Editing Patterson–Gimlin film (section)

==Background==
Patterson said he became interested in Bigfoot after reading an article about the creature by [[Ivan T. Sanderson]] in ''[[True (magazine)|True]]'' magazine in December 1959.<ref>Perez, 6</ref> In 1961 Sanderson published his encyclopedic ''Abominable Snowmen: Legend Come to Life,'' a worldwide survey of accounts of Bigfoot-type creatures, including recent track finds, etc. in the Bluff Creek area, which heightened his interest. Thereafter, Marian Place wrote:

{{blockquote|In 1962 he visited Bluff Creek and talked with a whole host of Bigfoot-believers. In 1964<ref>However, Cliff Barackman's site notes that the year carved in the casts while they were drying is 1963. Cliff contends that the 1964 date in Patterson's book is likely an error. See http://cliffbarackman.com/bigfoot-prints/cast-index/1963-laird-meadow/ {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150621143454/http://cliffbarackman.com/bigfoot-prints/cast-index/1963-laird-meadow/ |date=June 21, 2015 }}</ref> he returned and met a timber-cruiser named Pat Graves, who drove him to Laird Meadows.<ref>Murphy (2009) 51, 120, 146, 170; It is mistakenly spelt "Leard" in a couple of books</ref> There Patterson saw fresh tracks—for him an almost unbearably exciting, spine-chilling experience. What a tremendous feat it would be—what a scientific breakthrough—if he could obtain unshakable evidence that these tracks were not the work of a prankster, but the actual mark of a hitherto unknown creature! If he succeeded, he would be famous! And rich!

Alas, fame and fortune were not gained that year, nor the next, nor the next. Patterson invested thousands of hours and dollars combing Bigfoot and Sasquatch territory. He fought constant ridicule and a shortage of funds. ... he founded ... the Northwest Research Foundation. Through it he solicited funds . ... The response was encouraging and enabled him to lead several expeditions. ... In 1966 he published a paperback book at his own expense. ... He added the income from its sales and his lectures to the search fund. As each wilderness jaunt failed to see or capture the monster, one by one the thrill-seekers dropped out. But Patterson never gave up.<ref>Marian Place, 135–36</ref>}}

Patterson's book, ''Do Abominable Snowmen of America Really Exist?'', was [[self-published]] in 1966. The book has been characterized as "little more than a collection of newspaper clippings laced together with Patterson's circus-poster style prose".<ref>Hunter and Dahinden, 113</ref> The book, however, contains 20 pages of previously unpublished interviews and letters, 17 drawings by Patterson of the encounters described in the text, five hand-drawn maps (rare in subsequent Bigfoot books), and almost 20 photos and illustrations from others. It was first reprinted in 1996 by Chris Murphy,<ref>(under his publishing company, Pyramid Productions) in a very limited number (approximately 200, according to Murphy)</ref> and then again re-issued by Murphy<ref>under [[Hancock House Publishers|Hancock House]] Publishing</ref> in 2005 under the title ''The Bigfoot Film Controversy,'' with 81 pages of additional material by Murphy.

In May/June 1967 Patterson began filming a [[docudrama]] or [[pseudo-documentary]] about cowboys being led by an old miner and a wise Indian [[tracking (hunting)|tracker]] on a hunt for Bigfoot. The storyline called for Patterson, his Indian guide (Gimlin in a wig), and the cowboys to recall in flashbacks the stories of Fred Beck (of the 1924 [[Ape Canyon]] incident) and others as they tracked the beast on horseback. For actors and cameraman, Patterson used at least nine volunteer acquaintances, including Gimlin and Bob Heironimus, for three days of shooting, perhaps over the Memorial Day weekend.<ref>Long, 39, 109–10, 115, 228–29</ref><ref>This is the only stretch in that period that all the men would have had 3 free days.</ref> Patterson would have needed a costume to represent Bigfoot, if the time came to shoot such climactic scenes.

Prior to the October 1967 filming, Patterson apparently visited [[Los Angeles]] on these occasions:
* Patterson drove to [[Hollywood, Los Angeles|Hollywood]] in 1964 and visited rockabilly songwriter and guitarist Jerry Lee Merritt, a [[Yakima, Washington|Yakima]] native who was living in Hollywood then.<ref>Long, 132</ref><ref>Patterson and Murphy, 15</ref> He was trying to sell his hoop-toy invention.<ref>Long, 176–77; Al Hodgson remembers that this was his mission on "the first time I met him [1964]" on his way south.</ref><ref>McLeod, 79</ref>
* In 1966 he visited Merritt again while he was still trying to sell his hoop-toy invention.<ref>Long, 107, 126</ref>
Merritt soon moved back to Yakima and became Patterson's neighbor, and later his collaborator on his Bigfoot documentary.<ref>Long, 99; see also Long, 100–33 and 312</ref>
* Later in 1966 he and Merritt drove down there for several purposes. Patterson visited cowboy film star [[Roy Rogers]] for help.<ref>Long, 73, 91, 230</ref> He tried to sell his ponies-and-wagon to [[Disneyland]] or [[Knott's Berry Farm]].<ref>Long, 230</ref>
* In the summer of 1967, apparently after getting $700 from the Radfords and shooting some of his documentary, they tried unsuccessfully to attract investors to help further fund his Bigfoot movie.<ref>Long, 110–11, 114, 130</ref> They copyrighted or trademarked the term "Bigfoot".<ref>Long, 127, 140</ref>

Both Patterson<ref>Long, 90. (This citation does not cover this entire sentence.)</ref> and Gimlin had been rodeo riders and amateur boxers—and local champions in their weight classes. Patterson had played high school football.

In October 1967, Patterson and his friend Gimlin set out for the [[Six Rivers National Forest]] in far [[Northern California]]. They drove in Gimlin's truck, carrying his provisions and three horses, positioned sideways. Patterson chose the area because of intermittent reports of the creatures in the past, and of their enormous footprints since 1958. His familiarity with the area and its residents from prior visits may also have been a factor.

The most recent of these reports was the nearby Blue Creek Mountain track find, which was investigated by journalist [[John Willison Green|John Green]], Bigfoot hunter [[René Dahinden]], and archaeologist Don Abbott on and after August 28, 1967.<ref>Perez, 8</ref> This find was reported to Patterson (via his wife) soon thereafter by Al Hodgson, owner of the [[Willow Creek, California|Willow Creek]] [[Variety Store]].<ref>Byrne, 138</ref><ref>Jevning, ''Notes from the Field: Tracking North America's Sasquatch,'' 105, quoting Hodgson in an interview. Later, Hodgson said, he "branched out" into selling, e.g., clothing (and the "variety store" designation was dropped).</ref>

Though Gimlin says he doubted the existence of Sasquatch-like creatures, he agreed to Patterson's insistence that they should not attempt to shoot one with a gun.<ref>Daegling, 115</ref>