Flipper (1963 film)
Encyclopedia
Flipper is an American feature film released on August 14, 1963 written by Ricou Browning
and Jack Cowden. Produced by Ivan Tors
and directed by James B. Clark, it portrays a 12-year old boy living with his parents on the Florida Keys, who befriends an injured wild dolphin
. The lad and his pet become inseparable, eventually overcoming the misgivings of his fisherman father.
The film introduced the popular song Flipper, by By Dunham and Henry Vars and inspired the subsequent television series of the same name
(1964–1967) and film sequels.
) is a young boy living in the Florida Keys
who befriends a dolphin injured by a harpoon. His father, fisherman Porter Ricks (Chuck Connors
) is upset, as dolphins compete for fish, which jeopardizes the family income and is upset Sandy neglects his chores.
After "Flipper" (as Sandy names his new friend) recovers from the wound, the dolphin puts on a show to entertain the neighborhood children. Later, however, the animal devours Porter's entire catch of pompano
. Porter harshly berates Sandy for allowing Flipper to jump into the holding pen of valuable fish waiting to go to market, "What's wrong with you boy? How old are you, 12, — almost in your teens, or are you five, — a child who doesn't have the sense to know what his next meal depends on?" Reduced to tears, Sandy retreats to his bedroom as Porter's wife Martha (Kathleen Maguire
) remonstrates that "he's only a boy".
Determined to make up for the loss, Sandy sets off to find more fish, and is led by Flipper to a large school of fish near a reef. Later, Sandy is rescued from a threatening shark by Flipper, and the grateful father draws closer to his son. Porter Ricks is finally convinced there are enough fish for both the local residents of the area and the dolphins.
), by Milton and Virginia Santini, who are credited in the film. Mitzie died in 1972 at age fourteen. She is buried at the Dolphin Research Center, where her grave is the first stop on the center's public tours.
In addition to Mitzi, four other dolphins were filmed for the production of the movie. Two of the dolphins, Little Bit, a female, and Mr. Gipper, a male, reproduced at the Dolphin Research Center. The calf was named Tursi, and she still lives at Dolphin Research Center as of 2011. Tursi has four offspring also living at Dolphin Research Center: Talon, Pax, Gypsi and Gambit.
In his 1974 book "Friendly Porpoises" William B. Grey, Animal Collection Manager for the Miami Seaquarium, has a photograph of dolphin trainer Jim Kline training a dolphin for a hurdle jump stunt for the film in the Seaquarium's main dolphin tank.
, was released in 1964. That same year, a television series inspired by the movie, Flipper
, began and ran until 1967. A 1990s revival
featured Jessica Alba
. In 1996, a remake was released, Flipper
starring Paul Hogan
and Elijah Wood
.
Ricou Browning
Ricou Browning is an American film director, actor, producer and underwater cinematographer and action specialist.Browning was born in Fort Pierce, Florida and was a physical education major at Florida State University. He grew up to start a career in water shows, moving on to produce shows...
and Jack Cowden. Produced by Ivan Tors
Ivan Tors
Ivan Tors was a Hungarian playwright, film director, screenwriter, and film and television producer with an emphasis on non-violent but exciting science fiction, underwater filmed television and films, and films about animals...
and directed by James B. Clark, it portrays a 12-year old boy living with his parents on the Florida Keys, who befriends an injured wild dolphin
Dolphin
Dolphins are marine mammals that are closely related to whales and porpoises. There are almost forty species of dolphin in 17 genera. They vary in size from and , up to and . They are found worldwide, mostly in the shallower seas of the continental shelves, and are carnivores, mostly eating...
. The lad and his pet become inseparable, eventually overcoming the misgivings of his fisherman father.
The film introduced the popular song Flipper, by By Dunham and Henry Vars and inspired the subsequent television series of the same name
Flipper (1964 TV series)
Flipper, from Ivan Tors Films in association with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Television, is an American television program first broadcast on NBC from September 19, 1964, until April 15, 1967. Flipper, a bottlenose dolphin, is the companion animal of Porter Ricks, Chief Warden at fictional Coral Key Park...
(1964–1967) and film sequels.
Plot
Sandy Ricks (Luke HalpinLuke Halpin
Luke Halpin is an American actor. Beginning a prolific career as a child actor at the age of eight, Halpin is perhaps best known for his role as Sandy Ricks in the feature films Flipper and Flipper's New Adventure, as well as for reprising his role for the television series adaptation, also...
) is a young boy living in the Florida Keys
Florida Keys
The Florida Keys are a coral archipelago in southeast United States. They begin at the southeastern tip of the Florida peninsula, about south of Miami, and extend in a gentle arc south-southwest and then westward to Key West, the westernmost of the inhabited islands, and on to the uninhabited Dry...
who befriends a dolphin injured by a harpoon. His father, fisherman Porter Ricks (Chuck Connors
Chuck Connors
Chuck Connors was an American actor, writer, and professional basketball and baseball player. His best known role from his forty-year film career was Lucas McCain in the 1960s ABC hit Western series The Rifleman....
) is upset, as dolphins compete for fish, which jeopardizes the family income and is upset Sandy neglects his chores.
