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THIS IS ME!...Luke Halpin
(Published in Teen Life Magazine, Nov 1965 issue)
[NOTE: This transcript has been edited for punctuation.]
PART I - This is me!...Luke Halpin
Beginning the wonderful world of Luke (Flipper) Halpin...it's a very warm and luving [sic] story...
"It's much more fun to talk about the things I love than the things I hate. I think most kids dig the same things I do. I list my family as the best thing that ever happened to me. They're the tops."
"I hear it's fashionable to say that parents don't understand their children, but I can't and won't go along with that. Mine understand me and if they set down a bunch of rules and expect me to follow them, it's because they love me. If they didn't, they'd let me sink or swim on my own. I just want to say, I don't feel like a square because I admit that I love them, and consider myself the luckiest guy in the world to be a member of the EUGENE and HELEN HALPIN family. We're a mutual admiration society.
"This is me," Luke continued. "I am what I am because my mom and pop set a good example. My brother Eugene - he's stationed in Ireland in the Army - and my sister Joan - she's married - feel the same way I do. I'm an uncle, but don't get me started on the subject because I'm mad about kids. I think they're the most interesting people.
"I'm also crazy about WHISKY. That's right...but don't get excited 'cause Whisky is my dog. Whisky is a little bit of everything, but to me he's a thoroughbred. That dog's got class. He likes the same things I do, especially baseball. I've taught him to chase and retrieve foul balls." Obviously Whisky knew Luke was talking about him, and he nuzzled up closer to his master. He thrives on attention, we told Luke.
"Don't we all," he smiled. "I like to be spoiled. When a girl cooks up a batch of brownies for me - man, that's heaven. Or if she admires my clothes or Flipper or digs my kind of music, we're off to a good start. Everybody likes to be admired - that is, if it's sincere. I can spot a phony compliment and it leaves me cold."
Since Luke brought up the subject of girls, we asked him about his dates. Luke is honest and never hesitates. He bubbles over with enthusiasm. It's sort of contagious. Florida - that's where the Halpins live and where the popular NBC-TV Flipper series is filmed - has more pretty girls per acre than any other place. "They're cute," Luke said. "Kind of outdoorsy looking. The girls I date are special. We have great get-togethers in each other's homes, have outdoor barbeques, go swimming and fishing and see a lot of movies. We're always in each other's home and raiding the icebox. We eat up a storm, but it doesn't show."
At this point Luke decided that he was hungry and got up to invade the kitchen. He returned with a Coke and a well-stuffed sandwich. "Right now," Luke continued, "we're all on a James Bond kick. He knocks us out. Girls like Bond movies, too, and after the show we usually head for a place to talk, guzzle cokes, eat hamburgers and franks. Mostly we like to talk and have a ball listening to the juke box in the background.
"No, I don't go steady," Luke said in response to our question. "That's kind of limiting. For now, anyway. The kids in my group are still in high school, and so am I. I'd like to go to a public High, but that's impossible because of my work. I have a private tutor on the set. It's not as lonesome as it may sound because I spend so much time studying my script and talking to the cast and crew in between times."
Luke was born in Astoria, Long Island on April 4, 1947. He's been in show business since he was a little kid. While he was a student at P.S. 151 [Public School] - this was back in 1955 - Luke decided he wanted to take piano lessons. His mother was delighted and she took him to ROSE CLARK'S music studio. Miss Clark flipped for Luke, said he had that typical "all-American" look, and suggested that he become an actor. With the approval of the Halpins, Miss Clark took Luke to meet JAMES MERRICK, CBS casting director, who agreed with the piano teacher that the boy had something special, even though he had no acting experience.
In no time at all, Luke was set for featured roles. He appeared in the Studio One production of Miracle at Potter's Farm, and many roles followed after that. With each passing performance his parts grew in importance. Luke, it was obvious, was a natural-born actor. "I really enjoyed the work, the show business atmosphere and the people connected with the entertainment world." Before Luke won the role in Flipper, he appeared in Armstrong Circle Theatre, United States Steel Hour, Studio One, Kraft Theatre, Harbor Master, Everglades, The Phil Silvers Show, The Defenders, Route 66, Naked City and for six months he was a regular on Young Doctor Malone. But the best was yet to come. And for more on the wonderful world of Luke Halpin, don't miss Part 2 of his exciting life story.
