Frank-N-Stein was a one of a kind, large fiberglass sculpture similar to Universal Pictures' 1931 version of Frankenstein's Monster. It was located near the intersections of US Highway 12 and US Highway 20 in the Miller Beach and Aetna neighborhoods of Lake County, Indiana. The giant statue was designed by noted Indiana artist Richard Kishel and was displayed from 1967 to 1982. [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7]
John Gourdey and Ralph Peterson, two life-long friends whom attended Horace Mann High School together in Gary, Indiana, planned to start a national chain of restaurants selling hotdogs and rootbeer. They chose the name Frank-N-Stein. They contacted Fiber Forms who then commissioned Indiana artist Richard Kishel, an art professor from Muncie, Indiana.
The Universal Pictures version of Frankenstein's monster was chosen as a symbol for the restaurant. A short time after the 20 foot tall fiberglass roadside attraction was installed, Universal Pictures sent the owners a cease and desist notice for copyright infringement. The owners could not agree with royalty fees asked and decided to change the appearance of their statue.
An agreement was reached with Universal Pictures that they needed to remove the neck bolts, forehead scar, green face and hands plus change the black jacket and pants to red and gray, respectively. [8]
Despite the Highway Beautification Act, Frank-N-Stein survived until 1982, when a strong storm hit Lake County, Indiana and toppled the giant statue. A contractor was hired to remove the statue and he placed it as a birthday gag gift at a friend's house in Lakes of the Four Seasons, Indiana. [16] The contractor eventually removed it and took it to his farm near Hebron, Indiana and later burned the remnants in a brush fire in 1982. [17]
In March 2025, a full-sized replica of Frank-N-Stein had begun. The remake is being documented on a public Facebook Group titled 'Frank-N-Stein: Arise from the Ashes'. [18] [19]