MANILA -- Director Jordan Vogt-Roberts’ recent Hollywood retelling of big screen’s primal ape in “Kong: Skull Island,” instantly brings to mind many monster films in the past. The latest story boasts an ensemble cast led by Tom Hiddleston and Samuel Jackson, with Oscar-winning actress Brie Larson, John Goodman and John C. Reilly.

King Kong is undoubtedly a familiar figure in Hollywood movies. In Universal Studios in Los Angeles, King Kong is even part of the back-lot tour that always thrills and excites the experience of theme park visitors.

Unknown perhaps to many Filipinos is the pioneering work of Charles Gemora, who interestingly started the gorilla portrayals in Hollywood back in the 1930s.

Charles Gemora with his gorilla suit

If his last name rings a bell, it is because Gemora is the uncle of theater actor and singer Audie Gemora, who recently made a post on his Facebook page, lauding his uncle after watching “Kong: Skull Island.” Audie proudly reminded everyone that a Filipino started the gorilla portrayals in Hollywood.

The late Carlos Cruz Gemora “became a Hollywood legend in his own right playing gorillas and working with luminaries,” said the young Gemora.

The elder Gemora donned gorilla suits in a number of Hollywood movies. IMDb (or the Internet Movie Database) has a detailed account about Gemora’s work as a make-up artist and his name also has a Wikipedia entry.

A short documentary about Gemora can be viewed on YouTube and simply labeled him as “uncredited” for his work as a multi-tasker “sculptor, portrait painter, make-up artist, actor” in Hollywood.

STOWAWAY FROM NEGROS

Gemora’s only daughter, Diana Fox Jones, said she has many fond memories about her dad, whom she lovingly calls “Charlie,” from the time she was one-and-a-half years old.

“Being around the sets, watching Charlie work magic and invent in his special lab, helping him with innumerable movie projects, I was his little apprentice,” the daughter shares.

“Actually, my ‘very fondest’ memories are of us sitting around the fire pit that looked like a volcano. Embers glowing, the city lights twinkling beyond the lighted swimming pool. Charlie strumming his guitar and singing to us in Spanish, which we children, never learned. Laying on chaise lounges all night to watch the shooting star showers.”

Born on June 15, 1903 in Negros, Gemora was a stowaway who arrived in San Francisco but ended up working in a fruit farm in Colusa, California. He later moved to Los Angeles, where he earned his keep doing portrait sketches outside of Universal Studios.

It was at Universal Studios where Gemora’s artistic talent was discovered and utilized initially in the sculpture department for 1923’s “The Hunchback of Notre Dame.” His 5-foot-5 frame became ideal to make him don an ape costume, starting with “The Leopard Lady” in 1928.

Charles Gemora in his gorilla suit (center), with Laurel and Hardy in the short film, "The Chimp."

He was one of Hollywood’s most famous gorilla performers. Gemora’s Wikipedia entry also detailed that he studied about real gorillas in the San Diego Zoo. “His expertise on make-up gave him an extensive career as a gorilla,” as he shared stellar credits opposite the likes of Bela Lugosi (“Murders in the Rue Morgue”), Abbott and Costelo (“Africa Screams”), Laurel and Hardy (“The Chimp” and “Swiss Miss”), Bob Hope and Bing Crosby (“Road to Zanzibar”) and Robert Mitchum (“White Witch Doctor”).

Jones helped Gemora create his final gorilla suit in 1954’s “Phantom of the Rue Morgue.” A stunt double completed the role of Sultan, the gorilla, due to Gemora’s failing health.

Jones’ favorite among Gemora’s film appearances is “The Monster and the Girl,“ because the film is most realistic and Gemora’s acting ability came to the fore. “He showed that gorillas have pathos. Their mouth never moves. Charlie only used his eyes and movements. He was a great mime.”

Gemora had many uncredited gorilla suit appearances like “Gunga Din” with Cary Grant, “Around the World in Eighty Days” with David Niven and Shirley McLaine and “The Ten Commandments” with Charlton Heston and Yul Brynner.

