The Giant Gila Monster (1959)
Directed by Ray Kellogg, The Giant Gila Monster is a cult-classic creature feature that blends 1950s teen culture with monster mayhem. Produced on a modest budget of $138,000, it was released as part of a double bill with The Killer Shrews, and has since earned a place in the pantheon of delightfully campy drive-in horror films.
Plot Summary
In a rural Texas town, teenagers begin disappearing under mysterious circumstances. Mechanic and hot rod racer Chase Winstead (Don Sullivan) teams up with the local sheriff (Fred Graham) to investigate. As livestock vanish and vehicles crash, it becomes clear that something monstrous is lurking—a gigantic Gila monster, mutated and venomous, is stalking the countryside.
The creature eventually attacks a dance hall full of teens during a sock hop. In a heroic finale, Chase loads his hot rod with nitroglycerin, drives it straight into the monster, and leaps out just in time—obliterating the beast and saving the town.
Cast Highlights
- Don Sullivan as Chase Winstead
- Lisa Simone as Lisa (a French Miss Universe contestant)
- Fred Graham as Sheriff Jeff
- Shug Fisher as Old Man Harris
- Ken Knox as DJ Horatio Alger “Steamroller” Smith (a real-life Texas disc jockey)
- Gay McLendon, Bob Thompson, and Janice Stone in supporting roles
Behind-the-Scenes Trivia
- The “Gila monster” was actually a Mexican beaded lizard, filmed on miniature sets to simulate its enormous size
- Producer Ken Curtis, better known as Festus on Gunsmoke, voiced a character over the phone and helped finance the film
- The film was shot in Texas and distributed nationally—rare for Southern independent productions at the time
- Several members of the McLendon family, who owned radio stations and theaters, were given roles in the film
