Actor Lloyd Bridges Jr inspired countless American youth through his distinguished career as in film & television, as well as through his noted advocacy for ocean exploration. While known popularly for his roles in Airplane and Hot Shots, the scuba community sees his starring role in Sea Hunt as his greatest legacy. To this day, many scuba divers credit Bridges’s role as diver Mike Nelson as the chief influence for their own passion for diving.

Sea Hunt, a popular tv series which ran from 19568-1961, featured an exciting new recreational activity: scuba. In the role of retired U.S. Navy Frogman Mike Nelson, Lloyd Bridges did battle with underwater robbers, saved children, discovered shipwrecks, and completed countless other exciting underwater adventures. At the close of each episode, he always took the time to encourage his audience to defend and protect the oceans.

His role was that of a military man and a retired U.S. Navy Frogman who later became a diver. He brought these diving skills to the small screen — fighting robbers underwater, saving children, solving mysteries, discovering shipwrecks, and completing countless other exciting underwater adventures for audiences nationwide.

Through his acting, he was instrumental in promoting scuba diving during the 1960s, and therefore is inducted in the Scuba Diving Hall of Fame.

Lloyd Bridges passed away in 1998 but will live on forever in our hearts.