I began reading Mallory O’Mara’s THE LADY FROM THE BLACK LAGOON with high hopes. It purported to be the story of Milicent Patrick, a woman who in the early 1950’s became the first woman hired in the Universal Studios make up department to create special effects for their “horror” movies. Patrick was primarily responsible for the creation of the “gill man” creature mask/makeup used for the movie Creature from the Black Lagoon. The “studio big wigs” were so impressed with her creation (it also didn’t hurt that she was a beautiful woman) they sent her on a press tour to promote the movie and her warm reception and the adulation she received greatly angered her boss “Bud Westmore”. Seems Westmore was a little weasel who liked to take personal credit for all his underlings’ accomplishments and proceeded to see to it that Patrick was fired.

Overall, it appears that Milicent Patrick was a bad luck lady…..when it came to her career as well as the men she chose to date and marry. That portion of the book is fairly informative and interesting. What I had a problem with was author O’Meara’s insistence in placing herself in this story as she compares the problems Patrick faced in “white male dominated” Hollywood of the 50’s and 60’s and those she purports to be facing today…over 60 years later. She repeatedly launches into a diatribe covering her own experiences in Hollywood and feels the need to liberally pepper these harangues with four letter epithets.

There was so much personal information about the author----from her unusual hair color and her equally unusual tattoos to her friends, her career and her personal views and opinions that I came away from my reading wondering if this was the biography of Milicent Patrick OR the autobiography of Mallory O’Mara.

Milicent Patrick was one of the most remarkable women working in Hollywood. After being one of Disney’s earliest female animators, she moved her talents onscreen, working primarily as a background extra in many films. She should best be known as the designer of the titular monster in the movie Creature from the Black Lagoon. Yet her contributions have gone largely unknown, stripped from cinema history by a male colleague with an ego. Her life went so underreported that when filmmaker Mallory O’Meara set out to write a biography of Patrick, she wasn’t even sure that she was deceased.

Still, O’Meara persevered, combing libraries, archives, and anywhere else she thought she could find information that would shine light on one of her greatest career influences. The result is a stunning portrait of Hollywood eccentricity. A childhood in world famous Hearst Castle. Cutting edge special effects work for Disney. A design career cut short by a vindictive studio boss. These years are as fascinating as they are tragic.

After her career in Hollywood, a lot of Patrick’s life becomes hazy. There isn’t a lot of documentation or verifiable information. Patrick mostly moved out of the spotlight. However, O’Meara does a fantastic job of offering some theories. She bridges as many gaps as she can, going so far as tracking down and interviewing Patrick’s niece, which offers a trove of previously unpublished knowledge. Still, with so little previous focus on Patrick’s life, there are moments when the narrative feels thin.

But honestly?

That doesn’t matter.

O’Meara’s devotion to Patrick is palpable. Anyone who gets a tattoo of their research subject on their arm might be ‘too close’ to the topic. In this case, that totally works. With all of the gaps in Patrick’s life, she needed someone with an overabundance of love to dig deep and find what answers are available. The result is probably the most complete biographical portrait of Patrick that will ever be available. It’s uplifting to realize that this book represents Patrick finally getting a glimmer of the praise and recognition she deserved in life.

Beyond discussing researching Patrick’s life and career, O'Meara writes extensively about women in the film industry and her own experiences. These sections are particularly effective when juxtaposed against the ‘old’ Hollywood system. Time might have progressed, but many of the attitudes and actions have not.

It’s what makes this book so fascinating and frustrating. The same scrutiny and issues Patrick dealt with in the 1950s are still occurring today. Fortunately, there are individuals like O’Meara working now, highlighting injustices and showcasing credit when it’s due.

I received an advance reader copy of this ebook from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Fantastic writing! Even reading about the awful patriarchal history of Hollywood is entertaining when written well.
The Creature was a little before my time however I absolutely loved it when I finally watched it in my teens. This book pays wonderful homage to Milicent Patrick, the first Universal female animator. Interspersing her life with the film history of the time added wonderful context and highlighten the ongoing issues women in Hollywood still face today.
All in all, a great read!

There is never a dull moment in this look at the life of Milicent Patrick, the designer of the Creature from the Black Lagoon. Mallory O'Meara's narration is full of life, humor, and frankness about sexism in the film industry. I love how this is both a biography of Patrick, and a semi-memoir of O'Meara's research journey. Would recommend wholeheartedly.

