Monday, June 28, 2010

Flipper's Treasure Chest: Part Nine





There were several Flipper books for children. The mail subscription book series "Best In Children's Books" launched with a first edition that featured a Flipper adventure that had two children visiting the set of the TV show and eventually landing in peril and being saved by everyone's favorite dolphin.

Whitman publishing brought out a hardcover fiction book based on the series, The Mystery Of The Black Schooner, which was well written and featured some nice illustrations. The text even mentions the work of Dr. John Lilly! There were also two miniature "Big Little" books (a concept from the past that was relaunched in the 1960s with many TV and movie character titles). The Big Little Book must have been a big success, as there was a second title as well. The art in the Big Little books closely resembles the art then appearing in the comic books from the same publisher.

Included here is a look at the original artwork prepared for the first of the Big Little books, Killer Whale Trouble.

Cool Things From Flipper: The Mini Submarine




Debuting in the show's first season was a miniature two-man submarine. Painted a bright orange, this little sub showed up again the next season piloted by the stunning Swedish oceanographer Ulla Stromstead.

The idea of a small submarine like this is realistic, and there are now many submersibles of this size in operation. But the Flipper sub was an illusion. Although it was real to the extent that it was powered and operated underwater, it was not an airtight vessel. A "wet" sub, it had no glass in its portholes and was piloted by a diver wearing scuba gear.

But it was thoroughly convincing onscreen, and served duty not only in Flipper, but in movies such as Around The World Under The Sea and Hello Down There (both Ivan Tors productions).

Friday, June 25, 2010

Flipper's Treasure Chest: Part Eight



Here we see the great View Master packet, which featured stereoptic scenes from the two-part second season episode Dolphin Love. View Master was a classic toy and survives even today. The metal 1-inch button badges were gum machine prizes that usually cost a penny or nickel! There are variations on these designs that I have seen around (this is the extent of my personal collection). The wind-up Spouting Dolphin from Bandai was quickly knocked-off and there were many generic versions of this toy available for many years.

Season Two Episode Guide


Episode 1 - Aired: 9/18/1965

Flipper and the Mermaid

Flipper rescues a lady oceanographer from a barracuda and finds a permanent new friend as Ulla Norstrand joins the adven


Episode 2 – Aired: 9/25/1965

Dolphin in Pursuit (1)

When the Ricks family visits a deserted island, a fugitive steals their motor launch leaving them stranded without radio food or supplies.


Episode 3 – Aired: 10/2/1965

Dolphin in Pursuit (2)

In the conclusion of a two-part adventure, Flipper tows Porter Ricks to his stolen launch, where he finds that the thief has imprisoned Ulla and stolen her submarine.


Episode 4 – Aired: 10/9/1965

Flipper's Hour of Peril

Flipper's natural curiosity gets him tangled up in a cable attached to a dangerous floating mine that could explode any minute.


Episode 5 – Aired: 10/16/1965

Coral Fever

Ranger Ricks is knocked unconscious by an underwater explosion while tracking down a coral poacher.


Episode 6 – Aired: 10/23/1965

Junior Ranger

A young know-it-all trainee ranger joins the Ricks family and finds that he still has a lot to learn when he disappoints Bud who thought of him as a hero.


Episode 7 – Aired: 10/30/1965

The Ditching (1)

Things take an ominous turn for Sandy and Flipper when the plane carrying them to the Bahamas crashes in the Ocean.


Episode 8 – Aired: 11/6/1965

The Ditching (2)

Flipper is the only hope of saving Sandy from drowning in a plane that crashed at sea, in the conclusion of this two part adventure.


Episode 9 – Aired: 11/13/1965

Flipper and the Spy

Flipper and Sandy are duped into helping a spy when a secret instrument package from a rocket is lost in Coral Key Park.


Episode 10 – Aired: 11/20/1965

Dolphin Patrol

A school of killer sharks keep Sandy and Bud trapped in a sunken wreck while Flipper tries to arouse Porter Ricks to come to their aid.


Episode 11 – Aired: 11/27/1965

A Job for Sandy

Flipper fights to save Sandy's life and the lives of a film crew when he discovers a power leak in an underwater electric cable.


Episode 12 – Aired: 12/4/1965

Flipper and the Horse Thieves

While Bud shows off Flipper to his new friend Stevie, thieves steal Stevies valuable show horse.


