The Flipper franchise[1][2][3][4] consists of American family-adventure installments including three theatrical films, and two television shows. Based on original an original story created by Arthur Weiss, Ricou Browning and Jack Cowden, the plot centers around a family who becomes friends with a notably intelligent bottlenose dolphin they rescued from injuries, which they name Flipper. Through the events of the franchise, Flipper regularly gives aid to his human friends and selflessly comes to their rescue to return the favor.
The franchise as a whole was met with mixed critical and financial reception, with each installment faring diversly. The original movie received mild response from critics,[5] with a similar outcome at the box office. Its sequel earned praise from critics and a higher monetary return,[6] with the first television spin-off series receiving warm reception from critics and viewers alike.[7] Though the 1995 continuation show was generally well-received critically, it did not see successful viewership.[8] Conversely, though the 1996 remake film was a financial success, it was poorly received by critics and declared as inferior to the similarly-themed Free Willy franchise.[9][10][11][12][13]
Sandy Ricks, a young boy living in the Florida Keys, has his world forever changed one day when he discovers an injured bottlenose dolphin. After rescuing the animal and nursing it back to health, he names the dolphin Flipper. The pair form a friendly bond while exploring various areas, and enjoying their adventures together. When his father Porter instructs him to return Flipper to the wild of open sea, Sandy is disheartened and tries to sneak away with his friend from the ocean.
The importance of the pair's friendship is displayed when an encounter with a shark on the hunt becomes a dangerous situation and Flipper's loyalty is shown when he fights to protect the young boy who saved his life.[14][15][16]
Through a number of years, Sandy has formed a meaningful friendship with Flipper and their bond strengthened through their adventures. With his wife since deceased, Porter's primary focus has shifted to providing for his son and continues studying to become a park ranger. When plans for construction in the Florida Keys cause some hardship for his father's job as a fisherman, Sandy learns that the family may be moving. Determined to remain close to his animal friend, Sandy leaves for the Bahama Islands with the dolphin.
Before he can make it to his destination, he is forced to stop at a nearby deserted island when he runs out of resources. There he discovers a British family who is being held for ransom. As he tries to devise a plan to help them escape, he secretly befriends their daughter Penny. Becoming romantically interested in her, he finds himself worrying about whether he will see her once they escape their captors. While Sandy works with Flipper to help their new friends, Porter begins a search in all the nearby islands for his lost son.[17][6][18]
Sandy Ricks, is a teenager from Chicago who is struggling with adjusting to the divorce of his parents. His mother decides that a vacation may be therapeutic for him. Sending him to the Florida Keys for the summer to stay with his uncle Porter, Sandy becomes resentful for the situation and his uncle.
Though his poor attitude towards the big game fishing proves to be a struggle for Uncle Porter, Sandy's life is changed when he encounters a young bottlenose dolphin who recently escaped the slaughter of his familial pod, which was killed by Porter's rival and enemy, Dirk Moran. Befriending and caring for the orphaned animal and experiencing adventures together, he also becomes familiar with a local girl named Kim Parker and develops a romantic interest in her. As Sandy begins to feel like his life is improving, he and Kim find that Flipper has beached himself and is gravely sick. After nursing him back to health, the friends become aware that toxic waste is being dumped into the ocean by Moran and his crew. Determined to confront the criminal, situation becomes dire when Sandy finds himself in open water being pursued by a large and predatory hammerhead referred to by locals as "Scar". Just when his parents and uncle are too far from him to come to the rescue, the bond he has formed with Flipper may save his life.[7][19][20][21]
Continuing the plot from the first two films, the series details the continued adventures of the Ricks family and their friend Flipper the bottlenose dolphin. Porter continues his role as a widower father over his two sons Sandy and Keith "Bud" Ricks, while also working as the chief warden and park ranger over the Coral Key Park and Marine Preserve in Florida. Sandy continues to grow in his teenage years, while Bud grows a closer friendship with Flipper. Sandy, Budd, and Flipper work together, to confound the conniving plans of criminals in the area.[22][23][24]
Years chronologically after the previous television series, Keith "Budd" Ricks now leads dolphin research Bal Harbour Research Institute in the Florida Keys. Having earned his doctorate in animal science, he works with various others to preserve the natural resources of the area. Through the series, various other main characters also work in the establishment including but not limited to Dr. Pam Blondell, Maya Graham, Dr. Jennifer Daulton, Edward "Cap" Daulton, Dep. Tom Hampton, Lt. Alex Parker, and Courtney Gordon. With the aid of the exceptionally intelligent bottlenose dolphin Flipper, the crew regularly discovers the nefarious plans of local criminals and reports them to local authorities.[8][25][26]
In addition to film and television productions, Flipper has appeared in children's books, a limited run comic book in 1966 and 1967, and two video game adaptations, one titled Flipper in 1991,[39] and the other, The Three Worlds of Flipper and Lopaka, in 2000.[40][41]