Trivia: CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON

[dragon53]

TRIVIA---in THE CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON, the menacing Creature abducted scientist Kay Lawrence (Julie Adams) after killing her bodyguard, a crewman from the tramp steamer RITA. In real life, the Creature really did hurt Adams when stunt man Ben Chapman was carrying Adams and accidentally hit her head against the fake rocks which caused a big scare among the cast and crew. Adams described the incident, "There is one behind-the-scenes story that we told at least a thousand times. It is the cave incident, when the studio forgot to heat the tank on the cave set. Ben and I were reluctant to get into the cold water, but there was no time to heat the tank, so we carried on like troopers. In the scene, he is supposed to emerge with me unconscious in his arms as he carries me to his underwater lair. Things didn't go according to plan!
Ben's Creature goggles fogged up when he emerged from the chilly water with me unconscious in his arms. I was freezing cold, trying hard not shiver when I felt a bump on my head. My eyes jolted open on impact and our director, Jack Arnold yelled, 'Cut.' Ben unable to see clearly, had accidentally hit my head against the paper mache rock of the cave set. As a result, I had a small scrape on my forehead."
Adams added, "Of course, the studio made a publicity stunt out of it, and a nurse was called in to tend to my minor wound. There is a wonderful picture that has become a fan favorite; it shows the cast looking over me with worry as the nurse tends to the scrape on my forehead. The best part of the picture is Ben as the Creature, kneeling over me solicitously. Every time I see that picture it warms my heart, and makes me miss him even more. It was Ben's gentle soul inside the rubber suit that helped make his character so enduring and resonant with audiences. Of course, I was fine and a few minutes later we got the shot and worked our way through the rest of the scene."

Star Richard Carlson, director Jack Arnold, co-star Richard Denning (left to right) and Ben Chapman in the Creature suit, were greatly concerned when Chapman accidentally hit Adams' head against the fake rocks. Fortunately, it was not serious.