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Filmed in 1959, "The Giant Gila Monster" is a ridiculously cheesy movie that has earned a spot in the low-budget, campy horror film genre. The 74 minute film was directed by Ray Kellogg, a director who was known for his special effects work in the 1950s largely with 20th Century Fox, including Marilyn Monroe films. For "The Giant Gila Monster", Kellogg featured a large amount of actors, though only a couple of them made a mark in the entertainment industry.
Don Sullivan plays the lead role of Chase Winstead, the overly nice and humble young man who is always willing to help anyone in need. Though Sullivan composed all of the songs that he sings in the film, he is only documented as having composed for "The Giant Gila Monster", and appeared in about six or seven productions, including television, throughout the course of his career.
Kellogg cast Fred Graham as Sheriff Jeff. An actor who was commonly referred to as "Slugger", Graham got his start in motion pictures in 1928, when he was working for the MGM sound department. During that time, he was playing semi-pro baseball on the side, and the studio hired him to tutor Robert Young and Nat Pendleton in baseball for the 1934 film, "Death on the Diamond". Graham doubled for Pendleton in the catching scenes of the film, and thus began a forty year career as a stuntman and actor. In 1938, Graham went to Warner Brothers Studios to double for Basil Rathbone in "The Adventures of Robin Hood". After spending a few years with Warner Brothers, Graham went to Republic Pictures, where he worked on the studio’s famed westerns and serials. A major part of the team stunt experts, Graham met and stunted for John Wayne in many of the films that Wayne made at the Republic studio. In 1968, Graham went to work for Arizona’s Department of Economic Planning and Development of Motion Pictures, and had more to do with bringing filming into the state of Arizona than anyone else.
Shug Fisher, who plays Old Man Harris, is the other big star of the film, "The Giant Gila Monster". Fisher, who was born George Fisher, was a native Oklahoman who was celebrated for his country singing and playing. By the time that he went on the road, Fisher had learned how to play the mandolin, fiddle, and guitar, and later added comedy to his traveling act. Fisher got his start in the entertainment industry when he moved to California, where he worked in a variety of capacities before getting work on the radio. After joining and performing with various country groups, Fisher acted in many Western films and sang with the renowned group, "Sons of the Pioneers". Fisher later began composing songs, and is remembered for such country classics as "Out on the Open Range" and "Riding Down to Santa Fe", both of which were later recorded by stars such as Merle Travis.
Though "The Giant Gila Monster" is almost painful to watch, it does make for an interesting experience, if for nothing more than to laugh at the slow-moving lizard that causes massive chaos in the small town.