Episode 13 – Aired: 12/11/1965

Flipper and the Bounty

When Bud gets locked aboard the HMS Bounty, a replica of the infamous Captain Bligh's sailing ship, Flipper tries to get the skipper's attention before the schooner gets too far along on its world cruise.


Episode 14 – Aired: 12/18/1965

Shark Hunt

A school of killer sharks attack Flipper after he saves a swimmer and leads Porter Ricks and Sandy in a hunt for the deadly fish.


Episode 15 – Aired: 12/25/1965

Flipper, the Detective

Flipper helps Sandy and Bud search for stolen jewels when Ranger Porter Ricks is charged with robbery and hauled off to jail.


Episode 16 – Aired: 1/8/1966

Flipper's Odyssey (1)

Flipper is captured by some fishermen who transport him a long way up the coast to stock a new marine exhibit.


Episode 17 – Aired: 1/15/1966

Flipper's Odyssey (2)

The Ricks family sails up the coast in search of their missing friend, Flipper, only to find that the dolphin that saved a man's life, and who they hoped would be Flipper, has gone.


Episode 18 – Aired: 1/22/1966

Flipper's Odyssey (3)

While Flipper recovers from the injuries received during a battle with an alligator, Bud grieves over the loss of his pet just a few miles down the coast.


Episode 19 – Aired: 1/29/1966

Slingshot

Bud, Ulla and Stevie are trapped when their truck swerves into a drainage canal.


Episode 20 – Aired: 2/5/1966

Flipper and the Shark Cage

A well meaning Bud skips his chores to go off in search of a way to earn some money for a birthday present for his Dad.


Episode 21 – Aired: 2/12/1966

The Lobster Trap

When Flipper and Bud discover some of Sandy's high school classmates setting lobster traps before the season opens, bud is faced with the problem of reporting it to his father or letting the older boys off.


Episode 22 – Aired: 2/19/1966

Air Power

Sandy and Bud place a down payment on a used air boat and plan to pay it off by operating a touring service through the everglades.


Episode 23 – Aired: 2/26/1966

Gift Dolphin

While fishing in the waters off Florida, visiting Prince Kaza and a state department official run aground on a reef. Sharks appear while the pair attempt to free the boat.


Episode 24 – Aired: 3/5/1966

The Raccoon who Came to Dinner

A park inspector, who believes animals should remain wild and not be made pets pays Porter an official visit. He clashes with Bud over the ownership of Flipper.


Episode 25 – Aired: 3/12/1966

Flipper Joins the Navy (1)

The Ricks family gets an inside look at the Navy's dolphin research when Ulla calls on Porter for assistance with a Navy dolphin that seems to have gone berserk.


Episode 26 – Aired: 3/19/1966

Flipper Joins the Navy (2)

The Navy and the Coast Guard launch an extensive search for a research Dolphin worth half a million dollars, that escaped from the Ricks while Flipper was trying to nurse him back to health.


Episode 27 – Aired: 3/26/1966

Flipper's Underwater Museum

An industrial spy takes a sonar device from Ulla that has been entrusted to her by an electronics company for field testing her submarine.


Episode 28 – Aired: 4/2/1966

Deep Waters

When Porter dives into the depths with Ulla in her submarine for a survey of the ocean floor, the tiny craft snaps its propeller on the rocky coral stranding them under 50 metres of water.


Episode 29 – Aired: 4/9/1966

Dolphin Love (1)

Flipper falls in love with another Dolphin much to Bud's puzzlement, and swims about the park with his new girlfriend until Ted Marlowe mistakes the female dolphin for a shark and spears her.


Episode 30 – Aired: 4/16/1966

Dolphin Love (2)

Flipper is concerned over the outcome of an operation on his girlfriend, who was speared by Ted Marlowe.

Flipper's Treasure Chest: Part Seven



These great Flipper comic books were issued during the mid-1960s by Western Publishing's Gold Key imprint. Like all the other TV derived Gold Key titles, the art was executed by european artists who only had stills to go by, so the characters and locations are a little off, but these are still very fun items and were really enjoyable back in their time.

Thursday, June 24, 2010

The Flipper People: Part Three- Rick O'Barry


Rick O'Barry is, to me, a genuine hero. He was the man who trained the dolphins for the Flipper television series. But that's not what makes him a hero. It's his tireless work to be an advocate for dolphins. His direct action has made him a controversial figure, but to many he is doing important, vital, worthy work.

