2004 – Background – How Philip Morris (RIP) Made Gorilla Suits in the 1960s (Part 2)

[Trogluddite]

Once again, Greg Long’s execrable The Making of Bigfoot is useful because it locks in the statement of a relevant witness.  In three separate conversations beginning in November 2003, Philip Morris described in “precise” detail how he made gorilla suits in the 1960s.  He was describing the manufacturing process of suits similar to the one pictured at https://bigfootforums.com/topic/144126-19670805-book-roger-patterson-buys-this-exact-gorilla-costume-from-philip-morris/, the “exact type” of suit which he claims to have sold to Roger Patterson.  The number following each statement below is the page number of Greg Long's book on which the information appears.  I’ve added a few comments for clarification or to provide context; discussion of the import of Mr. Morris’s comments is best included in an appropriate thread elsewhere.

 

***** The Torso of the Suit *****

Philip Morris stated that:

 

- The torso had a 36-inch zipper running down the back from the neck to the crotch.  449.  The zipper was commonly used in automobiles with a convertible top.  450.    

 

- The torso’s plastic chest (see pictures) consisted of a 1-inch-thick layer of foam rubber sandwiched between two layers of black latex; it was used to “add bulk” to the suit.  449 – 450.

 

- The heavy-duty zipper and latex chest piece were sewed into the Dynel fur at a tent and awning store “using a powerful” sewing machine.  450.   

 

- Bias fabric tape was added around the latex chest during the sewing to prevent it from tearing loose from the Dynel fur.  450. 

 

- The arms and legs of the torso were cut long, so that the suit would fit loosely.  450.  Mr. Morris also described the arms as “extra long.”  456.  However, the arms were not long enough to suit Roger Patterson’s purpose.  447.

 

- The suit was not made to fit a person tightly.  450, 451.  Roger apparently was concerned that the suit’s shoulders did not have realistic bulk.  448.  Putting shoulder pads in his suit would put the shoulders in the way of Patty’s jaw.  452.

 

- The suit’s crotch usually hung loose and low.  450.    

 

- Philip Morris did not state that the head, hands, or feet of the suit attached to the torso.  Instead, the Dynel fur on the head simply covered the neck area of the torso (see below) and the torso’s arms and legs covered the hands (gloves) and feet (slippers).  450.  The fur from the six different pieces could be combed together to hide the individual pieces.  450.  The proper way to comb the hair was to “tease it” rather than to comb it down flat.  453.        

 

 

***** The Head of the Suit *****

 

Philip Morris stated that:

 

- The head, hands, and feet were made of black latex with Dynel fur glued to them.  449. 

 

- The head consisted of two layers of latex sandwiching a layer of foam rubber with Dynel fur glued onto the hood; this hood draped over the neck, shoulders, and sides and back of the head of the person wearing it.  450. 

 

- A person wearing the head often reported feeling claustrophobic.  452.    

 

- The face had an immovable mouth and simple eye holes.  450.  The eye holes did not completely cover the face of the person wearing the suit.  448. 

 

- The face of the suit was glued to the hood of the suit.  450.  It could have been pulled out and replaced with a different mask.  458.    

 

- A person wearing the suit could only turn their head about a quarter of the way around; in order to see behind them, the wearer would have to turn their head, shoulders, and hips.  452. 

 

- The mask in the Patterson-Gimlin film is not the suit’s mask.  457.  The “mask” used on Patty’s “suit” would have to been adhered directly to the actor’s face with spirit gum.  457.  The “mask” looks “really close” to the actor’s face and fits well around the eyes.  458. 

 

- Only a professional make-up artist could have made Patty’s “mask” blend into the actor’s face so well and that make-up artist would have had to have been present at the film site.  458. 

 

- It appears that Mr. Morris states that Patty’s mask has “age lines.”  459. 

 

***** The Feet and Hands of the Suit *****

 

Philip Morris stated that:

 

- The head, hands, and feet were made of black latex with Dynel fur glued to them.  449. 

 

- The feet were made to fit a size 10 to size 12 shoe and were 14 inches long.  451. 

 

- The soles of the feet were made from flat pieces of neoprene cut to the size and shape of the feet and glued to the latex.  449.  The neoprene was black.  463.  The neoprene attached as soles was about 14 inches long.  451.  The neoprene reached from the heel to the toes.  463. 

 

Comment: Google states that size 10 shoes are about 10&½ inches long while size 12 shoes are about 11&½ inches long. 

 

- The shape of the feet made for his gorilla suit did not match the tracks left by Patty.  451.

 

- The heels of the suit’s feet were square.  456. 

 

- He made his feet with and without fur; even the feet with fur were not entirely covered.  463. 

 

- The feet in his suits were long so that an actor could put his feet inside; he didn’t know the shoe size of the person buying a suit.  462.

 

- The feet were like slippers and could be stuffed in the front if they were too long.  462.   

 

- The feet of his suit were similar to long clown feet in that a person wearing them could not put the ball of their feet down first without stumbling.  452.   

 

- The hands of his suit were gloves.  449.  They could be screwed on to a stick to make the arms longer.  448. 

Edited Saturday at 06:34 PM by Trogluddite
Same as priop post; computers hate me.