monster Movie Makers" (McFarland & Co., 1994).
- Nephew of James Norman Hall.
- [on the Gill Man from Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954)] They were the interlopers. They came to his home. It'd be the same thing if you went home tonight and you found eight or ten or twelve people having a party in your living room. How would you feel?
- I had a lot of respect for Jack Arnold. We wound up the best of friends but he was a tough director. A no-nonsense director.
- Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954) - $300 per week
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