Luke Halpin
Biography
Luke Halpin is a retired American actor who began performing as a child and is best known for playing Sandy Ricks, the boy at the center of the Flipper films and television series. Born in Astoria, New York, and raised in Long Island City, he started acting after a music teacher encouraged him. Through his teens he worked steadily on television and on stage, making his Broadway debut in Take Me Along and appearing in Annie Get Your Gun and Peter Pan. At 15 he was cast in Flipper (1963) and its sequel Flipper's New Adventure (1964), then carried the role into the NBC series, which ran for 88 episodes from 1964 to 1967 and made him a teen idol. Later films included If It's Tuesday, This Must Be Belgium (1969), Shock Waves (1977) and the 1996 Flipper remake. He went on to work as a stuntman, marine coordinator and diver.
79years old
Turns 80 on April 4in 154 days
- Born Astoria
- Star sign: AriesThe sign runs March 21 to April 19
- Luke Austin Halpin (birth name)
Movie Career
- Films
- 7
- Career span
- 33 years1963 to 1996
First and latest
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Big break
Halpin was chosen for the part of Sandy Ricks because of his water skills and his extensive acting experience. He bonded quickly with the dolphins playing Flipper, and that chemistry led to the TV series.
Own stunts
By the time the Flipper TV series began, Halpin was an expert skin and scuba diver and performed many of his own underwater stunts, including dangerous scenes with sharks.
First role
A music teacher thought Halpin had an "all-American" look and pushed him toward acting. In 1955, he acted alongside Natalie Wood in a Studio One episode called "Miracle at Potter's Farm."
A change of course
After three decades as an actor, Halpin took work as a stuntman, diver, speedboat pilot and marine coordinator. His credits included Never Say Never Again, Porky's Revenge!, Flight of the Navigator, Speed 2: Cruise Control and Miami Vice.
Luke Halpin movies on Netflix
Best known for
The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.
Most often with
Ken Wiederhorn directed two of these films. Four actors appear in two of them each. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.
Films together
Dan Fitzgerald's page
Mal Jones's page
Richard O'Barry's page
Joe Higgins's page
Ken WiederhornDirector, 2 films, 1977 to 1981
All films by Ken Wiederhorn
Online
Official profiles and reference pages.