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Big John

McLaughlin

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Big John and Lloyd Bridges

Sean Connery with Big John

John stunt-doubled 007 in the James Bond films...

Big John and Toshiyuki "Harold" Sakata aka OddJob

... Real shark (above) ...

... Hollywood shark (below) ...

Big John and Lloyd Bridges
on the set of Sea Hunt



Shark shots to the right are both of a live shark being used in filming for the day ...
Captured and later released (or escaped)...

Shark Wrangling, Big John Style...

Calling Big John - World's busiest stunt diver bites shark, gets girl, saves free world. That's a wrap...

Flirting with disaster and Barbara Carrera during the filming of NEVER SAY NEVER AGAIN

Swapping sea stories with Lloyd Bridges

BEAUTY and THE BEEF
Big John and BLUE LAGOON heartthrob
Brooke Shields demonstrating the importance of teamwork - and a good grip - on the set of a Bond flick.
Harold Sakata ( right ) who played GOLDFINGER
villain OddJob, with Big John,
a man who's worked a few odd jobs himself

Big John goes to great lengths, in this case wrestling a sizable tiger shark, to make the scene for
NEVER SAY NEVER AGAIN

Too Big For His Britches
Big John doubled for Brian Dennehy in COCOON by wearing a double-sized wetsuit

GRIP and GRIN
Bond Bad Guy Richard "Jaws" Kiel
gives Big John a firm handshake.

Prior six panels of magazine copy and images:
Rodale's Scuba Diving Rodale Press © 1997

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Ricou Browning as the
Creature From The Black Lagoon
Ricou worked with Big John in
many of the Sea Hunt and
Flipper series episodes;
plus James Bond 007 features
such as Thunderball
and Never Say Never Again

"To Big John - One of the Best Divers, But a Better Friend" - Ricou "The Creature"

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Big John in Rooster Cogburn eyepatch with "The Great One" Jackie Gleason, Art Carney & Joyce Randolph

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The Spy Who Loved Me (1977) with Lotus in Dive Mode ... John pilots the scooter just before being blown up

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Rigging the Lotus for The Spy Who Loved Me ... Underwater ballet with Salty and Model (not in the `73 film)

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Big John trained Charlie Brown the raccoon to feed Flipper at The Miami Seaquarium in 1966 for the TV series - tough to get the 'coon to give up the fish ...

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In case of emergency Call Big John OSI Diver Federal Disaster Squad

1968 South America salvage ops - Big John gets down in Gas Hat - Dr Joe MacInnis inspects the mini-sub

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Big John strolls Fort Lauderdale Beach on an unusually foggy January morning in 2008

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Big John with Susan Backlinie
- Chrissie in "Jaws" 1975 - Top Stunt Person -
Master Diver: Weeki Wachee Mermaid

TV Guide Cover Article
Brooke Shields with Big John in Wet Gold 1984

WW2 MineSweeper converted to civilian enterprise

Big John aboard Revenge 1961 treasure expedition
to Jamaica and other ports of call in the Caribbean

Revenge in Miami following unanticipated event...
Big John with 16th Century Spanish cannons >>>

Dr George "Papa Topside" Bond with Big John

Stuntmen's Association of Motion Pictures Buckle

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Big John stunts
as a
British Special
Air Service
(SAS) Officer



in the 1990 production of:

A Little Piece of Sunshine for Frederick Forsythe with Lauren Bacall, Philip Michael Thomas & Chris Cooper

Into The Blue ( 2005 ) Unlike in real life, it takes skill to get this DC3 properly positioned underwater for reel life

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Left: CDR Doug Fane Founder & Legendary Commander of UDT-1 during WW2

Center:
Big John McLaughlin

Right:
Dr Ray McAllister,
FAU Professor, one of the first (1951) diving instructors at the Scripps Institute

Shown Here: Over 180 years of Dive Experience among these three Navy Veterans of WWII

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Big John suited up in his WWII era MK-V dive helmet manufactured for the US Navy by DESCO Diving Equipment and Salvage Co of Milwaukee WI

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HEART SURGEON with tweezers hoping to find pieces of the heart in the instruments of this A-T33 trainer from Lake Superior @ 200ft

Click to read article / hit back-button to return to page
From: Petosky News Review, Thursday, June 3 1971

BROKEN-ARROW - Lake Michigan
400ft Gas dive including NEON

ME & COURTNEY BROWN
On the set of THUNDERBALL:
Checking our spear and sling before
going after some GROUPER for dinner

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Big John helps convert 90' tree into 30' canoe while outfitting for treasure hunt - Port Antonio, Jamaica - 1962

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Big John on the underwater set of Cocoon (1985), artwork lost to the corrosive effects of the tides & the sea...

