Today at Trailers from Hell: The Creature from the Black Lagoon
My old essay on the man who played the Creature — and the fans who adored him:
Ben Chapman was one of the “Chosen Few.”
Amputations were commonplace among the “Frozen Chosin,” those U.S. Marines who endured brutal conditions in the Chosin Reservoir during the Korean War. Doctors wanted to amputate Chapman’s frostbitten feet, but he insisted on nursing himself back to health.
By keeping those feet, Chapman eventually became a member of Hollywood’s most exclusive club. After all, he couldn’t have worn those flippers without them.
(PS: the folks at Trailers from Hell are sending me their new compilatio, Trailers From Hell! Vol. 2
UPDATE: I’m flattered that the Trailers from Hell blog chose to repost my article about Ben Chapman!
