Who has made the most money from Scuba?

[Sam Miller III]

...tonka97 "Two well known hoax-sters and an incompetent, fraudulent author???? A movie based on mis-information???"
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Tonka97,

You have:
No recognized diving credentials or acheivements
4 years of diving
Fresh water quarry & river running

Therefore you certainly must be an expert in all things diving and especially deep wreck penitration dives.

Did you use mixed gas on the quarry and river dives?

Inquiring minds want to know--enlighen us mere mortals?

sdm

 

[Sam Miller III]

Richard Dick Klein established Healthways in 1950. It was one of the major suppliers to his dearth in early 1960s.

He also established Sportsways in 1958, which was the best equipment made in early 1960s and into 70s.

If his income at that time was converted to 2007 dollars he would be some where near the top of the list as a top money maker.

sdm

 

[PhilEllis]

John Cronin, founder, CEO, of PADI

Dick Bonnin founder of Scuba Pro--sold to JWC

Bill & Bob Mistral, founders of Body glove ( Bill is in the great reef in the sky)

SDM

I think I would agree with Sam. It would be hard to imagine many individuals that could have prospered individually more than Cronin and Bonnin. I had not thought of the Mistrals, but I guess they would clearly number up there pretty high.

Not to mention that all of these inidividuals have made pretty considerable contributions to the sport.

Phil Ellis

 

[Sam Miller III]

BullswanMy son asked me this last night over dinner and we started a discussion about it. I promised I'd "Ask the Experts". Tops on our lists are Cousteau or someone who owns or is CEO of one of the major manufacturers. What do you think?

How about Lloyd Bridges?
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Lloyd Bridges was an actor employeed to play a part--he was not a diver, however his sons and probably his grand children are divers.

The diving in Sea hunt was performed by Ricou Browning and several others that I have forgot.

Zale Parry did a lot of the diving for the women actors, she was paid scale. By the way Zale will be at Portage Quarry next August for the Legends of diving series

Yes Lloyd lived a good life but he made very little from Sea Hunt.

Ivan Tors the producer made the most money from Sea Hunt.

SDM

 

[drdiver1952]

My bet:
John Cronin
Jacques Cousteau

 

[airsix]

Jessica Alba?

I think we have a winner. $3 million US Dollars for a few months work on a scuba-themed movie. That's going to be tough to beat.

-Ben

 

[Charlie99]

Bob and Mike Hollis ??

Since a lot of the gear manufacturers are private companies, it's pretty hard to really know.

http://www.oceanicworldwide.com/index_inside.html

 

[Sam Miller III]

Phill Ellis,

There are a number of top producers--I mentioned Gus de La Valle and Dick Klien, who was before most on this boards association with the sport.

I would also suggest that Joe Lamonica is also up there. Many know him by his spear gun line the JBL. but Joe began producing items, hardware and rubber goods in 1he very late 1950s-1957 or 58 for all the manufactures, Voit, Swimaster, Us Divers, Sportsways, concurrently with his JBL Line--did you ever read my colum in Discover Diving called The way it was? wrote an article on Joe ( who was a friend and diving buddy) Called The man with the Golden Gun! His hard work and wise investments made him a very wealthy man at a young age.

Also what about Willard Voit? Willard Voit was in business producing rubber goods forever and diving equipment from 1950 to his demise in the mid 1970s or early 1980s. He and US Divers were the only companys advertising in the first edition of SKin Diver Magazine in December 1951...the other was for Mel's Aqua Shop in California--before he sold out and moved to Florida

Interesting all are from California~~ where it all began~~ and all were friends and some even neighbors in years gone by. Lots of good and great memories in this thread for me.

Time flys!

SDM

 

[drbill]

At least I can say I've made more from diving (my videos, etc.) than I've spent... but the only way I could be considered "rich" is in terms of the range of my diving experiences and my happiness with my life. What more could one ask for (well, enough to pay this month's mortgage would help)?

 

[vladimir]

I think we have a winner. $3 million US Dollars for a few months work on a scuba-themed movie. That's going to be tough to beat.

-Ben

Well done Airsix. Any excuse to post Alba pictures should be siezed upon.