Benjamin F. Chapman Jr. (October 29, 1928 – February 21, 2008) was an American actor best known as playing the Gill-man on land in the 1954 horror film Creature from the Black Lagoon.

[1] Chapman further relayed that the studio did not want the public to know that the Gill Man was a man in a suit [6] The suit, made of latex rubber, made it impossible for Chapman to sit down so during breaks from filming he would rest in a studio back lot lake to keep from overheating.

[7] Ben Chapman died shortly after midnight on February 21, 2008, at the Tripler Army Medical Center in Honolulu, Hawaii.

"[1] Other survivors include his wife of 25 years, self-proclaimed "Mrs Creature" Taylor Schlewitz; another son, Grant Chapman; stepdaughter Elyse Maree Raljevich; sister Moea (Harry) Baty; and "several" nieces and nephews.

[1] Ilene Wong, co-producer along with Wayne Maeda of the Hawai'i All-Collectors Show which Chapman attended from 1999 to 2007, said that he was ...always very happy and so giving.