McMurphy's jacket

[Erwin]

Hey Folks,

Do you know what company manufactured Nicholson's character jacket? A bit of an interesting design, A2 with bi-swing and very characteristic seams [Horizontal on the back and oblique on the inner sleeve side] ... Looks a bit similar to the jackets made by "Hercules Otherwear by Sears" [some have these mentioned features]. That would be great to know the manufacturer of this jacket. Thanks, folks!

 

[Silver Surfer]

ahhhhhh, yes, with nurse rat shit

 

[MikeyB-17]

‘Aaaaah, Juicy Fruit’.

 

[Erwin]

Yeah, Kesey's book is great, and Forman's movie is the masterpiece indeed..... but guys, what about McMurphy's jacket

 

[caddyd]

I have two cuckoo examples from the fifties that would fit J.P. McMurphy. An A-2 type horsehide jacket made by California Sportswear Co.

with a quilted lining and a Hercules A-2 type by Sears Roebuck and Co.

with a quilted lining.

 

[Erwin]

Thanks caddyd, however, see McMurphy's jacket in the movie - a different shape for pocket flaps [almost rectangular]. That's why your jackets can be called quasi-McMurphy jackets. Anyway an interesting tip regarding California sportswear. Thanks!

 

[caddyd]

Seems there were many A-2 variations following WW II but McMurphy's is a rare one with a bi-swing back and no shoulder epaulets.
And I wonder if that jacket had side pockets? Best we ask Jack about that?

 

[asiamiles]

Had thought it an AN-J3, but the collar stud (and sewn down epaulettes?) suggest it to be commercial jacket based on the AN-J3 pattern.

 

[Erwin]

Thanks, Asiamiles! Well, I saw some discussion on another forum that went nowhere [also AN-J3 was mentioned if I remember correctly]. Based on what we can see from the movie, I'm sure that it was a commercially available jacket. Just curious about who made it. This jacket used in the movie had no epaulets at all [not sewed down] if I see correctly?

 

[Southoftheborder]

It could have been made by any number of manufacturers who made jackets anonymously for the main US retailers and mail order companies who put their own labels on them.

Quite a lot of those companies had contracts for the USAAF in the war and some of their post war jackets are almost identical to the issue ones with just a few changes.

 

[Erwin]

It could have been made by any number of manufacturers who made jackets anonymously for the main US retailers and mail order companies who put their own labels on them.

Totally agree, it would be hard to find the exact one - however worth trying, as some details [not too often bi-swing and rectangular pocket flaps can be observed] are so characteristic of this particular and interesting jacket.

When anyone has a picture of an identical jacket, please update this thread, thanks

 

[caddyd]

There's nothing like a great jacket quest and the tougher to find the greater the reward!

 

[asiamiles]

This jacket used in the movie had no epaulets at all [not sewed down] if I see correctly?

The reason I put that in brackets, but there do appear to be 2 seams across the shoulder indicating something approximating an (admittedly wide) epaulette.