It was the fate of the Flipper dolphins after the show ended that prompted O'Barry into action. He had lived closely with the dolphins and become a part of their world. He actually lived in the house that served as the Rick's residence. He was especially close with Kathy, the dolphin who was most often seen as Flipper. Once she returned to the Seaquarium she did not survive.

In the 1980s O'Barry wrote a book, Behind The Dolphin Smile, which not only told his story (it is a rich account of how the Flipper TV show was produced), but portrays the evolution of his activism. The honest tone of his book is a powerful argument against dolphin captivity and exploitation. Just as worthy is the follow-up: To Free A Dolphin. One thing about O'Barry that makes an impression, is his sober sincerity.

Last year The Cove, a feature documentary about O'Barry's efforts to expose the slaughter of dolphins in Japan, was awarded the Academy Award. It's a very powerful film and a testament to the best human advocate the dolphins have ever had.

http://www.dolphinproject.org

http://www.savejapandolphins.org

http://www.thecovemovie.com

Flipper's Treasure Chest: Part Six


This handsome Flipper wristwatch from Bradley featured luminous dials and Flipper logo.

Cool Things From Flipper: The Launch


The Launch was a 22 foot Iroquois Deep-V "Cathedral Hull" Thunderbird powerboat with twin inboard engines. This sleek craft was in nearly every episode, carrying Porter Ricks all over Coral Key Park and Marine Preserve to enforce the laws and rules that kept it a pristine paradise.

The innovative hull design was designed by Richard Cole and was a clever use of the fiberglass hull construction becoming popular at the time. The Flipper launch was a very ultra-modern design for its time and it certainly made an impression on audiences.

The Ricks' boat had a few extra features, like the underwater TV camera that was mounted beneath the bow and allowed the ranger to spy what was going on below.

Watch closely and you'll notice that there's a switch as the third season gets underway: the Launch is a newer model with a few modifications, such as an extra porthole along the side of the cabin, tan trimmed upholstery, and a wood deck. Coral Key Park must have had good funding!

Flipper's Treasure Chest: Part Five





This boxed set of frame-tray puzzles from Whitman had a nice set of colorful images.

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

The Second Flipper Movie: Flipper's New Adventure



The second Flipper feature, Flipper's New Adventure, was a pilot of sorts for the TV series. This is evident with the recasting of Brian Kelly as a widowed father (though young Bud Ricks is nowhere to be seen). There's a lot of action and it all starts with Sandy running away from home. He doesn't want to move and leave Flipper behind. The majority of the story takes place on a deserted island where Sandy ends up after a perilous ocean journey. On this island the encounters a family that has been besieged by modern-day pirates. The family is British, and they have a young daughter who is played by Pamela Franklin, who had previously been in the excellent The Innocents with Deborah Kerr (highly recommended), and who later grew up to be a beautiful, talented actress who brightened such films as The Prime of Miss Jean Brody and The Legend Of Hell House.

The film is very entertaining and is quite a bit more like the series would be (Flipper is more heroic and clever than before), and less like the previous film. One wonders if more films were planned or if the series was well along in the planning (my guess is the latter considering all the logistics involved in how the series was produced). But Brian Kelly's billing is "special introductory appearance", so this was really the beginning of what Flipper was to become.

Flipper's Treasure Chest: Part Four





There were many coloring and activity books available throughout the run of the Flipper TV series, and there was even one released at the time of the original film. Most were put out by Whitman Publishing, who also came out with a box of Flipper crayons!

The Flipper People: Part Two- Ricou Browning


Ricou Browning was a native Floridian who worked at various water attractions producing shows after graduating from Florida State University. While working at Wakulla Springs State Park he helped the team from Universal Pictures who were scouting locations for The Creature From The Black Lagoon. Browning's ease underwater led to his being cast as the eponymous creature (Browning performed all the underwater scenes while stuntman Ben Chapman played the creature on land). The film went on to become a classic, spawning two sequels. Having such a superb athlete in the role of the "gill-man" really helped in creating some of the memorable moments, such as when the creature follows the heroine as she swims on the surface.

