Catacombs Model GalleryLizard Costume
Catacombs Model Gallery
The first appearance of the costume was in New Adam, New Eve
The Kreno creature, from The A B Chrysalis and The Beta Cloud has the same body with a new head. It also appears in blue in The Bringers Of Wonder part 1
The other Maya transformation in The Beta Cloud is repainted in blue. This is the original New Adam, New Eve head with new section over the eyes and top of the head. The mouth and lop-sided fangs are unchanged.
In The Bringers Of Wonder part 1, the costume was modified by adding a latex mask over the existing face, with an ape-like mouth in front of the lop-sided fangs. The suit was covered with latex scales, with a new green colour (oranges and yellows from the Kreno creature are visible where scales have fallen off).
Finally the costume appeared in The Dorcons.
The costume was displayed at the Space City exhibitions, at one point in a revolving alcove with a mannequin of Maya's Metamorph costume "transforming" into the creature. The eyes were painted red, and the left hand was cut off (see below).
After the exhibitions, the latex scales were already falling off rapidly in these pictures from the mid-1990s.
Eventually the latex face seen in The Bringers Of Wonder part 1/The Dorcons peeled away the base, revealing the fan-eyed face from New Adam, New Eve. The eyes were opened out at some point, probably so the actor (dancer Albin Pahernik) could see better.
The following photos were taken in 2014, thanks to Peter Headley. The latex is still reasonably pliable and hasn't decayed too much. With the face and scales largely fallen off, the creature has reverted to the first incarnation, in New Adam, New Eve. Paint wise, it's a bit of everything due to the fact that the scales covered the old paint. The arms and claws are orange/yellow from the Kreno animal, the legs/abdomen/feet/tail green from the Dorcons and Bringers, the head has paint traces from New Adam New Eve and the Dorcons.
The red around the mouth seems to have been added at the Blackpool exhibition. The lopsided latex fangs were seen in all versions of the creature.
Blues, greens and yellow-orange paint from the various versions of the creature. The weird brown "gunge", on many surfaces, is the remnants of the glue that stuck down the scales.
The body is in 2 pieces. The legs/feet appear to have been built up over a pair of white jeans and pull on like a pair of trousers. You then step into the body through a zip up opening in the back. Weirdly the zip is the same "Robin" brand as used in the Alphan costumes. A ring of velcro, inside the the head "ruff" and around the shoulders, secures the head to the body.
In the "gills", at the side of the head, are holes to the rear. These may be for ventilation.
The hair that sprouts from the rear of the body and head is very thick and black. It is in bunches pushed through holes punched in the costume.
The left hand was cut off. Reportedly at the Space City exhibition someone decided to show the creature punching through glass, so they cut off the hand to put on the other side of the glass. At least the hand is still with the rest of the costume.
Two latex mask moulds were sold at auction on 27 April 2005, with an estimate of £1500-2000; it is unknown if they were sold. They were created by Fred Pearl, a freelance effects and creature sculptor based in Wimbledon. In the 1950s and 1960s he worked for toy manufacturer Lines Brothers, as a model maker of dolls and toys. In the 1970s he formed the company Art Models Ltd, assisted by his daughters, making models for films, television and museums. Pearl made the Dewback head for Star Wars (1977).
The suit was sold on ebay in October 2018 for £1020.
It was then sold in auction in November 2021, with an estimate of £5000-7000; the highest bid was £4750, leaving it unsold.
Contents copyright Martin Willey
Thanks to Pete Headley.