R.I.P. Ben Chapman

[The Drunken Severed Head]

A beautiful, moving post, AZGillman. You, Dan Roebuck, Frank Dietz and some of the posters at the CHFB have moved me very much.

We will all miss Ben.

[gracebuster]

Hey John, Thank you for posting and sharing.

You are so correct about everything you said.
He did certainly love you so much.

[fmofmpls]

Welcome AZ Gillman (John). So glad to have you enlisted here albeit under unfortunate circumstances. Thanks for chiming in on what promises to be the "thread of the year" if not a lifetime. The lifetime of a wonderful man that is.

[azgillman]

Thanks guys. Mike you hit the quote I was looking for. Thanks! This thread is a testament to how Benny's heart will be judged by the Allmighty.

My contribution and involvement in the hobby has waned a bit since I lost my real dad a few years back. Sculpting, molding and casting became too much like a second job and monster "politics" really broke my spirit. I'll never lose interest in the hobby, as it ties me to my childhood and makes me feel closer to the ones I hold dear. And that includes many of you-some of whom I've never met in person.

This is a great looking site. I get really enthused again when I see stuff like this site, the new bobble heads, and KreatureKid's accomplishments. It's awesome to see familiar faces and names.

Is anyone going to make the services late next month? I'm still working on finances and the missus. It's not promising, but I'd love to be there in support of Merillee and the boys, and say goodbye 

[typhooforme]

Thanks so much for that post, azgillman/John--I love that Hawaii 5-0 story!  The WIZARD OF OZ quote--and the one Mike added--both are perfect points of reference for Ben's life and the enduring memories he leaves behind.  He'll be with us forever in those memories.

[michblk]

My contribution and involvement in the hobby has waned a bit since I lost my real dad a few years back. Sculpting, molding and casting became too much like a second job and monster "politics" really broke my spirit. I'll never lose interest in the hobby, as it ties me to my childhood and makes me feel closer to the ones I hold dear. And that includes many of you-some of whom I've never met in person.

Hang in there Johnny, when I lost my dad in 97, it took me about 5 years to get enthused again about things like I was before, but some things will never be the same.

This is a great looking site. I get really enthused again when I see stuff like this site, the new bobble heads, and KreatureKid's accomplishments. It's awesome to see familiar faces and names.

It's great to see you here and yes there are some new Cool Creature items coming out.  This group has actually helped me through some tough times in my life by just being here.

Speaking of Kreaturekid, we should draft him into this group.

Is anyone going to make the services late next month? I'm still working on finances and the missus. It's not promising, but I'd love to be there in support of Merillee and the boys, and say goodbye 

I wish I could make it, but finances won't allow it.

Take care!
BK

[monsterphile]

NewUMA member GillGirl and I had Pinewood Derby races at our local YMCA on Saturday.  In honor of Ben, we went with a Creature theme this year.  We never seem to build for speed, just style.  Unfortunately, I had to chop my Creature LBH in half.

Rob

[MonsterArt]

Reading all of these wonderful posts, as well as the ones posted on the CHFB, has got me to thinking. In the last ten years, Benny's contribution to the classic horror community has been immeasurable. Benny became much more than just the guy who wore the suit in the movie. He became a Good Will Ambassador to the entire fanbase. His generosity of spirit brought us all together, he was a common link to fans across the nation.

And so I respectfully submit that Ben Chapman be honored posthumously with a Rondo Hall Of Fame Award, for keeping the memory of classic monsters alive in the hearts and minds of us all.

Frank

[poseablemonster]

Rob,
The Creature LBH sacrifice was well worth it.  What a touching tribute to the man!  These are the things that really speak volumes about how much he meant to all of us; the everyday things.  Thanks for the pics.
Andy

[capt.hendry51]

I'd like to relate a story about having the pleasure of seeing Creature From The Black Lagoon on the big screen.  It was at a small art house theater called The Drexel in Grandview OH. near Columbus.   They had a special showing in the summer of 1996 of an original 3D print and gave out the required glasses.  I remember the movie playing to a packed house of people of all ages.  I had my box of popcorn, a Diet Coke and the 3d glasses perched on my nose over rmy glasses and was immersed for the next 80 minutes in the adventures of the crew of the Rita in that B&W Lost World of mystery and terror.  The audience was thoroughly absorbed into the movie, and I could hear an occasional gasp and even a scream or two.  It was amazing how this movie still had a power to thrill even after all these years.  A truly great film, from the acting, the sets, the music and of course, Ben Chapman & Ricou Browning  as the Gill Man.  Sorry for being a little verbose, but that experience will always be one of my most favorite memories.  God Bless you Ben and keep you.

[JohnRozum]

My apologies to anyone who has read my similar post at my blog, or at CHFB but I wanted to share this here as well.

A few years back I wrote a story for the SCOOBY-DOO comic book set at a classic horror film convention. Among the guests in attendance was a thinly disguised (DC Comics is very lawsuit squeamish) version of Ben Chapman. It also turned out that he was instrumental in solving the story's mystery involving "Patricia Millicent" whom we all know as Millicent patrick, the designer of the Creature from the Black Lagoon.

I didn't know Ben Chapman, but mailed him a copy of the issue, as a way of saying thanks for all the pleasure his work brought me over the years. I never expected to hear from him, but was pleasntly surprised when a short time later, I received a very friendly email from him, expressing great joy at being including and thanking me for helping to get the Creature exposed to a new generation of potential fans.

I was particularly struck by the fact that he was happy to see the Creature being brought to the attention of kids, and kept alive, and that it wasn't about him, or his own legacy. You don't often see that level of modesty in actors.

We exchanged a few more emails, and I always appreciated the fact that he asked me questions as well, about myself, my family, what my kids were like. That sort of thing.

I never got to meet Ben in person. Each year, in spite of my determination to make it to Monster Bash, something always came up that prevented me from going. I wanted to meet him in person to thank him again. I wanted to get a picture of him holding the comic book so that we could run the picture in an issue of SCOOBY-DOO, so that the kids could see the man that inspired the story. I wanted to get signed photos for my son (as well as myself) because he endeared himself to me not just as the performer behind an iconic character, but as a genuine, generous, and really nice guy. I never got the chance.

I'm glad so many of you had the opportunity to meet him in person, and that many of you had the opportunity to befriend him. I'm also happy that Ben got to experience all of the warmth, dedication, appreciation and friendship that his fans directed to him. I often think how sad it is that people like Paul Blaisdell, Willis O'Brien, and even Bela Lugosi did not live in an era when conventions could bring them face to face with the people that truly appreciated their talents and their body of work, and it brightens my spirits to know that someone like Ben Chapman did.

Dan, your photos are incredible. Thank you for sharing them. Everyone else, thank you for sharing your stories.

Ben III, thank you for sharing your father with us. My heartfelt condolences to you and your family during this difficult time.

[MissDrac]

Hey all, this link was sent by a friend. Check out this nice article in memory of Ben Chapman. http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2008802220360

[Toy Ranch]

Dave from MonsterMania was also a good friend of Ben's, and has a touching tribute page up at his site:

http://www.monstermania.net/Ben_Chapman_Aloha.htm

His con is coming up in March and will be dedicated to Ben Chapman.

[CreepyJeff]

Ben's obituary as it appears in today's Chicago Tribune.  R.I.P. Ben.

[Cameron]

R.I.P. Gilman