In <i>The Lady from the Black Lagoon </i> Mallory O'Meara weaves the story of Millicent Patrick's life with her own journey to discover what had happened to one of her heroes, and with general observations about the role of women in Hollywood.

I originally picked up this book because I'm a huge fan of her podcast <i> Reading Glasses</i>. I'd seen <i>The Creature from the Black Lagoon</i> when I was a kid, but never had a strong interest in it or old monster movies in general but I decided that I'd give it a chance, given how much I enjoy listening to her podcast. I'm glad I did, because it was completely engaging and funny and I learned so many fascinating tidbits about Patrick and the movie industry in general.

I would recommend this book to fans of monster movies, people who like a good humorous footnote, and anyone who loves reading about archival research as much as I do!

The Lady from the Black Lagoon reveals the lost legacy of Milicent Patrick - creature designer and artist. Milicent's story is revealed chronologically through each chapter, interwoven with film history and tied to the present with Mallory O'Meara's personal experiences as a woman in the film industry.

I found it hard to put this book down, as Milicent's story and O'Meara's writing is so magnetic. A large part of why this book was so impactful to me, I think, is because Mallory O'Meara is very relatable as a narrator. She's funny, she's (rightfully) angry, and she's a (self-proclaimed) nerd. Her portrayal of Milicent is honest, despite her adoration of her. Her passion for this project is evident in every page, and it's contagious.

I absolutely loved this, and would highly recommend to weird girls & horror fans.

O'Meara's lively and unconventional biography is driven by enthusiasm and occasional righteous anger. Milicent Patrick is the only woman to have designed a classic movie monster, her contributions to the Creature from the Black Lagoon largely erased from history. O'Meara, a horror film producer, sets out to correct the record. Her quest to restore Patrick's legacy also leads her to reflect on her own experiences as a woman in the film industry, her difficulties (like Patrick's) compounded by the genre in which she works. Investigating the life of one of her inspirations allows O'Meara to consider how far we've come -- and how little we've travelled -- since Milicent Patrick's day. Much of the book's fun comes from the author's passion for research, her delight at every new lead in Patrick's long-cold trail palpable. A rollicking read, for fans of Hollywood then and now.

Mere minutes have passed since I finished this book, and I have already posted about it on every form of social media available to me. I have texted multiple friends about it. I will sing the praises of this book until my friends and family beg me to stop, and then I will probably continue on.

Mallory O'Meara spent 3 years unearthing the (purposefully) hidden history of Milicent Patrick: the artist, designer, and "knockout" who created my absolute favorite Universal Monster, "The Creature." She was one of the first female animators to work at Disney, and the only woman to create a Universal Classic Monster. But she was so much more, and O'Meara makes the reader feel like we were "in" on all these discoveries. O'Meara's journey and conversational tone really make this novel shine; if you grew up as a weird girl or female-identified person interested in horror, it will feel like looking into a mirror. O'Meara is funny, honest, sometimes crass, but always relatable.

I knew from the jump that I would love Milicent Patrick, even though I didn't know it then, her designs had played such an important role in my childhood. I LOVED these monsters growing up, and to find out the story of the woman behind them is invigorating. But what really caught me off guard is how much I came to love Mallory O'Meara. Her passion and her anger are so relatable, so endearing, and so familiar. I'm so grateful for the work she did to make this book happen, and I'm beyond excited to see what she will do next.

This book was received as an ARC from Hanover Square Press in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.

I am very familiar with the Black Lagoon picture books and the legend of the monster that poisons humans into being from the "Black Lagoon." The book from beginning to end was so invigoratingly interesting that I wondered what its really like being in Milicent Patrick's shoes and finding out all the secrets of the monster and then go MIA until Mallory O'Meara discovers your tracks and finds clues in your past and then finds out the truth. A nail-biting page turner that sure left me breathless and you can definitely expect the unexpected when you read this book. The book is also inspiring of the passion and determination Mallory had when she uncovered this mystery and then later went on to a successful career with Disney.

We will consider adding this title to our Biography collection at our library. That is why we give this book 5 stars.

