The Legendary DURABLE (Wild One) Jacket

[David Conwill]

One thing I've always wondered is how far back this jacket design goes. The film is from 1953 and it was inspired by events in 1947, but I don't recall seeing any "Brando jackets" in photos of the Hollister Riot. Anybody know? Was it available before World War II?

 

[Doctor Damage]

One thing I've always wondered is how far back this jacket design goes. The film is from 1953 and it was inspired by events in 1947, but I don't recall seeing any "Brando jackets" in photos of the Hollister Riot. Anybody know? Was it available before World War II?

The general design seems to date from the 1930s based on what is known and published in books and on corporate websites. I think Schott claims or others have claimed for them 1935 or thereabouts. [other members have corrected this to the late 1920s]

I speculate that the reason these fancy cross-zips with bling snaps and belt are not common in the oldest photos is because the design was a 'luxury' design and most motorcyclists couldn't afford it (since in the early days motorcycling was very much a non-mainstream and non-middle-class thing).

 

[David Conwill]

Naturally, after I post this, I find a photo of the supposed original 1928 Perfecto. I'm not sure how much I like the D pocket, but it's nice to have a frame of reference. It would still be neat to see a period photo of one "in the wild" before the war.

 

[Peacoat]

As I remember, Schott claims to have manufactured the "Perfecto" since about 1928. So, if Durable made the jacket seen in The Wild One, it copied the design from Schott. We will probably never know the truth of any of it.

 

[Monitor]

As I remember, Schott claims to have manufactured the "Perfecto" since about 1928. So, if Durable made the jacket seen in The Wild One, it copied the design from Schott. We will probably never know the truth of any of it.

Actually, what happened - or at least what people in the know say happened - was that Schott bought Durable at some point during the 50's if I'm not mistaken, and integrated (parts of) the design into their jackets. To what extent, I've no idea but apparently, that the entire basis of Schott's claim to have manufactured The Wild One jacket.

 

[Peacoat]

Yes, I have heard that Schott bought Durable sometime during the early to mid 50s, and based on that, it claimed the jacket was their own.

There is still a lot of discussion about this jacket on the film jackets forum. I spent hours over the course of several days reading the posts, and could never pin it down to my satisfaction. Best I could conclude was that it was made by either Durable or Schott, more probably Durable. It is an exhausting subject.

 

[Edward]

View attachment 137243

Naturally, after I post this, I find a photo of the supposed original 1928 Perfecto. I'm not sure how much I like the D pocket, but it's nice to have a frame of reference. It would still be neat to see a period photo of one "in the wild" before the war.

Is that the supposed first one, or is it one of the 'reissues' they did a few years ago?

Actually, what happened - or at least what people in the know say happened - was that Schott bought Durable at some point during the 50's if I'm not mistaken, and integrated (parts of) the design into their jackets. To what extent, I've no idea but apparently, that the entire basis of Schott's claim to have manufactured The Wild One jacket.

That seems the most likely scenario at present.

Yes, I have heard that Schott bought Durable sometime during the early to mid 50s, and based on that, it claimed the jacket was their own.

There is still a lot of discussion about this jacket on the film jackets forum. I spent hours over the course of several days reading the posts, and could never pin it down to my satisfaction. Best I could conclude was that it was made by either Durable or Schott, more probably Durable. It is an exhausting subject.

I doubt - unless the original jacket turns up, and even them maybe not -we'll ever have a definitive answer, though the Durable certainly seems the much more likely version.

Be interesting to see what Schott would turn put if they did repop, but then they couldn't really sell it as the real Strabler model, having spent all these years claiming that the 613/618s were , in effect, the Brando jacket.

 

[Monitor]

Yes, I have heard that Schott bought Durable sometime during the early to mid 50s, and based on that, it claimed the jacket was their own.

There is still a lot of discussion about this jacket on the film jackets forum. I spent hours over the course of several days reading the posts, and could never pin it down to my satisfaction. Best I could conclude was that it was made by either Durable or Schott, more probably Durable. It is an exhausting subject.

It's most likely Durable. Strabler's jacket didn't have a lining so we'll never know. What's also almost certain is that the cut has been altered.

