As a teenager, Mallory O’Meara was thrilled to discover that one of her favorite movies, "Creature from the Black Lagoon," featured a monster designed by a woman, Milicent Patrick. But for someone who should have been hailed as a pioneer in the genre, there was little information available. For, as O’Meara soon discovered, Patrick’s contribution had been claimed by a jealous male colleague, her career had been cut short and she soon after had disappeared from film history. No one even knew if she was still alive. As a young woman working in the horror film industry, O’Meara set out to right the wrong, and in the process discovered the full, fascinating story of an ambitious, artistic woman ahead of her time.
Mallory O'Meara's book is "The Lady from the Black Lagoon: Hollywood Monsters and the Lost Legacy of Milicent Patrick."