Browning was fated to get even more involved with film production. When Ivan Tors came to Florida to stage underwater scenes for his Sea Hunt series he was impressed with Browning's abilities and established a long-term association with the man which would give Browning the opportunity to produce, write and direct. Creating Flipper led to other film and TV projects, including working with the producers of the James Bond films to stage the epic underwater battle scenes in the classic Thunderball. Further underwater projects included Around The World Under The Sea, The Daring Game, and Hello Down There. All featured remarkable footage and action sequences.

I met Ricou Browning at a toy show that featured celebrities of film and TV. He seemed happy to discuss something other than The Creature From The Black Lagoon, and was nice enough to answer many questions about his many projects. He seemed like a real gentleman and it was a real pleasure to have a conversation with the man who created Flipper and so many other productions that enriched my childhood.

Flipper's Treasure Chest: Part Three



Some miscellaneous Flipper treasures: An adorable musical plush dolphin, a pair of Flipper Slippers, and the thrilling metal Flipper lunchbox.

Season One Episode Guide

Episode 1 – Aired: 9/19/1964

300 Feet Below

Flipper comes to the rescue when a submarine gets caught on the bottom of the ocean, trapping its occupant who is fast running out of air.

Episode 2 – Aired: 9/26/1964

The Red Hot Car

The boys find themselves in deep water when they disobey their father and dive down to investigate a car that has been dumped in the ocean.

Episode 3 – Aired: 10/3/1964

SOS Dolphin

Dr Phil Harmon is attacked by a shark. He radios to bring a rare blood type that can save his life.

Episode 4 – Aired: 10/10/1964

The Gulf Between

Bud fears his father is planning to marry his new lady friend.

Episode 5 – Aired: 10/17/1964

City Boy

City boy, Mike Beldon arrives in Corel Key with a huge chip on his shoulder about his mother’s new husband. However, a near death accident helps him see his new step-father in a different light.

Episode 6 – Aired: 10/24/1964

Dolphin for Sale

A greedy fisherman traps Flipper.

Episode 7 – Aired: 10/31/1964

Not Necessarily Gospel

Porter is concerned that Bud is taking old Hap Gorman’s stories too seriously and warns his son that not everything the old man tells him is true.

Episode 8 – Aired: 11/7/1964

Countdown for Flipper

Flipper’s days are numbered when he is accused of eating a prized fish worth a lot of money. Just as Flipper is to be cut open to retrieve the fish, Bud and Sandy discover it has been stolen by Jim and race to prove their pet’s innocence in before it’s too late.

Episode 9 – Aired: 11/14/1964

Mr. Marvello

A ventriloquist wants Flipper for his act.

Episode 10 – Aired: 11/21/1964

My Brother Flipper

A Greek believes Flipper is the reincarnation of his brother.

Episode 11 – Aired: 11/28/1964

The Second Time Around

Flipper befriends a paralyzed water-skier.

Episode 12 – Aired: 12/5/1964

Lady and the Dolphin (1)

Despite their best attempts to impress a visiting Congress woman, Porter and the boys are devastated to learn that she plans to close the park.

Episode 13 – Aired: 12/12/1964

Lady and the Dolphin (2)

In a last ditch attempt to convince Congress woman Helen Browning that she should use government funding to keep the Park open, Sandy and Bud take her skin-diving.

Episode 14 – Aired: 12/19/1964

Danger

Bud and Sandy, on a trip with Hap Gorman to his secret fishing grounds, board an abandoned boat, not knowing that a hidden charge of dynamite is about to blow it to pieces.

Episode 15 – Aired: 12/26/1964

The Misanthrope

Sandy, Bud and Flipper decide to become detectives when reports claim that someone has been looting boats in Coral Key Park.

Episode 16 – Aired: 1/2/1965

Flipper’s Bank Account

When Flipper finds a Spanish doubloon on the ocean bottom and brings it to Bud and Sandy, rumours about Spanish Treausures spread quickly and an underwater gold rush ensues.

Episode 17 – Aired: 1/9/1965

The Lifeguard

Flipper leads Bud to a beach where Lynn Borden lies half conscious after falling off a boat 20 miles at sea.

Episode 18 – Aired: 1/16/1965

The Day of the Shark

Porter Ricks, Sandy and Marine Researcher Dr Williams Tollner go to sea to investigate a school of lemon sharks which have invaded Coral Key Park.

Episode 19 – Aired: 1/23/1965

Love and Sandy

Pretty teenager Bonnie McCoy takes Sandy by surprise when she sails into view aboard a floating zoo.

