Actor Haruo Nakajima taking a break from being Godzilla
 
Actor Haruo Nakajima (pictured above) spent nearly 25 years inside the rubber Godzilla suit that he gleefully trampled over mini-Tokyo in for various Godzilla or monster-themed films from the early 50s through the 1970s.
 

Haruo Nakajima having tea on the movie set
 
According to an interview Nakajima did back in 2014 (who will turn 87 this January) the Godzilla suit he wore weighed 220 pounds, and could reach a staggering 140 degrees while shooting scenes. There were many other brave actors that donned famous rubber monster suits over the years like Masaki Shinohara (who often played Rodan in the Godzilla films), Kenpachiro Satsuma who played Godzilla from the mid-80s to the mid-90s as well as Gigan and Hedorah, and Schoichi Hirose who played Godzilla’s sworn enemy, King Ghidorah and King Kong in 1962’s super-schlocky King Kong vs. Godzilla.
 

Haruo Nakajima taking a smoke break on the beach with Godzilla
 
I don’t know too many people who don’t have fond memories of growing up watching these over-dubbed, poorly acted monster flicks, and I (and I know I’m not alone) still enjoy catching them on the tube from time to time.

In honor of my Godzilla themed nostalgia that I hope you also share, I’ve pulled together some cool and amusing images captured behind the scenes of various Godzilla films such as the original from 1954, Godzilla (or Gojira) Godzilla vs Mothra (1964), Godzilla vs Gigan (1972), Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla (1974), as well as many others for you to check out after the jump.
 

Behind the scenes of Terror of Mechagodzilla,1975
 

Behind the scenes on Godzilla vs. Gigan, 1972
 

FX director Eiji Tsuburaya on the set with his monsters
 

The bottom half of Godzilla stomping mini-Tokyo
 

 

Behind the scenes of the film Godzilla vs Mechagodzilla (1974)
 

Haruo Nakajima giving his buddy Godzilla a kiss
 

Director Jun Fukuda on the set of Godzilla vs Mechagodzilla (1974)
 

Godzilla DOWN! (with actor Harou Nakajima)
 

Actor Kenpachiro Satsuma with his Gigan costume
 

Godzilla (Haruo Nakajima) and Hedorah (Kenpachiro Satsuma) hanging out on the movie set
 

Behind the scenes on the film Destroy all Monsters (1968)
 

Behind the scenes of Godzilla Raids Again (Harou Nakajima with his Godzilla costume), 1955
 

Godzilla on a break
 

Previously on Dangerous Minds:
Godzilla Candelabra