Luke Halpin - Der BRAVO-Filmroman

(Published in Bravo Magazine, 1969)


(See translation below)






1)
Wherever Sandy Ricks (Luke Halpin) plays, Flipper appears with him. The little boy and the dolphin are the great stars of the TV series.

(2)
He lives along the coast of Florida. Under water and as the friend of a little boy named Sandy Ricks. Thousands have seen his adventures. But television only showed once how Flipper, the smartest of the dolphins, had been tamed. For all who love Flipper, BRAVO tells this story of a rescue which turned into a friendship.

-- Photo: Father, Sandy in boat --

1 Sandy's father is a fisherman. However, when he collects the fish nets on this day, he has bad luck: only dead fish have been caught in the net. A disease has killed them. He has to give up the search for other fishing grounds: a tornado draws near, a particularly dangerous hurricane.

2 Before the storm, the residents of the fishing village found shelter in the only safe house of the whole area, the post office. Sandy and his girlfriend Kim are not afraid of the tornado. They are only concerned about Pete, Sandy's naughty, little pelican. He is left alone outdoors.

3 The house is still standing. Sandy and his parents take a breath of relief. Even Pete has survived the storm. Now he helps Sandy with the clean up. All alone the little boy brings the house and plot in order again. His father drove into town in order to repair the damaged boat.

4 Sandy, the two-time lifesaver: when Bill, a boy from the village harpooned a dolphin when diving, Sandy frees him from the tangled fishing line. Then he searches for Bill's victim, the fish. He drags the helpless animal home in a net in order to nurture him back to health. He names the patient "Flipper".

5 It only takes days and Flipper is back to normal. Sandy does not want to let him get back to the ocean yet. He feeds him up with fish in a large crate with a grille which he must earn in the harbor laboriously. But the father makes it clear to Sandy that Flipper has to be free. Is that what the animal wants?

6 When Flipper is freed, he does not swim away but stays with Sandy, his rescuer and turns into the great sensation for him and his friends from Corell Kay. For hours, he keeps up a funny circus program with his moist humor.

7 Until the shark appears: Sandy and Flipper swam far into the open sea, when the dangerous shadow raced toward them. Twice it orbits the boy, then it turns on its back in order to attack. Sandy does not know the danger yet when Flipper comes to his aid. He takes up the fight.

8 With open jaws the shark swims towards Flipper. Sandy is forced to watch as the water turns red. However, it is the blood of the predator: with skillful ramming thrusts Flipper attacks the shark until its lifeless body slowly sinks. For being rescued by Sandy, Flipper reciprocates.

9 The exhausted Sandy is taken on board of the fishing boat by his father. He has an incredible story to tell: Flipper's great deed. The dolphin can do even more. Across the contaminated area, he guides Sandy and his father to a fishing ground, where healthy fish are still abound.

10 They remain friends: Flipper, the clever jester from the bottom of the sea, and Sandy, his cheerful surfer. In hundreds of adventures they have proven themselves: as stars of a great TV series, they became the darlings of all who can find exciting events under water.

(Translation by Margit Boen, © Feb 2014).