[recalling the filming of and eventual audience reaction to
The Giant Claw (1957)] We shot the film before we ever got a look at this monster that was
supposed to be so terrifying. The producers promised us that the
special effects would be first class. The director -
Fred F. Sears - just told us, "All right, now you see the bird
up there, and you're scared to death! Use your imagination." But the
first time we actually got to see it was the night of the premiere. The
audience couldn't stop laughing. We were up there on screen looking
like idiots, treating this silly buzzard like it was the scariest thing
in the world. We felt cheated, that's for sure, but they told us
afterward that they just ran out of money. They couldn't afford
anything but this stupid puppet. But it was just terrible. I was never
so embarrassed in my whole life.
