The Best of the Encyclopedia of Pulp Heroes: Paula Dupree

DuPree, Paula. Paula DuPree was created by Ted Fithian and Neil Varnick and appeared in the films Captive Wild Woman (1943), Jungle Woman (1944), and The Jungle Captive (1945). Dr. Walters, an ordinary, average Mad Scientist, is interested in using a gorilla for his work. He doesn’t have one at hand, so he steals one, Cheela, from a circus’ animal trainer. Walters injects hormones into Cheela and performs a brain operation on her, turning her from a primate into a human woman, who he names “Paula DuPree.” He teaches her to be a human, but when he brings her to the circus from which he stole her, he discovers that she has a Superhuman hypnotic ability over animals. She goes to work in the circus, and is attracted to Fred, the animal trainer from whom Walters stole her, but she discovers that Fred is engaged, and she reverts to being Cheela, leading to a violent ending. In the first sequel it is revealed that she was not killed in the first film, but was nursed back to health in a sanitarium, only turning back into a gorilla and killing people very occasionally. In the second sequel she is brought back to life by another Mad Scientist.