In May/June 1967 Patterson began filming a
docudrama or
pseudo-documentary about cowboys being led by an old miner and a wise Indian
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 Canyonincident) 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.
[23][24] 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:
- Roger drove to Hollywood in 1964 and visited rockabilly songwriter and guitarist Jerry Lee Merritt, a Yakimanative who was living there in Hollywood then.[25][26] He was trying to sell his hoop-toy invention.[27][28]
- In 1966 he visited Merritt again while he was still trying to sell his hoop-toy invention.[29]
Merritt soon moved back to Yakima and became Patterson's neighbor, and later his collaborator on his Bigfoot documentary.
[30]
- Later in 1966 he and Merritt drove down there for several purposes. Patterson visited cowboy film star Roy Rogers for help.[31] He tried to sell his ponies-and-wagon to Disneyland or Knott's Berry Farm.[32]
- 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.[33] They copyrighted or trademarked the term "Bigfoot".[34]