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PART 2 - This is me! I LIVE DANGEROUSLY
Luke'll knock the breath out of you as he talks about his life in Flipperville down in Florida
"Being in the water is like second home to me," LUKE HALPIN said, looking like a handsome sun-bronzed Adonis. His blond hair, thick and soft, gets bleached by the sun and has that wonderfully carefree wind-blown look. In fact, everything about Luke, from the way he walks and talks, to the way he dresses is wonderful to behold.
The most attractive thing about Luke is that he doesn't put you on with that "looka me, I'm a star" routine. But Luke is a STAR. An important star. He doesn't show off or put on airs. When he's with the kids in his neighborhood - which is just about every free minute he can spare - they treat him as they would any good friend whom they love and respect.
"We never go to fancy places," Luke said. "The kids I hang around with couldn't afford to eat in high-priced restaurants. Besides, it's more fun to eat where kids my age do, and where there's a juke box and they serve the kind of food we like the best - hamburgers, hot dogs; you know, the good junk," he laughed. "I get hungry just thinking about it."
Luke is really happiest when he is at work. He thrives on it. He loves the Flipper cast and crew. "They are the greatest bunch. They are my friends," he said proudly. "I always eat with the crew and even though they are older they treat me like their equal and not as a kid." What Luke didn't add because he's too modest, is that the crew consider him an outstanding and courageous young man.
"There isn't a man here who would try the dangerous things Luke does," one of the crew men told us. "No, siree..."
Luke happened to overhear this remark. "Oh, sure, I live dangerously," he laughed. "But don't you believe it," he added. "I'm a coward."
"I should be such a coward," the crew man interrupted. "Ask him about that mission he made for our boss, producer IVAN TORS. Makes me shiver just to think about it."
"Me too," Luke said. "But I'd do anything for Mr. Tors. He's the greatest human being I ever met. He'd never hurt an animal. Like me, he's forever bringing home a new stray cat and dog. I wish all young people could be exposed to a Mr. Tors. He's an inspiration. You can see the goodness in his face.
"When sharks were neeed for a Flipper segment I went on an expedition with Mr. Tors. This is no job for weaklings because sharks are mean - real mean. I had to put lines out with fifty fish hooks and return the next morning for the haul. I can tell you they are kind of mad - mean, mean and mad. Nobody likes them and the sharks like nobody, especially me, since I'm the one who has set the trap for them. There's nothing lovable about a shark," Luke said, "which is putting it mildly."
"As for a dolphin - well, that's a different story. To know Flipper is to love her. Everybody does. I can talk about her by the hour... about the show, which is filmed in color.
"Getting up early to be on the set at 7 in the morning is no hardship to me. Every day is a new adventure. There's never a dull moment as you know if you watch Flipper every Saturday, and I hope you do.
"When you see me in one spectacular adventure after another, week after week, you can be sure it's not play acting. The action is fast and furious and you can usually find me right in the midst of it.
"In real life I'm a 'water baby,' too. All my friends spend a lot of time out of doors. Although danger does lurk in certain waters, I have developed a second - or is it seventh - sense in outwitting the denizens of the deep."
When Luke isn't working he occupied with his studies (his classroom is on the Flipper set) and doing what comes naturally - living the life of a healthy, normal, wholesome American boy. He takes a huge interest in his community, in politics, in the tortured, warlike state of the world and how it will affect his tomorrow and the tomorrow of the entire world.
He listens and he thinks and he prays.
Luke loves the color of burgandy. We won't be surprised if one day, not too far off, he will be voted one of the 10 best dressed men in America. He has the same taste in clothes as PETER NOONE, better know as HERMAN. Which brings us to the subject of keen interest to Luke - records, especially records by HERMAN'S HERMITS. When we told him that he is much like Herman he was pleased, and said that some day he hopes to meet him.