Flipper

Flipper is a drama series that aired on NBC from 1964 to 1967. Flipper, a bottlenose dolphin, is the companion animal of Porter Ricks, Chief Warden at fictional Coral Key Park and Marine Preserve in southern Florida, and his two young sons Sandy and Bud.

A 1964 television spin-off from the 1963 movie Flipper, Flipper is an adventure series that features extensive underwater photography and intriguing story lines involving a widowed park ranger, his two sons, and a clever dolphin named Flipper. The first season of Flipper finds brothers Sandy (Luke Halpin) and Bud (Tommy Norden), their father Park Ranger Porter Ricks (Brian Kelly), and their dolphin Flipper posted at the Coral Key Park and Marine Preserve where they're charged with upholding the law and responding to a variety of predicaments ranging from divers injured by shark attacks, to protecting visitors from incoming hurricanes, rescuing zoo animals from a sinking ship, and fighting congressional battles for continued funding to ensure the very existence of their marine preserve.


While Bud's and Sandy's impulsiveness sometimes get them into trouble, the boys and their father can be counted upon to remain clear-headed in times of crisis. More often than not, though, it's Flipper who fulfills the most crucial role in any given rescue attempt. The underwater photography of marine life was cutting-edge in 1964 and holds up well to this day, providing a fascinating look at trained and instinctive dolphin behavior and marine ecosystems and, while some of the story lines may seem a bit dated to today's audiences, the bigger issues like marine preservation and doing what is right still ring true. Flipper leaves adults born in the nineteen-fifties and nineteen-sixties reminiscing fondly about their own childhoods and humming the Flipper theme song--what's more, their children (and perhaps grandchildren) will enjoy the program right alongside them and are more than likely to join in wholeheartedly on the refrain "Flipper, Flipper, faster than lightning. . . ."

Cast & Characters

• Brian Kelly as Porter Ricks
• Luke Halpin as Sandy Ricks
• Tommy Norden as Bud Ricks
• Andy Devine as Hap Gorman (1964-1965)
• Ulla Stromstedt as Ulla Norstrand (1965-1966)

Broadcast History

First Telecast: September 19, 1964
Last Telecast: September 1, 1968
Original Network:  NBC
Number of Seasons: 3
Number of Episodes: 88
Flipper Episode Guide
Original Primetime TV Schedule:

• September 1964- September 1967, NBC, Saturday 7:30-8:00pm
• January 1968- June 1968, NBC, Sunday 6:30-7:00pm
• June 1968- September 1968, NBC, Sunday 7:00-7:30pm

Theme Song Lyrics & Opening Credits

They call him Flipper, Flipper, faster than lightning,
No-one you see, is smarter than he,
And we know Flipper, lives in a world full of wonder,
Flying there-under, under the sea!
Everyone loves the king of the sea,
Ever so kind and gentle is he,
Tricks he will do when children appear,
And how they laugh when he's near!
They call him Flipper, Flipper, faster than lightning,
No-one you see, is smarter than he,
And we know Flipper, lives in a world full of wonder,
Flying there-under, under the sea!

Listen to theme song:

Buy Flipper On DVD