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Big John takes an activist role in mapping Fort Lauderdale's reef for Anchor Zone restrictions, following environmentally disastrous anchor draggings by wandering freighters outside Port Everglades - 1978-1993

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Week of the Ocean
honors lifelong preservationist

By BETH FEINSTEIN-BARTL / Waterfront News Writer

When Big John McLaughlin moved to Fort Lauderdale some 40 years ago, he remembers diving for fish and lobster under the 17th Street Bridge. “It was crystal clear,” he said. But times have changed, and so did the color of the water. “It’s like ink,” he said. “You can’t see anything under there now. We dirtied it up”

McLaughlin isn’t giving up. He often speaks to school children, at dive shows and anywhere else he’s invited, about the importance of conservation. His efforts as a preservationist were among the many reasons why McLaughlin was recently honored with the first lifetime achievement award by the National Week of the Ocean.

McLaughlin, 80, has been a charter member of the nonprofit organization since 1983. He joined the group two years after its incorporation and presently serves on its advisory board.

McLaughlin received the honor in April at an annual awards ceremony held by Week of the Ocean each spring to recognize students, professionals and volunteers from Broward County for their efforts in preserving the local marine environment. “He’s achieved so much in his life, it seemed only fitting to honor his many talents and contributions,” said Cynthia Hancock, president and co-founder of the National Week of the Ocean, Inc. “Throughout the years, he has represented the organization by speaking at schools about his career and spreading awareness about the ocean’s precious resources.”

Getting people to listen has not been too much of a problem for McLaughlin, whose talks often draw crowds eager to hear about his varied resume which features his work as a stuntman and technical underwater advisor in major motion pictures and television series such as “Flipper,” “Sea Hunt” and several James Bond films. McLaughlin, a master diver, has also worked in the film industry training dolphins and killer whales and as an underwater cinematographer.

McLaughlin always knew he would have a career involving the water. “I grew up on the docks and the beach,” he said. “I immediately had a love for the water and I never lost it.”

His first job was in 1939 as a lifeguard in his hometown of Charleston, SC. From there, his career led to serving in the U.S. Navy during World War II. He later worked for the Navy as a civilian engineer and machinist.

McLaughlin arrived in Fort Lauderdale in the late 1960s as a diving instructor. Attracted by the area’s vibrant boating community, he made the city his home base while traveling the world for his movie career.

Preserving South Florida’s waters, particularly its reefs, has always been a major part of his life. “They’re like a beautiful garden,” he said. “I’ve watched beautiful reefs disappear into dust.” 

Many local environmentalists credit McLaughlin with documenting reef damage off Port Everglades, leading to a no anchor zone, said Joe Hessmann, a long time friend and charter member of Week of the Ocean. McLaughlin’s accomplishments influenced thousands of people, Hessmann said. “He speaks in common language and the kids just love him.”

McLaughlin continues getting people interested in cleaning up the reefs and beaches. One of his latest appearances was at the OceanFest Dive and Adventure Sports Expo, held each April in Fort Lauderdale. “He’s a standing room only speaker,” said Neal Watson, the expo’s producer. “This was our 11th year and he’s never missed a show.”

Waterfront News - June 2007 - Year 24 Issue 3
Copyright Ziegler Publishing Co., Inc. 2007 ©

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

Big John McLaughlin,
Master Diver, Underwater Photographer, Marine Engineer, Movie Double & Marine Mammal Trainer.

Presented by: National Week of the Ocean Inc, 2007

To know Big John McLaughlin is to know a quiet individual who has worked for many years in the film industry and in marine preservation efforts.

Big John has worked on hundreds of movies with highlights which include:

Tutoring young Tom Cruise for The Legend; and teaching Brooke Shields to dive for Wet Gold.

As a stuntman and body double: for Sean Connery in Never Say Never Again - for Lloyd Bridges in Sea Hunt - for Richard Kiel in The Spy Who Loved Me - for Brian Dennehy in Cocoon.

He has trained dolphins and worked behind the scenes in close encounters with sharks to make these movies more realistic including squeezing a 15-foot shark into the 12-foot bomb-bay of a sunken plane.

He has even posed in a bathing suit and in-line skates on Fort Lauderdale Beach for a V-8 commercial.

Most importantly he has actively addressed the issues of reef preservation documenting reef damage off Port Everglades which led to a no-anchor zone for large ships; and has created awareness and state protection for the Copenhagen archeological dive-site off our coast.

John is revered by all who have worked with and known him, a man of many talents - master diver, marine engineer, underwater cinematographer, marine mammal trainer, move double and preservationist.