Among the numerous resurrections and rediscoveries Paul and Donna Parla have given the genre of vintage Science Fiction, Horror and Fantasy, perhaps the resurrection of Ben Chapman, the original title role, 'Creature From The Black Lagoon' (Universal 1954) and the even more obscured, Tom Hennesy of 'Revenge Of The Creature' (Universal 1955) are among their most popular and important offerings. Regardless of what a small few would like to convey, the facts will always remain that it was Paul and Donna Parla, two avid and passionate 'collectors' from New Jersey who migrated to Southern California in 1983, who ignited the flame which brought Ben Chapman and Tom Hennesy out of obscurity.

Sure, Ben Chapman would have probably 'surfaced' from the depths of the Black Lagoon at some point in time, but who is to say for certain when it would have been if Paul and Donna in 1991, had not sought Chapman and Tom Hennesy out (also in 1991) and researched all of the scenes one on one with them both which they appeared in, ultimately leading to their first interviews (with Tom Weaver) and getting their stories told.

Paul and Donna were also instrumental in having Ben Chapman appear to his legion of fans worldwide in 1992 when Paul arranged to have Chapman appear in person for the first time at Ray Courts' Hollywood Collectors show and then again at the CHILLER EXPO in New Jersey in 1995 cementing Chapman's Gill-man persona indelibly into the hearts of 50's sci-fi-horror fans worldwide.

Its no wonder writer-interviewer Tom Weaver sites Paul and Donna in a number of his early interview books and author John JJ Johnson in a 1993 interview with Paul said, "a great debt of gratitude goes to Paul Parla for his behind the scenes contributions" (see back issue #4-Fall 1993 of COLLECTING HOLLYWOOD-'I WAS A TEENAGE AUTOGRAPH COLLECTOR). Author, Charles P. Mitchell wrote, "Up until 1991, no one had gone the extra mile to locate the true facts as to precisely who appeared in what scenes until Paul and Donna Parla rediscovered the 'other' two Gill-Men, researching the facts, one on one, with both men.

Paul and Donna have rediscovered many sci-fi-related actors such as Joan Taylor, Richard Eyer, Charles Herbert, Ramsay Ames, Margaret Field, Laurie Mitchell, German Robles and many others including some lost monster related stuntmen. They have created rich portraits of formerly obscure faces now seen in top notch publications over the years" . In Charles P. Mitchell's interview with Ben Chapman in 1997, Ben said this about Paul, "I WAS CONTACTED BY PAUL PARLA, A DEVOTED FILM LOVER FROM CALIFORNIA. HE AND HIS WIFE WERE BOTH COLLECTORS AND THEY WERE UPSET THAT SO MANY OF THE PHOTOS OF THE GILL-MAN WERE WRONGLY SIGNED BY RICOU BROWNING. PAUL RESEARCHED IN DETAIL WITH ME JUST WHAT I DID IN EACH SHOT IN THE FILM"....(SEE; SCARY MONSTERS MAGAZINE #35 AND 'BIG REEL' #294).

Tom Hennesy of 'Revenge Of The Creature' added this about Paul Parla, "AN ENTHUSIASTIC FILM DEVOTEE, PAUL PARLA, TRACKED ME DOWN AND INTERVIEWED ME IN 1991. HE WAS THE FIRST AND ONLY ONE TO DO THIS ON MY BLACK LAGOON INVOLVEMENT, AND HE GOT THE DETAILS RIGHT FROM ME. PAUL AND I WENT OVER EACH OF MY SCENES IN OUR INTERVIEW" (from SCARY MONSTERS MAGAZINE #35).

Ben Chapman and Tom Hennesy's first interviews debuted in STARLOG #180 by Tom Weaver and Paul Parla (Ben Chapman interview) and STARLOG #206 by Tom Weaver and Paul Parla (Tom Hennesy interview). Stuntman-actor, Regis Parton played the Metaluna Mutant in the 1955 Universal Science Fiction color classic, THIS ISLAND EARTH. Paul got Parton to speak briefly of his involvement in testing for the role of the Gill-man for the first Black Lagoon film...a role which Ben Chapman ultimately secured....(SEE: CLASSIC IMAGES #277-July 1998 and SCARY MONSTERS MAGAZINE #18)...Paul didn't stop there, in 1997 he secured the rare and unsung Florida based stuntwoman, Ginger Stanley and did her first interview creating a clearer and more factual Black Lagoon story....(SEE: FILMFAX #73 and SCARY MONSTERS #35).Paul and Donna Parla also brought Black Lagoon stuntman, Al Wyatt out of obscurity.

Al Wyatt did the fire stunts as the Gill-Man in Creature From The Black Lagoon and Creature Walks Among us. Although Ben Chapman's death in December of 2007 was indeed a loss to the world of classic sci-fi-horror cinema, thanks to Paul and Donna Parla who were interested and passionate enough to get Chapman's story told...correctly, Chapman's stature and persona as the ORIGINAL Gill-Man will live on forever.


Many of Paul and Donna's autographed photos of movie monsters and actors they met in person have made their way into many private collections over the years. Some have been auctioned into collections including a couple of Brigette Helm's last 'Metropolis' signed photos as well as Gloria Holden as, Dracula's Daughter.

Paul and Donna paved the way for introducing the correctly signed 'Black Lagoon' photos/signatures to the collector market. Having met far more faces than they have interviewed, the array of interviewee's range from A listed, B listed and Z listed faces of vintage Science Fiction and Horror films...all 'substantial' and important because their experiences are all valued and part of movie history.

For the certain few who think that some of the names Paul and Donna have interviewed are 'strictly Z' players, not only is this untrue but hypocritical and smacks of envy to a minimal degree. Tom Weaver has done his share of 'substantial' as well as 'Z players' through the years including Tandra Quinn, Marilyn Nash, Nan Peterson and others, plus some of who were interviewed first and years earlier by Paul and Donna such as, Laurie Mitchell, Lisa Davis, Charles Herbert, Cynthia Patrick and so on. 'Z' players...'B' players...whatever...they are all faces that spoke to us from darkened movie theaters and out of old black and white tv sets and given to us 'gift wrapped' back in the day, by the late, great Forrest J. Ackerman.