Gerald Pavano
Manchester, Connecticut
Gerald went deep to model an undersea diver from Disney’s 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, starting with a vintage 1960s GI Joe. “I chose Nemo’s suit as it seemed a bit more ornate,” he says. He drafted each piece of equipment and transferred his plans to the appropriate material, using clay to fashion the helmet crown, Plexiglas for the faceplate and side viewports, and pinheads for bolts. Tank covers and the light housing were made from plastic tubing and heavy cardboard. He modeled Nemo’s air gun from wooden dowels, plastic, and wire, then attached it to the figure’s weight belt. Gerald says, “The original equipment weighed more than 225 pounds, and it took 83 divers and extras to film the underwater scenes for the 1954 movie.”