"Flipper" (1964) TV series 1964-1967

User Rating:

6.0/10   

Creators:

Ricou Browning
Jack Cowden

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | unknown

Release Date:

19 September 1964 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Family

Tagline:

Dive into a world full of wonder with the King of the Sea! (Season One DVD)

Plot:

Ranger Porter Ricks is responsible for the animal and human life in Coral Key Park, Florida. Stories...

Plot Keywords:

Florida | Dolphin | Marine Science | Father Son Relationship | Family Relationships

Awards:

2 nominations

Cast

Brian Kelly	...	Porter Ricks (36 episodes, 1964-1966)
Luke Halpin	...	Sandy Ricks (36 episodes, 1964-1966)
Tommy Norden	...	Bud Ricks (36 episodes, 1964-1966)
Flipper	...	Dolphin (36 episodes, 1964-1966)

Runtime:

30 min (88 episodes)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Canada:G (Canadian Home Video rating) | USA:Not Rated (DVD rating) | Argentina:Atp

Filming Locations:

Greenwich Studios - 12100 Ivan Tors Boulevard, Miami, Florida, USA

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Television

Trivia:

Flipper was played by three dolphins named Mitzi, Little Bit, and Mr. Gipper. Mitzi did the close-up shots, but she wasn't very athletic, so Little Bit and Mr. Gipper did the stunt work. All three were trained by Milton Santini, a commercial fisherman who started working with dolphins after accidentally injuring one in a fishing net.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Action: Dragon's Blood (#1.10)" (????)

"They Call Him Flipper, Flipper, Faster Than Lightning..................."

Was there anything that good old Flipper couldn't do? That is in the water and salt water at that. Dolphins have to be in the ocean or they drown. I do remember an episode where Flipper put himself in harm's way by swimming upstream in a channel where the water gradually turned fresh. But when you're man's best sea friend, that's what you do.

Luke Halpin who played the older Ricks son Sandy was with Flipper from the gitgo. He co-starred with Chuck Connors in the movie Flipper when it started. Luke also had a mother in Kathleen Maguire.

He did two subsequent movies however Connors and Maguire were dropped. Connors was a commercial fisherman and I guess producer Ivan Tors thought there were more story possibilities with him being the son of a park ranger. Brian Kelly starred with Halpin in two subsequent Flipper films and was a widower.

But for the television series Kelly stayed a widower and a younger son was added, little redheaded freckle-faced Tommy Norden, a poor man's version of Ronny Howard. When I watched reruns of the show, I never realized how annoying Norden was.

Kelly was a good father figure though and Halpin was a model kid, he might have been the role model for Wil Wheaton as Wesley Crusher. He also was enormously popular among the teenage adolescent girl bubble gum set. He definitely had appeal there and I can personally add also among young gay males.

I guess for the show to work though someone usually had to get in harm's way and by seniority and naiveté, Norden was usually the one. But somehow Flipper affected the rescue.

The series ran its course after about four seasons. Andy Devine was on for comic relief for a while and Swedish actress Ulla Stromstedt was brought on as an oceanographer to give a little romantic interest for Kelly.

Sadly Brian Kelly suffered some career ending injuries in a motorcycle accident in 1971. I guess Tommy Norden couldn't compete with Ronny Howard for the same parts and he left acting. And Luke Halpin went into the service after Flipper was canceled and when he came back he couldn't really get his career back on track.

Flipper was a nice show however, a nice likable family and episodes with a strong moral content. It would be nice to see them again.