Millicent Patrick was a pioneer in Hollywood, an artist whose work remains legendary even though she wasn't widely recognized. As a skilled costume and creature designer, she is most renowned for designing the notorious Creature from the Black Lagoon, one of the most iconic monsters in cinematic history.
In 1954, Universal Studios aimed to create a distinctive and frightening monster for their upcoming film. This led to the creation of the Gill-man, a creature that was part human and part fish, hiding in the shadowy waters of a South American jungle. At the time, Patrick, a designer at the studio, was assigned the job of bringing this concept to reality. Drawing on her experience in animation and design, she carefully designed the iconic suit, crafted from latex and rubber.
The process was challenging, and the final design became one of the most impressive monster suits ever made. Patrick's creation not only terrified audiences but also became a lasting symbol of Universal's golden age of monster movies. However, despite her pivotal role, Patrick was largely overlooked when it came to public credit. According to the costume’s sculptor, Chris Mueller, Patrick was the one who created the initial sketches for the Gill-man and that although Bud Westmore is the sole makeup artist credited in the film, his involvement in the project was minimal.
Universal initially sent Patrick on a press campaign to promote the film and discuss the creature's creation, calling it “The Beauty Who Created the Beast.” However, Bud Westmore, head of the Universal makeup department, objected, claiming she only turned his sketches into a costume. He changed the tour’s title to “The Beauty Who Lives With the Beasts.”
In an interview with The Brooklyn Daily Eagle, Patrick said: “I spent six weeks with the Gill-man. He changed his shape three times before he was able to win the approval of the executives who always have the last word on Hollywood monsters.”
Bud Westmore had a meltdown after reading the article. He stormed into the office of advertising and publicity executive Clark Ramsay, stating that he would no longer employ Patrick as a sketch artist, according to a memo Ramsay wrote on March 1, 1954. Upon Patrick's return from the tour to Los Angeles, guess what? She was notified that she was no longer on the payroll.
Universal's science fiction films thrived in the ’50s, but due to Westmore’s outburst, Millicent Patrick’s work on other films has been overlooked. Besides the Gill-man, her eerie creations are thought to include the Xenomorph for It Came from Outer Space (1953), the Metaluna mutant for This Island Earth (1954), the masks in Abbott and Costello Meet Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1953) and The Mole People (1956).
Millicent Patrick may have faded into obscurity after her career in monster-making came to an end, but her creation, the Gill-man, would go on to become a legendary icon of horror cinema. Fast forward to 2019, and Patrick’s story was brought back into the spotlight with the release of her biography, The Lady from the Black Lagoon, penned by passionate fan, historian, and writer Mallory O’Meara.
The Screen Actors Guild currently lists her among the missing, and no definitive record of her life, her death, or her whereabouts seems to exist beyond the early 1980s.
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