After "Flipper" (as Sandy names his new friend) recovers from the wound, the dolphin puts on a show to entertain the neighborhood children. Later, however, the animal devours Porter's entire catch of pompano
Pompano
Pompanos are marine fishes in the Trachinotus genus of the Carangidae family . Pompano may also refer to various other, similarly shaped members of Carangidae, or the order Perciformes. Their appearance is deep bodied and mackerel-like, typically silver and toothless with a forked tail and...
. Porter harshly berates Sandy for allowing Flipper to jump into the holding pen of valuable fish waiting to go to market, "What's wrong with you boy? How old are you, 12, — almost in your teens, or are you five, — a child who doesn't have the sense to know what his next meal depends on?" Reduced to tears, Sandy retreats to his bedroom as Porter's wife Martha (Kathleen Maguire
Kathleen Maguire
Kathleen Maguire was an American actress who won an Obie Award in 1958 for her performance in the stage play, The Time of the Cuckoo...
) remonstrates that "he's only a boy".
Determined to make up for the loss, Sandy sets off to find more fish, and is led by Flipper to a large school of fish near a reef. Later, Sandy is rescued from a threatening shark by Flipper, and the grateful father draws closer to his son. Porter Ricks is finally convinced there are enough fish for both the local residents of the area and the dolphins.
Main cast
- Chuck ConnorsChuck ConnorsChuck Connors was an American actor, writer, and professional basketball and baseball player. His best known role from his forty-year film career was Lucas McCain in the 1960s ABC hit Western series The Rifleman....
... Porter Ricks - Luke HalpinLuke HalpinLuke Halpin is an American actor. Beginning a prolific career as a child actor at the age of eight, Halpin is perhaps best known for his role as Sandy Ricks in the feature films Flipper and Flipper's New Adventure, as well as for reprising his role for the television series adaptation, also...
.... Sandy Ricks - Joe HigginsJoe HigginsJoe Higgins is an Irish Socialist Party politician. In the 2011 general election he was elected to Dáil Éireann as Teachta Dála for the Dublin West constituency, having previously served in that capacity from 1997–2007...
.... Mr. L.C. Parett - Kathleen MaguireKathleen MaguireKathleen Maguire was an American actress who won an Obie Award in 1958 for her performance in the stage play, The Time of the Cuckoo...
.... Martha Ricks
Production
Filmed in color in 1961 and released in 1963, Flipper has several underwater sequences, along with scenes of the trained dolphin performing stunts. Flipper the dolphin was played by "Mitzi" (1958–1972), a female trained at the Santini Porpoise School (later the Dolphin Research CenterDolphin Research Center
The Dolphin Research Center is a dolphinarium on Grassy Key, Florida. The series of saltwater lagoons carved out of the shoreline is home to a family of bottlenose dolphins and California sea lions...
), by Milton and Virginia Santini, who are credited in the film. Mitzie died in 1972 at age fourteen. She is buried at the Dolphin Research Center, where her grave is the first stop on the center's public tours.
In addition to Mitzi, four other dolphins were filmed for the production of the movie. Two of the dolphins, Little Bit, a female, and Mr. Gipper, a male, reproduced at the Dolphin Research Center. The calf was named Tursi, and she still lives at Dolphin Research Center as of 2011. Tursi has four offspring also living at Dolphin Research Center: Talon, Pax, Gypsi and Gambit.
In his 1974 book "Friendly Porpoises" William B. Grey, Animal Collection Manager for the Miami Seaquarium, has a photograph of dolphin trainer Jim Kline training a dolphin for a hurdle jump stunt for the film in the Seaquarium's main dolphin tank.
Sequels
A film sequel, Flipper's New AdventureFlipper's New Adventure
Flipper's New Adventure is an American feature film released on June 24, 1964 by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, written by Art Arthur, and directed by Leon Benson...
, was released in 1964. That same year, a television series inspired by the movie, Flipper
Flipper (1964 TV series)
Flipper, from Ivan Tors Films in association with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Television, is an American television program first broadcast on NBC from September 19, 1964, until April 15, 1967. Flipper, a bottlenose dolphin, is the companion animal of Porter Ricks, Chief Warden at fictional Coral Key Park...
, began and ran until 1967. A 1990s revival
Flipper (1995 TV series)
Flipper, is an American revival television series of the original 1964 Flipper television series. The first two seasons aired in first-run syndication; seasons 3 and 4 aired on the PAX network....
featured Jessica Alba
Jessica Alba
Jessica Marie Alba is an American television and film actress. She began her television and movie appearances at age 13 in Camp Nowhere and The Secret World of Alex Mack . Alba rose to prominence as the lead actress in the television series Dark Angel...
. In 1996, a remake was released, Flipper
Flipper (1996 film)
Flipper is a 1996 remake of the 1963 film of the same name, starring Paul Hogan and Elijah Wood. The movie is about a boy who has to spend the summer with his uncle Porter , who lives in the Florida Keys...
starring Paul Hogan
Paul Hogan
Paul Hogan, AM is an Australian actor best known for his role as Michael "Crocodile" Dundee from the Crocodile Dundee film series, for which he won a Golden Globe award.-Early life and career:...
and Elijah Wood
Elijah Wood
Elijah Jordan Wood is an American actor. He made his film debut with a minor part in Back to the Future Part II , then landed a succession of larger roles that made him a critically acclaimed child actor by age 9. He is best known for his high-profile role as Frodo Baggins in Peter Jackson's...
.