Various studio make-up and costume departments manufactured ape suits over the years. But with “special effects make-up man” Rick Baker, the gorilla suit reached new levels of sophistication. His suit for the Bigfoot named Harry in Harry and the Hendersons[William Dear, 1987] was worn by Kevin Peter Hall, the very tall actor who later portrayed the Predator in Predator[John McTiernan, 1987]. Baker used remote radio controls to work the facial features on Harry which, combined with the terrific mime of Kevin Peter Hall, created a remarkably realistic character.
Baker himself wore the ape suit in John Guillermin’s 1976 remake of King Kongand as the gorilla named Dino in The Kentucky Fried Movie[John Landis, 1977]. His apes for Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes[Hugh Hudson, 1984] and Gorillas in the Mist[Michael Apted, 1988] remain unsurpassed.
Why do apes continue to intrigue, amuse, frighten, and fascinate us? Look in the mirror.
Monstrous Apes[ Book Contents]
Mighty Joe Young [Ron Underwood, 1998]
Charlize Theron and Bill Paxton with the amazing, full-size Joe Young built by Rick Baker for this remake.
Monstrous Apes[ Book Contents]
Stories of the Gorilla Country [Paul du Chaillu, 1867]
Cover of the first edition of Paul du Chaillu’s book about his adventures with the gorillas of Africa. (From the Author’s collection.)
Monstrous Apes[ Book Contents]
Gorille enlevant une Femme (Gorilla Carrying Off a Woman) [Emmanuel Frémiet, 1887]
A bronze sculpture by Emmanuel Frémiet. (From the Author’s collection.)
Monstrous Apes[ Book Contents]
Konga [John Lemont, 1961]
Mad scientist Michael Gough is helpless in Konga’s giant grasp in this publicity paste-up photo.
Monstrous Apes[ Book Contents]
Robot Monster [Phil Tucker, 1953]
I’m not entirely sure what George Nader is trying to do to Ro-Man in this publicity shot for one of the all-time, strangely fascinating, terrible movies. I admire the sheer balls of putting a space helmet on a gorilla suit and thinking that would be okay as an alien monster. With music by a young, “gray-listed” Elmer Bernstein!
Monstrous Apes[ Book Contents]
The White Gorilla [Harry L. Fraser, 1945]
Ray “Crash” Corrigan in his now white gorilla suit. Corrigan also plays Steve Collins and the Narrator. A triple threat.
Monstrous Apes[ Book Contents]
Captive Wild Woman [Edward Dmytryk, 1943]
A publicity shot of Cheela the gorilla (Ray “Crash” Corrigan) holding Paula Dupree (Acquanetta). In the film, sexy Acquanetta becomes a gorilla (also Corrigan) and then sultry but deadly Paula Dupree. It is all very impractical.
Monstrous Apes[ Book Contents]
The Bowery Boys Meet the Monsters [Edward Bernds, 1954]
The monsters the Bowery Boys meet are a vampire, a robot, and a gorilla.
Monstrous Apes[ Book Contents]
Bride of the Gorilla [Curt Siodmak, 1951]
A steamy melodrama, in which South American plantation manager Raymond Burr murders his boss to get to his wife, Barbara Payton, and is cursed by a witch doctor to turn into a murderous gorilla at night. Directed by the screenwriter of The Wolf Man[1941]. This time, Lon Chaney, Jr. is the cop on the case.
Monstrous Apes[ Book Contents]
The Monster and the Girl [Stuart Heisler, 1941]
His brain now inside this massive gorilla’s head, Scott Webster regards his sleeping sister, Susan (Ellen Drew). Charlie Gemora’s best gorilla-suit performance.
Monstrous Apes[ Book Contents]
Murders in the Rue Morgue [Robert Florey, 1932]
Charles Gemora as Erik, the orangutan about to kidnap another woman for his master Dr. Mirakle (Béla Lugosi). Based on Edgar Allan Poe’s The Murders in the Rue Morgue[1841], which many believe to be the first true detective story.
Monstrous Apes[ Book Contents]
At the Circus [Edward Buzzell, 1939]
Harpo, Groucho, and Chico crooning with Charlie Gemora in this publicity photo.
Monstrous Apes[ Book Contents]
Blonde Venus [Josef von Sternberg, 1932]
During the “Hot Voodoo” dance number, as the drums pound and the trumpet wails, a gorilla menacingly comes onstage. The gorilla removes its head to reveal the beautiful face of Marlene Dietrich (inset)!
Monstrous Apes[ Book Contents]
The Ape Man [William Beaudine, 1943]
Experiments by mad doctor James Brewster (Béla Lugosi) turn him into an ape man! He and his gorilla must obtain human spinal fluid to reverse this situation before it’s too late. A Monogram Picture, so you know it’s cheap.
Monstrous Apes[ Book Contents]
Never Give a Sucker an Even Break [Edward F. Cline, 1941]
W. C. Fields, writing under the pseudonym Otis Criblecoblis, created this surrealistic and very funny film, about Fields pitching a film to producer Franklin Pangborn. Fields is pictured with a gorilla, played by Emil Van Horn.
Monstrous Apes[ Book Contents]
Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes [Hugh Hudson, 1984]