 

[David Conwill]

Is that the supposed first one, or is it one of the 'reissues' they did a few years ago?

According to Schott that's one of their contract-produced Beck Northeasterner 333's that was structurally identical to the original 1928 Perfecto. So it's a prewar jacket, but wasn't labled as Schott or Perfecto.

 

[Doctor Damage]

It's most likely Durable. Strabler's jacket didn't have a lining so we'll never know. What's also almost certain is that the cut has been altered.

Yup on all three points. The Durables look much different than old Schotts; to a "visual" person there's no comparison.

 

[Edward]

According to Schott that's one of their contract-produced Beck Northeasterner 333's that was structurally identical to the original 1928 Perfecto. So it's a prewar jacket, but wasn't labled as Schott or Perfecto.

But this is the repop jacket, not the original? Asking because I remember there being some scepticism at the time it was released as to how accurate it was.

 

[David Conwill]

But this is the repop jacket, not the original? Asking because I remember there being some scepticism at the time it was released as to how accurate it was.

My understanding from the context is that this is an original. It was posted here by Jason Schott.

 

[Edward]

AH! So the design of their 1928 LE was pretty accurate (though I think the fit was modified a touch - that original certainly goes in hard at the waist). I like the minimalism of it. A D like that would look good on a Bootlegger.

 

[Gamma68]

I doubt - unless the original jacket turns up, and even them maybe not -we'll ever have a definitive answer, though the Durable certainly seems the much more likely version.

Some mysteries are best left unsolved. Makes like more interesting.

Actually, I'm surprised the actual jacket Brando wore during filming hasn't turned up. I mean, Marilyn Monroe's dresses surface from time to time. Maybe some collector has kept it tucked away for many years, showing it only privately and very occasionally.

 

[Gamma68]

Do we know if Brando wore just ONE jacket during filming, or were there several?

 

[Edward]

Good point: I'm not sure we do. Seems likely there was more than one.

 

[Monitor]

Read someplace that just one jacket was used in the movie. Someone compared the thing frame by frame in the Bluray release. Something about the "Johnny" lettering being identical in each scene. Pretty incredible but... Who knows. The jacket does seem to evolve considerably during the movie, as if it really has been worn a lot throughout the filming.

 

[Doctor Damage]

Some mysteries are best left unsolved. Makes like more interesting.

Actually, I'm surprised the actual jacket Brando wore during filming hasn't turned up. I mean, Marilyn Monroe's dresses surface from time to time. Maybe some collector has kept it tucked away for many years, showing it only privately and very occasionally.

Here's some commentary on it, read the last four or five paragraphs:
https://jerrygarrett.wordpress.com/...-in-search-of-brandos-lost-motorcycle-jacket/
Of course the blogger has drank the "Schott" kool-aid but the info provided by the museum curator is insightful.

 

[Doctor Damage]

Read someplace that just one jacket was used in the movie. Someone compared the thing frame by frame in the Bluray release. Something about the "Johnny" lettering being identical in each scene. Pretty incredible but... Who knows. The jacket does seem to evolve considerably during the movie, as if it really has been worn a lot throughout the filming.

I find it believeable and in fact likely that only one jacket was used. The movie was made in the 1950s, probably with a small budget over a short shooting schedule, and no significant stunts are done by Brando's character, so one jacket would have sufficed. I think it's telling, too, that Brando's jacket stands out in the film as unique vis-a-vis the jackets worn by the other bikers, not only in terms of obviously superior quality but also in terms of nearly-new condition; I suspect the production bought super-cheap a bunch of used, worn-out jackets for the other bikers, but spent new $$$ for Brando's jacket (it shows).

 

[Peacoat]

Interesting article and film clip, @Doctor Damage. But no discussion about whether it could be a Durable. The author assumes it is a Schott. I'm not convinced. I would like to see if any of the Schott MC jackets from back then had the long sleeve zippers. That is a defining feature not commonly seen. If I could see a Schott 513 from back then with that type of zipper, That would go a long way toward convincing me. Or if there is a Durable with that feature, I think that would be convincing evidence.

Comments by the curator are intriguing. Unfortunately her research is now 14 years old, and we have heard nothing further. I wonder what else, if anything, she knows and where she is today?