Horror movie fan remembers Ricou Browning, the FSU grad who starred in ‘Creature from the Black Lagoon’

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV) - A horror movie legend with local ties passed away this week, according to the Hollywood Reporter.

Ricou Browning went to Leon High School and graduated from Florida State University.

He starred in 1954′s ‘Creature from the Black Lagoon,’ filmed partially at Wakulla Springs.

Horror movie super fan and Lofty Pursuits owner Gregory Cohen said Browning was a lifeguard at the Springs, and his impressive swimming ability earned him a ticket to a lifetime in Hollywood.

”He was actually somebody who could hold his breath and work underwater upside down and right-side up more than anyone else,” Cohen said.

Cohen’s ice cream shop and toy store has a dedicated display honoring the film, complete with a bust of ‘Gill-Man,’ as the creature was known.

“Every now and again there’s a move that changes the industry. This changed the industry and was filmed here in Tallahassee with Ricou Browning,” he said.

Cohen met Browning at a convention in 2019. The two talked about his Tallahassee days and his big break into Hollywood. Browning would go on to start in a number of popular films and direct underwater scenes in Blockbuster hits

“So much of the technology for any film you see underwater was developed by him,” Cohen said.

And to honor a legend, Lofty Pursuits is doing what they do best- a hand-scooped tribute.

The Black Lagoon Sundae is a chocolate peanut butter combo, complete with Swamp Green whipped cream. Cohen says Browning’s favorite flavor is peanut butter.

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