I decided to read this book because I follow Mallory O'Meara on Instagram and was wondering about the project she had been posting pics of. I ended up loving this more than I expected as I am not a monster movie fan, nor have I seen The Creature From the Black Lagoon. But the internet provided helpful pictures of the Creature and others as I flew through the book, learning about yet another form of discrimination that women have suffered throughout the years. O'Meara did a great job of weaving her search and personal life in with the details of Milicent Patrick's life, which mirrored each other, while also showing the rigors of researching the life of someone who existed in the pre-internet age.

Even when it is at times sardonic, sympathetic, wistful, humorous, and angry, O'Meara always keeps the hammer down on delivering an authentic, gleamy-eyed story of a woman whose accomplishments to the film industry and to women at large (to begin) have been either swept aside or ill-intently buried.

The book, which does the best that it can given the resources, tracks Patrick throughout her entire charmed life, certainly reaching an epoch in both detail and excitement when she performs her part in the creation of The Creature from the Black Lagoon.

I found it to be a zippy read, O'Meara lining Patrick's life story as well as her own struggles (some related to the search for Patrick, some not so) with witty footnotes. Such small changes make it not so much of a straight-forward read, and that's a plus in this case.

O'Meara's excitement and reverence are contagious; the cause she's taken up (the subject of this book), as it's presented, is impossible to root against.

I expect this book to take off like a wildfire once it hits shelves. Such tales exposing women finally having the abilities to be removed from the shadows of history appear to be a popular topic, but it's terribly unfortunate that we've gotten to this point---to where Patrick is in need of a champion to restore her credit up to 60 years later. To that point, this is a wonderful read for all to help themselves recalibrate their thoughts/actions and to support and lift one another up.

Film enthusiasts, and especially horror film aficionados might as well pre-order it. It's a can't miss.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Harlequin, and Hanover Square Press for the advance read.

Have you ever heard of artist and actress Milicent Patrick? If not, you're not alone. Part of that has to do with her past of changing her name regularly, but much of it appears to have been sexism in Hollywood. Writer Mallory O'Meara has made it her mission to bring back credit and let everyone know that Milicent Patrick, though not credited, was the one who designed the Creature from the Black Lagoon. She went on a huge press tour for it, until a fellow employee at Universal found a way to crash her career out of jealousy. 

The Lady from the Black Lagoon chronicles the life of Milicent Patrick from the beginning, but it also tells O'Meara's story as well. If you're looking for a book that is a straight biography, this will not be the book for you. Much of this book is a feminist perspective on modern Hollywood, the past, and what it means to be a woman working in film. Sometimes this is fascinating, but sometimes it distracts from Patrick's fascinating backstory. 

The Lady from the Black Lagoon is available March 5, 2019.

I would like to mention a few things before I review this book. It is more than evident that Mallory has been taken in completely by Milicent. To be honest I was too after reading this. Two, it seems apparent to me that, at times, Mallory shows a deep hatred of men. She seems an over-the-top feminist. I would say she is still young. I am 68 and have never thought of women the way some men in her book thought of them. It is a sad commentary on the human race. Look at the way American Indians were treated, ie trail of tears; look at the way Mormons were forced to take flight; the Jews too. Unfortunately, women are on that list. But not ALL men hated these groups. Some helped. As so many, I loved the Creature movie. I love it even more now that I read this book. However, King Kong is still deeper in my heart.(Sorry)
I wish all Creature lovers could read this book. I liked the way Mallory intertwined other's lives into Milicent's. Please add pictures!! What a treasure this would be. Include your tatooo!! Your footnotes add a lot! I hope that this book is a best seller for Mallory, Milicent and all the females the movie industry have abused and may be abused in the future. This is a story that should be heard and enjoyed. I can recommend it highly. When do the movie rights come about?

The Creature From the Black Lagoon and all the following movies are my favorite. I have them on my Kindle and on DVD. When the movies are on TV, I watch them, too. Did I say how much I love the creature? Millicent Patrick is the artist who created this creature. A woman making her way in a man's world. Jealousy kept her from being acknowledged for this amazing creation. She was a very beautiful and talented woman. This is not the only monster she made. There are several other popular monsters that she was responsible for making, as well. She had a long and interesting life. I liked how the author spoke of how this story has affected her life. Mallory O’Meara is also, in the horror industry. It is well written and researched. I loved reading about Millicent's later life. She sounds like someone I would like to have known. When I saw the title of this book, I knew I had to read it. I was not disappointed. I would love to read more stories like this. Awesome book.I received this book from Net Galley and Hanover Square Press. The opinions expressed are my own.