The Lady from the Black Lagoon Hollywood Monsters and the Lost Legacy of Milicent Patrick

Mallory O'Meara

eBook - 2019

This acclaimed biography shines a light on a trailblazing woman who created a classic movie monster—and the author's quest to rescue her from obscurity.As a teenager, Mallory O'Meara was thrilled to discover that one of her favorite movies, Creature from the Black Lagoon, featured a monster designed by a woman, Milicent Patrick. But while Patrick should have been hailed as a pioneer in the genre, there was little information available about her. As O'Meara discovered, Patrick's contribution had been claimed by a jealous male colleague and her career had been cut short. No one even knew if she was still alive.As a young woman working in the horror film industry, O'Meara set out to right the wrong, and in the proces...s discovered the full, fascinating story of an ambitious, artistic woman ahead of her time. Patrick's contribution to special effects proved to be just the latest chapter in a remarkable, unconventional life, from her youth growing up in the shadow... more