Tag: Books

The Lady from the Black Lagoon is author Mallory O’Meara’s dive into the life of Milicent Patrick. Until O’Meara’s book came out in 2019, not many people were aware of who Milicent Patrick was. Thanks to the author’s dedicated research, she has brought Milicent Patrick into the spotlight. 

Milicent Patrick’s claim to (now) fame was that she designed the Creature from the Black Lagoon, for the film of the same name. She was a talented woman who not only created famous Hollywood monsters, but also worked for Walt Disney as an animator. Milicent faded into obscurity, and never got credit for her design…until O’Meara. 

The Lady from the Black Lagoon not only follows Milicent Patrick, and her struggles through Old Hollywood, but also O’Meara’s own story and struggles in Hollywood. The parallel between the women’s lives is both heartbreaking and touching, and I’m sure if Milicent was still alive, the two would be fast friends. 

I picked this book up for two reasons: I love old movies, and am always looking to learn more about them, and secondly, I’ll be honest, the cover of the book. I’m a sucker for an attention grabbing cover, and this book has got it! Setting aside the cover, though…the content was just what I was hoping for. It was an honest and well-researched look into what life was like in the movie industry for a woman, during what we now think of as ‘Old Hollywood’. Highly recommend. 

Pick up the paperback edition of O’Meara’s Los Angeles Time Bestseller, available on March 3, 2020.