Ray 'Crash' Corrigan

(Courtesy of Minard Coons)

On the left is Ray in his famous gorilla costume. Corrigan had the gorilla suit made to his specs. It was constructed with human hair, and to add some realism, the nostrils even pulsated. Corrigan's gorilla impersonation also included the required grunts, chest beating and kicking dust into the air, and this was all done while perspiring under the hairy costume.

He performed this role in many films over a span of twenty or more years including Three Mesquiteers adventures THREE TEXAS STEERS (Republic, 1939) and COME ON, COWBOYS! (Republic, 1937). Visit the Internet Movie Database and you'll find references to some of his other ape appearances - examples are KILLER APE (1953), one of the 'Jungle Jim' adventures with Johnny Weissmuller as well as the serial THE MONSTER AND THE APE (Columbia, 1945).

Competing against Corrigan for gorilla roles in the 1940s was Emil Van Horn who was the ape named 'Satan' in the cliffhanger PERILS OF NYOKA (Republic, 1942) as well as other films.

In addition to the gorilla outfit, Corrigan also wore some other 'costumes' in various movies, and an example is below.

IN SEARCH OF RAY 'CRASH' CORRIGAN, RAY BENARD/BERNARD, RAY BENITZ ...

Biographies on Corrigan have indicated that his real last name was Benard, Bernard, Bernhard or another variation. Recent information indicates that is incorrect. Where did self and other researchers get that last name? The trail is confusing, but the following might help.

The Family Search website (free), Ancestry.com (subscription), and the Social Security Death Index (SSDI) have information on Corrigan:

Birth and death of a sister named Lidia Benitz - born April 24, 1898 and passed away on January 11, 1900 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Her parents were Bernhard Benitz (born Germany) and Ida Malschewski (born Germany):
Birth: https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XRVD-G8B
Death: https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XL84-J6B
1900 census: 29 year old Bernhard Benitz (born Germany) and 36 year old wife Ida Benitz (born Germany) were living in Milwaukee, Wisconsin: https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/MMKP-4VF
1900 census takers worksheet: the family was living at 1105 16th Street in Milwaukee and Bernhard's occupation was "tailor": https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-267-12876-25677-5?cc=1325221&wc=M94B-DRG:n713067377
February 14, 1902 birth record and Wisconsin Birth Index for Raymond Benitz in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Parents were Bernhard Benitz (born Germany) and Ida Molschewski (born Germany):
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VHH6-N9Z
https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XRYR-KQT
1910 census: 39 year old Bernard Bennett (born Germany), 46 year old wife Ada (born Germany), and 8 year old son Raymond (born Wisconsin) were living in Denver, Colorado: https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/MK4S-WN7
Ancestry had the 1910 census takers worksheet: Bernard was still a "tailor".
1920 census: 48 year old Bernhart Bennitz (born Germany), 53 year old wife Ida (born Germany), and 17 year old son Raymond (born Wisconsin) were living in Denver, Colorado: https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/MX26-BHS
Ancestry had the 1920 census takers worksheet: the family was renting at 142 South Logan Street, Denver. Father Bernhart was still a "tailor" and son Raymond worked in an "auto shop".
Ancestry had the California Marriage Index of Ray B. Corrigan marrying Elaine Z. Dupont (Elaine Zazueta) on April 7, 1956 in Los Angeles, California.
Social Security Death Index (SSDI) has a record for Ray Corrigan, born February 14, 1902, and he passed away August, 1976 in Brookings, Curry County, Oregon.
Find A Grave notes that Corrigan is buried in an unmarked grave at Inglewood Park Cemetery, Inglewood, California: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/10030572

But there's always a mystery or a surprise twist. The Hollywood Gorilla Men website has a photo of Corrigan with a saluation on the back. It reads:

"To Dorothy
Best Wishes
Ray Benard---
Apollo,
10/30/34"

The Apollo mention refers to his role in NIGHT LIFE OF THE GODS (Universal, 1935).
The saluation at the bottom of the photo continues with:
"Double for Johnny Weissmuller"
The photo and info is at: http://www.hollywoodgorillamen.com/2013/03/e-gors-gorilla-goodiesa-pre-crash.html

Above is a opening cast and credit screen from NIGHTLIFE which shows Ray billed as Raymond Benard.

Speculation: Based on the Wisconsin Birth Index, it appears he was born Raymond Benitz. And in the early 1930s in Hollywood, he changed the last name to Benard/Bernard (which was either a variation of his father's real first name, or perhaps Benard/Bernard was Ray's middle name). When he signed on with Republic Pictures, the name change to Ray 'Crash' Corrigan occurred.

74 year old Tom Corrigan, Ray 'Crash' Corrigan's son and owner of Corrigan's Steakhouse in Thousand Oaks, California, passed away at his home on March 14, 2018: https://www.theacorn.com/articles/corrigan-rides-off-into-the-sunset/

After Tom Corrigan's death, his Corrigan's Steakhouse restaurant was sold and renovations made. This website has some photos: https://www.conejovalleyguide.com/local-buzz/progress-slow-but-steady-at-the-former-corrigans-steakhouse-in-thousand-oaks

Although some of the data is incomplete or inaccurate, the Internet Movie Database (IMDb) has information on Ray Corrigan and Monogram producer George W. Weeks. Click below:
Ray Corrigan: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0181003/
George W. Weeks - Producer: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0917316/

In the prior text on Corrigan, there was mention of some battles and court cases involving Ray, his ex-wife Rita, and the ownership of Corriganville. There was also their divorce and custody of their three children. The Google News Archive has articles from 1954 about those issues:

The Astounding B Monster website mentions Corrigan wearing a rubber suit and portraying the titled monster in IT, THE TERROR FROM BEYOND SPACE (1958): http://www.bmonster.com/scifi16.html

Don't forget to check out the Cowboy Trios section on the Old Corral. There, you'll find more info on Ray Corrigan under the Three Mesquiteers and Range Busters. Make sure to checkout Dennis Landadio's reviews of the Mesquiteer films. And there's info and photos on Corriganville in the section marked Corriganville Movie Ranch.