Flipper
Flipper and the Mermaid
TV Flash files “Flipper and the Mermaid” as a desk essential hour — Flipper (1964–1967) on NBC, season 2, episode 1, aired 1965-09-18, 30 min.
From the desk
How this hour is filed
This leaf is S02E01: listed hour 31 of 88 in the Flipper guide, first listed hour of season 2. It aired 1965-09-18 (30 min). The listed hour before it is “Flipper's Monster” (S01E30). Next is “Dolphin in Pursuit (1)” (S02E02).
Essential hour: “Flipper and the Mermaid”. Flipper and the Mermaid opens season two on a fairy-tale knock: dolphin as primetime co-lead still the whole point.

Viewer FAQ
Where does Flipper and the Mermaid sit in the Flipper guide?
S02E01 is listed hour 31 of 88 — first listed hour of season 2, season 2 episode 1.
When did Flipper S02E01 air?
Flipper and the Mermaid aired 1965-09-18 and is listed at 30 minutes.
Where should I start?
Porter Ricks, the boys, and Flipper on a Keys rescue is the marine co-lead contract. Whistled theme, ocean footage, family-hour stakes.
In the series
Why this series still plays
Flipper made a bottlenose dolphin a primetime co-lead for Porter Ricks and his sons in the Florida Keys. Ivan Tors's animal-adventure brand — after the Sea Hunt orbit — turned marine-park wonder into family hour. Kids, ocean footage, and a whistled theme fused into proof a dolphin could hold a close-up as well as any human guest star.
A bottlenose dolphin holding a close-up as well as any human guest star — that is the historical claim, not a children's-hour slight. Flipper made the animal a primetime co-lead for Porter Ricks and his sons in the Florida Keys. Ivan Tors's animal-adventure brand, after the Sea Hunt orbit, turned marine-park wonder into family hour on NBC (1964–1967; three seasons, 88 episodes). Brian Kelly, Luke Halpin's Sandy, and Tommy Norden's Bud solve coastal crises with ocean footage and a whistled theme. Based on the 1963…
Filed against
- Brian Kelly as Porter Ricks
Brian Kelly played Porter Ricks on Flipper, the Florida Keys ranger whose bottlenose co-lead made marine-park wonder into family hour. Kids, ocean footage, a whistled theme: Ivan Tors animal-adventure after the Sea Hunt orbit. TV Flash…
- Luke Halpin as Sandy Ricks
Luke Halpin swam the lead as Sandy Ricks on Flipper — a bottlenose dolphin as primetime co-star, Porter Ricks and his sons in the Florida Keys, Ivan Tors animal-adventure after the Sea Hunt orbit. Kids, ocean footage, a whistled theme. TV…
- Tommy Norden as Bud Ricks
Tommy Norden played Bud Ricks on Flipper — one of Porter Ricks’s sons in a 1960s Florida Keys hour that made a bottlenose dolphin a primetime co-lead. Ivan Tors’s animal-adventure brand, marine-park wonder as family hour, a whistled theme…