Episode 20 – Aired: 1/30/1965

Money to Blow

Flipper finds money underwater and presents some of the bills to Bud. Flipper shows Bud where it came from and they collect more from the underwater wreck.

Episode 21 – Aired: 2/6/1965

Flipper’s Treasure

Flipper goes to Bud and Porter Ricks for detective help after seeing a treasure chest stolen from the wreck of a sunken Spanish ship hidden on a nearby island.

Episode 22 – Aired: 2/13/1965

The White Dolphin

Flipper disappears for several days and, when found by Porter Ricks, Sandy and Bud, is with another dolphin, an amazing albino the only white dolphin in Porter’s memory.

Episode 23 – Aired: 2/20/1965

Teamwork

While Sandy and Bud prepare for the annual Coral Key Park swimming race, Porter is overcome by toxic chemicals dropped from a passing ship while he is carrying out an underwater investigation.

Episode 24 – Aired: 2/27/1965

Flipper and the Elephant (1)

Sentinel of the sea Flipper discovers a sinking raft, manned by Bonnie McCoy, her father, an elephant and a chimpanzee.

Episode 25 – Aired: 3/6/1965

Flipper and the Elephant (2)

In an effort to raise money to pay off creditors of McCoy’s Floating Zoo, Sandy and Bud join Bonnie McCoy in a scheme to run away with her father’s elephant and chimpanzee.

Episode 26 – Aired: 3/13/1965

Flipper and the Elephant (3)

Judy the chimp steals a briefcase full of money and Sean McCoy of McCoy’s Floating Zoo is arrested. Sandy, Bud and Bonnie decide to put on a show with Flipper to raise money for her father’s bail.

Episode 27 – Aired: 3/20/1965

Bud Minds Baby

Like the heroes he sees on TV, Bud tries to rescue a damsel in distress, but fails to tell Porter or Sandy of his intentions, and suddenly finds himself caught in a dangerous rip.

Episode 28 – Aired: 3/27/1965

Sailor Bud

Bud trying to help an injured man and his wife marooned on a sailboat, has to call desperately for help from Flipper when the boat becomes caught in treacherous coral reefs.

Episode 29 – Aired: 4/3/1965

The Call of the Dolphin

Flipper, being a pack animal by instinct, is attracted by the sound of a school of dolphins and nothing Porter, Sandy or Bud can do will bring him back.

Episode 30 – Aired: 4/10/1965

Flipper’s Monster

A motion picture company moves in to film an underwater monster picture in Coral Key Park, and Flipper become star struck.

Flipper's Treasure Chest: Part Two



This amazing Japanese board game features wonderful artwork and a great box illustration with superb likenesses of the cast.

The Flipper People: Part One- Ivan Tors


Hungarian-born Ivan Tors emigrated to the United States shortly before the Second World War. He began his Hollywood career as a screenwriter, with standard fare such as In The Good Old Summertime. As he moved towards producing films he gravitated towards fact-based science fiction. His 50s films such as Gog, Riders To The Stars and The Magnetic Monsters are solid no-nonsense studies of the near future that are decidedly sober compared to the sort of sensational B-movie approach to SF of the time.

Moving into TV he made Science Fiction Theater, which was a weekly dose of the sort of nuts-and-bolts speculative tales as his notable films were. With Sea Hunt he went off into a more unique direction: the wonders of man confronting nature. This series, starring Lloyd Bridges as Mike Nelson, was a huge hit. It pulled the Tors fascination with our frontiers into an even more tangible realm than his SF efforts. The amount of underwater action and outdoor filming made the series stand out. The series helped popularize skin and SCUBA diving.

When Tors returned to feature films it was with Flipper. As I mentioned before, the focus on man respectfully encountering nature not only led to greater depth and success in Tors' work, it helped adjust the consciousness of the families his shows were aimed at.

Tors' devotion to the subject matter in his work was real. He helped fund Dr. John Lily's work with dolphins while producing the Flipper movies and show. He worked for conservation of wildlife in Africa, very much in the spirit of the characters in his Daktari. The animals in his shows were trained with Ralph Helfer's "affection" method. And he was open-minded and adventurous in many other ways, even personally experimenting with LSD while it was still legal!

The sort of man Ivan Tors was can be felt in his work- he was a deep-thinking man of adventurous spirit. Not typical of Hollywood, that is perhaps why he may have built his studio on the other end of the country!