Post #363053 by Paipo on Sat, Feb 23, 2008 1:57 PM

Well, that's a bummer, but I am stoked you're enjoying your pendant so much. Kinda cool and strange how the timing often occurs with these things. It never crossed my mind, but it woulda been neat to send one of those to Ben! Ahh, well....
As I posted previously (I think in this here thread), my Dad took me to see "Creature" in 3D in the 70s and it was one of the films from my childhood that has really left a lasting impression on me. I've been enjoying revisiting some of these experiences through my art in recent times.

There's a great interview with Ben here. I found this pretty interesting:

After I left Universal Studios as a contractee, I did television shows like "Hawaiian Eye","Adventures in Paradise","Follow the Sun", amd a couple of "Jungle Jim" movies. I returned also to my favorite - Polynesian Entertainment.

..I was raised on an island called Tahiti, my mom and dad were born there, I was born here, I went back there when I was just a little child. So I was at the age of 12 before I came back to this country..

..what did help though, being from Tahiti, I was an entertainer and I used to sing and dance in Polynesian, you know, like you see in luaus, guys with the fire knives and the Tahitian dancing with exciting music - this is what I did before that - I used to work in night clubs, and I happened to do a musical short for Universal called 'Hawaiian Nights' with Pinky Lee Mamie Van Doren and Lisa Gaye (Debra Paget's sister). When they showed this musical short - it was 15 minutes I think - they said 'Who's that young chieftain?' and they said 'Oh, we'll look it up' and they said 'It's Ben Chapman - Find out if he'd be interested in the contract.'

So, not only one of the greatest movie monsters of the 20th century, but he has a cool Tiki/Polynesian connection as well! As befitting his status: "The scattering of the ashes willl follow off Waikiki Beach from Hawaiian outrigger canoes."
RIP Ben :(