There were several Flipper books for children. The mail subscription book series "Best In Children's Books" launched with a first edition that featured a Flipper adventure that had two children visiting the set of the TV show and eventually landing in peril and being saved by everyone's favorite dolphin.
Whitman publishing brought out a hardcover fiction book based on the series, The Mystery Of The Black Schooner, which was well written and featured some nice illustrations. The text even mentions the work of Dr. John Lilly! There were also two miniature "Big Little" books (a concept from the past that was relaunched in the 1960s with many TV and movie character titles). The Big Little Book must have been a big success, as there was a second title as well. The art in the Big Little books closely resembles the art then appearing in the comic books from the same publisher.
Included here is a look at the original artwork prepared for the first of the Big Little books, Killer Whale Trouble.
Debuting in the show's first season was a miniature two-man submarine. Painted a bright orange, this little sub showed up again the next season piloted by the stunning Swedish oceanographer Ulla Stromstead.
The idea of a small submarine like this is realistic, and there are now many submersibles of this size in operation. But the Flipper sub was an illusion. Although it was real to the extent that it was powered and operated underwater, it was not an airtight vessel. A "wet" sub, it had no glass in its portholes and was piloted by a diver wearing scuba gear.
But it was thoroughly convincing onscreen, and served duty not only in Flipper, but in movies such as Around The World Under The Sea and Hello Down There (both Ivan Tors productions).
Here we see the great View Master packet, which featured stereoptic scenes from the two-part second season episode Dolphin Love. View Master was a classic toy and survives even today. The metal 1-inch button badges were gum machine prizes that usually cost a penny or nickel! There are variations on these designs that I have seen around (this is the extent of my personal collection). The wind-up Spouting Dolphin from Bandai was quickly knocked-off and there were many generic versions of this toy available for many years.
In the conclusion of a two-part adventure, Flipper tows Porter Ricks to his stolen launch, where he finds that the thief has imprisoned Ulla and stolen her submarine.
A young know-it-all trainee ranger joins the Ricks family and finds that he still has a lot to learn when he disappoints Bud who thought of him as a hero.
When Bud gets locked aboard the HMS Bounty, a replica of the infamous Captain Bligh's sailing ship, Flipper tries to get the skipper's attention before the schooner gets too far along on its world cruise.
The Ricks family sails up the coast in search of their missing friend, Flipper, only to find that the dolphin that saved a man's life, and who they hoped would be Flipper, has gone.
While Flipper recovers from the injuries received during a battle with an alligator, Bud grieves over the loss of his pet just a few miles down the coast.
When Flipper and Bud discover some of Sandy's high school classmates setting lobster traps before the season opens, bud is faced with the problem of reporting it to his father or letting the older boys off.
While fishing in the waters off Florida, visiting Prince Kaza and a state department official run aground on a reef. Sharks appear while the pair attempt to free the boat.
A park inspector, who believes animals should remain wild and not be made pets pays Porter an official visit. He clashes with Bud over the ownership of Flipper.
The Ricks family gets an inside look at the Navy's dolphin research when Ulla calls on Porter for assistance with a Navy dolphin that seems to have gone berserk.
The Navy and the Coast Guard launch an extensive search for a research Dolphin worth half a million dollars, that escaped from the Ricks while Flipper was trying to nurse him back to health.
When Porter dives into the depths with Ulla in her submarine for a survey of the ocean floor, the tiny craft snaps its propeller on the rocky coral stranding them under 50 metres of water.
Flipper falls in love with another Dolphin much to Bud's puzzlement, and swims about the park with his new girlfriend until Ted Marlowe mistakes the female dolphin for a shark and spears her.
These great Flipper comic books were issued during the mid-1960s by Western Publishing's Gold Key imprint. Like all the other TV derived Gold Key titles, the art was executed by european artists who only had stills to go by, so the characters and locations are a little off, but these are still very fun items and were really enjoyable back in their time.
Rick O'Barry is, to me, a genuine hero. He was the man who trained the dolphins for the Flipper television series. But that's not what makes him a hero. It's his tireless work to be an advocate for dolphins. His direct action has made him a controversial figure, but to many he is doing important, vital, worthy work.
It was the fate of the Flipper dolphins after the show ended that prompted O'Barry into action. He had lived closely with the dolphins and become a part of their world. He actually lived in the house that served as the Rick's residence. He was especially close with Kathy, the dolphin who was most often seen as Flipper. Once she returned to the Seaquarium she did not survive.
In the 1980s O'Barry wrote a book, Behind The Dolphin Smile, which not only told his story (it is a rich account of how the Flipper TV show was produced), but portrays the evolution of his activism. The honest tone of his book is a powerful argument against dolphin captivity and exploitation. Just as worthy is the follow-up: To Free A Dolphin. One thing about O'Barry that makes an impression, is his sober sincerity.
Last year The Cove, a feature documentary about O'Barry's efforts to expose the slaughter of dolphins in Japan, was awarded the Academy Award. It's a very powerful film and a testament to the best human advocate the dolphins have ever had.
There were several Flipper books for children. The mail subscription book series "Best In Children's Books" launched with a first edition that featured a Flipper adventure that had two children visiting the set of the TV show and eventually landing in peril and being saved by everyone's favorite dolphin.
