MAN MADE MONSTER, released on March 28, 1941 by Universal Pictures, starred Lon Chaney, Jr., Lionel Atwill and Anne Nagel. Chaney was busy during this period and played in five more movies after this before his most famous monster role in THE WOLF MAN.
Released on a double-bill with RETURN OF THE FLY in 1959, THE ALLIGATOR PEOPLE has been roundly skewered for its preposterous story and laughable alligator man costume. There was plenty of other ridiculous drive-in horror and sci-fi fare during the period, but this film has a tendency to be called out on a regular basis.
What'll take your mind off the rubber suit is Beverly Garland, who made it through another sci-f/horror cheapie. Later, Miss Garland said, 'The hardest thing in that movie was simply to keep a straight face!"
Lon Chaney, Jr. (billed as Lon Chaney) is in this bayou bomb, too, cast as a crazed and out of control handyman. Considering his advancing alcoholism, it's probably safe to say it wasn't a hard part to play.
The Alligator Man himself was played by Bruce Bennett. It's hard to fathom that he stooped to this level after gaining notoriety in films like MILDRED PIERCE (1945) and THE TREASURE OF SIERRA MADRE (1948).
Roy Del Ruth was late into his career before he directed this film. At one time, he was the second-highest paid director in Hollywood with many successful dramas and musicals to his credit.
The screenplay was written by Orville H. Hampton, Charles O'Neal and an uncredited Robert M. Fresco. Hampton cranked out other B-move scripts and additional dialogue for ROCKET SHIP X-M, LOST CONTINENT, MESA OF LOST WOMEN and THE ATOMIC SUBMARINE.
Dick Smith and Ben Nye were the makeup artists (and I'm wondering how much input they had on the alligator costume). Bob Bryant was the stuntman. Bryant played the monster in CURSE OF THE FACELESS MAN (1958), and was dressed in another rubber suit that was obvious in a few scenes.
Roman Freulich (1898–1974) was born in Poland to Jewish parents. He immigrated to the United States in 1912 at the age of 14 to live with family who had immigrated there earlier. It is reported by at least one source that the rest of his family in Germany later died in the Holocaust.
Following in the footsteps of his brother, Jack, Roman became interested in photography as a career and studied under professional portrait photographer Samuel Lumiere in New York.
In the 1920s, he moved to Hollywood, where Jack was already working for the Laemmle's at Universal Pictures in their portrait department. After recovering from tuberculosis in the early 1920s, Roman was hired at Universal where he worked alongside his brother. Jack continued to work mostly on portraits while Roman expanded his talents to include still photography.
Roman left Universal in 1944 and worked at Republic studios as head of the stills department until Republic closed its doors in the 1950s. After that, Freulich freelanced for United Artists and other studios until he retired.
The following photographs of Gloria Stuart were taken by Roman Freulich in the early 1930s, around the time she starred in THE OLD DARK HOUSE (1932) and THE INVISIBLE MAN (1933).