FROM APE TO ALIENS

In 1953’s “The War of the Worlds,” Jones even helped her dad create the “memorable alien menace” costume overnight.

“I punched the holes for the yak hair, three at a time,” Jones offers. “I kept it groomed and packed well in its special cases. My dad used me as his helper in the studio lab. We had a home lab, too. I did everything from clean up to keeping the clay moist. Putting the ‘War of the Worlds’ monster together in one marathon night was the most memorable of my experiences with him. Being able to be under the floorboards during shooting and pumping the air for the throbbing veins.”

Gemora is an “ion” in the industry, says Jones proudly. “He invented so many things that contributed to what made the movies what they are today. Charlie was a teacher. He apprenticed just about every major make-up man. He invented studio blood, aging and special effect processes and much more. His main job was as a make-up man, specializing in glamour and special effect aging and scarring. He also did incredible sets in the 1920's and 1930's.”

One of Gemora’s best contributions was “rubber latex,” Jones beams. “He found he could ‘whip’ rubber to make the gorilla suit lighter. It weighed almost 75 pounds with padding. His suit actually shortened his life. The acrobatics and weight were hard on his poor heart.”

Charles Gemora at work in Hollywood

The gorilla gig was almost accidental, according to Jones, when a producer figured Gemora was the best to work the suit he made. He had to show his producer how the suit worked and he did it just like an ape. He was also known as painter to the stars and did many portraits and sculptures of the famous.

In the Monsterpalooza Convention in April 2013 in Burbank, California, Gemora was honored with a life-size sculpture, done by the skilled hands of special effects make-up artist Jason Barnett. Gemora’s daughter graced the convention. Jones provided more than two dozen photos of her dad to Barnett, who spent more than a year sculpting and creating the image.

Gemora died of a heart attack in 1961, while working on the make-up for “Jack the Giant Killer,” which would have been his last film. He had two other sons, Robert and Patrick.

“Charlie was known for his generosity of spirit,” Jones recalls. “He never held a trade secret to himself. He shared everything he knew about his craft and how it could help others. His feeling was that if you shared what you knew, it enlarged everyone.

“Charlie gave away most of his accomplishments, so as to give the credit to other people. He let them take the spotlight, while he just enjoyed the satisfaction of seeing some great idea become reality. This happened so many times, it drove my mom bonkers.”

OTHER VENTURES

Gemora formed a movie company, Charles Gemora Productions, in 1947 after the war. The outfit made the first, full-length colored Filipino movie released in the Philippines. “They Met in America (Nagtagpo sa America)” top-billed Maria San Marcos.

Gemora also put up the Philippine Theater Company in Manila and the first California drive-in, which brought the first soft ice cream and drive-in restaurant to the islands. It catered to the troops and had Filipina car hoops.

“His heart prevented him from returning and his companies were run by his brother-in-law,” Jones offers.

Charles' only daughter, Diana Gemora Fox Jones, graced the 2013 Monsterpalooza Convention in Burbank, California, where a life-size image of Charles Gemora was created. Seen with them is Bob Burns

In the US, Gemora formed the California Philippine Society, which sponsored immigration from the islands. They had the first Filipino beauty contest, gave scholarships and a chance to be in the movies.”

On his own, Charlie brought in so many people to the US after the war. He took care of them and sponsored them in jobs. “You can understand when I say ‘generosity of spirit’,” Jones emphasizes.

“Charlie did not like the spotlight. He was known for his humility and his very funny ways. He was a funny guy without trying, just a natural in so many ways. Man of many talents, beloved by those who knew him, still missed by those who are still living. Did Charlie leave a lasting impression? You can bet your gorilla on that!”

Gemora’s story is truly phenomenal, according to Jones, who dreams of one day getting a DVD to pop singer Bruno Mars for historical reasons.

“My son-in-law, Jason Lee Barnett, did the DVD. He is a true devotee of everything Charlie. He married my daughter and took her name as part of his. I say Charlie brought them together, so his legacy is still alive today.”