In so much of life, its the people behind the scenes that make things special.  And its no more true than in the movies.  I like to point out people whose contributions have made the world more cool.  In our last exploration of Who the Hell is This Guy, we met Italian strongman and Schwarzenegger life partner, Franco Columbu.  This time, I’m asking you …

Who the Hell is This Guy?

His name is Dick Durock.

Besides sounding like an ailment you’d pick up during Spring Break at a Tijuana hump-hump bar AND looking exactly like a former web client of mine at Buck’s Engines, Dickie is actually a long Hollywood stuntman and occassional action star.

He was born in 1938 and was renown for his size and strength.  Remember that he was active during the 1960s, which meant being tall was akin to being big and strong whereas today’s strong men are so loaded with anabolic steroids that they actually have a second vestigial weenie swordfighting in their banana hammocks.  I’m just saying …

In addition to having a what is what, who is who from 1970s and 1980s awesomeness, such as Star Trek, Baretta, Quincy M.E., Battlestar Galactica, Any Which Way You Can (1980), They Call Me Bruce? (1982), The A-Team, The Master, Magnum, P.I., Silverado (1985), The Fall Guy, Airwolf, Knight Rider, Raw Deal (1986), Blind Date (1987), Married with Children, and Die Hard: With a Vengeance (1995) … you see I told you he got around … Dickie was also in two pieces that were classics to my childhood.

The first was The Incredible Hulk series starring Bill Bixby as Dr. David Bruce Banner, Lou Ferrigno as the Hulk, and Jack Colvin as intrepid reporter, Jack McGee.  Though I was completely stunned by the size of Big Lou, even as a kid I was wondering why the Hulk was not nearly as strong in real TV as he was in the comicbooks and Saturday morning cartoon, Stan Lee Presents.  Whatever, despite this, the Hulk had plenty of strong guy growling, barefoot running, and the saddest ending credits on TV.

Our boy, Dick Durock, starred in the best episode of the series, a two-parter called Frye’s Creature.  Check this photograph of total awesomeness:

OK, OK, so I know that 1981 hardly looks cool in 2008.  Lou looks like the narcoleptic Hulk in this picture or that he’s trying to solve a math puzzle.  Dick Durock looks like a creepy old grandpa with full body melanoma and leftover contacts from Salem’s Lot.  All of that aside, when these two brutes had their face off on public access television, I can’t remember being more excited than when Rocky cut Drago.

Duke: “You cut him!  You hurt him!  You see?  You see?  He’s not a machine, he’s a man!”

What?  You’re asking Lucky for Youtube clips of their battle?  Well …

Has anyone ever sold a transformation as greatly as Bill Bixby, whether it be Hulk, werewolf, etc?  He had chops, that’s for sure, probably far beyond the integrity of the show.  And wasn’t it nice that Eleanor Roosevelt volunteered to referee the match-up?  One last note, don’t you like how the good Hulk has his down-brushed Beatles mop haircut and the evil Hulk has a moussed-up Flock of Seagulls?

The other role is steeped in even more 80s cool … as if that was even possible.  Meet the Swamp Thing.

Though he was originally cast by Wes Craven to only be the stunt actor for the title role, Craven was quickly convinced that the 6′ 6″ Durock was far too big to portray the 5′ 11″ Ray Wise on everything but the close-ups.  And with Dick’s subtle delivery, it was clear that he would make the better monster.  And thus cinematic history is made.

The picture that I’ve included is from the second movie (1989) and you can see how good the make-up effects are to make him look … um … swampie.  The first suit not so much.  Instead, it looked like a plastic jungle set attached to a green slip-n-slide.

To sweeten the deal, Swampthing’s love interests in his two films are Adrienne Barbeau and her famous D-cups as well as a surprising Heather Locklear.  In both, he’s fighting the nefarious schemes of Dr. Anton Arcane, admirably portrayed by Frenchie Louis Jourdan, with an army of amazingly inept Bayou rednecks.

And he even makes public service announcements …

So take a moment to tip a glass to 1980s hidden hero, Dick Durock.  Cheers!