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 BUD BROWNE HONORED ON MARCH 13 2008
The small, sleepy college town of San Luis Obispo kicked it up a notch when a huge surf crowd turned out to honor early filmmaker Bud Browne on March 13. Perhaps 800 guests filled the downtown Fremont Theater to pay tribute to the 95-year-old surf movie pioneer. Filmmaker Jack McCoy, who had flown in from Australia, and legendary big-wave artist  Peter Cole served as co-hosts for the evening, entertaining the audience with amazing stories throughout.
The first film shown was a short based on Bud’s career (the Surfer’s Journal series), then came Browne’s classic, “Surfing in the Fifties.” Afterwards, surfing personalities were seated on the stage, and each was able to say a few words about Bud, and to field questions from the audience.
The impressive line-up consisted of Fred Van Dyke, Gerry Lopez, Linda Benson, Bruce Brown, John Peck, Walt Hoffman, and Joel Tudor.
 Long regarded as one of the best bodysurfers of his time, Browne’s considerable water skills came in handy when he ventured into the challenging surf on the north shore to film top surfers. “Bud was the most courageous person in the water, bar none,” said long-time friend, photographer Le Roy Grannis, recently. “He would go out in the most radical conditions, and always had confidence that he would get the footage he needed. Those of us on the shore would just shake our heads in disbelief.”
 A schoolteacher who shot in Hawaii on his summers off, Browne was credited with making the first commercial surf film, “Hawaiian Surf Movies,” in the early 1950s. Others followed, and he would travel up and down the California coast, showing and narrating his films wherever he could. He made his own waterproof camera housings (think bathing cap and duct tape) and even created a type of dry suit that allowed him to spend more time in the water.
Bud attended several CSM events when we occupied the old location by the Oceanside Pier. He was filmed for a lengthy interview at our very first location in Encinitas. CSM is proud of our association with this remarkable gentleman.
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