Apr 05, 2019 15:51
Mallory O'Meara always loved the monster design in the movie Creature from the Black Lagoon. When she was a teenager, she was thrilled to learn it was designed by a woman, Milicent Patrick - then devastated to find out that someone else took credit for it, and that Milicent's career seemingly ended after that. As an adult, Mallory did deep research to find out why that claim was made, and what happened to Milicent both personally and professionally before, during, and afterwards.
The Lady from the Black Lagoon: Hollywood Monsters and the Lost Legacy of Milicent Patrick is a fantastic biography. It's also a wonderful testament to the impact one person can have on another, even without ever meeting them or working with them directly. Mallory's respect and admiration for Milicent is apparent, and I really like how she incorporated her research experience and reasoning into this. May we all be so fortunate to touch someone's life in such a way, and to have someone write us back into history and make sure we get the credit and respect we deserve. Kudos to both Mallory and Milicent!
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