Ed Gein Stitched a ‘Woman Suit’ to ‘Become’ His Mother — The Real Horror Behind 'The Silence of the Lambs' Killer

Ed Gein’s deep attachment to his late mother shaped his isolated life in haunting ways. That fixation would eventually draw national attention — and influence the creation of some of Hollywood’s most chilling characters, including the killer in the 1991 film The Silence of the Lambs .

In the 1991 blockbuster based on Thomas Harris’ 1988 bestseller, a character known as Buffalo Bill murders and skins women, eerily echoing Gein’s mode of operation. Comparably, Norman Bates in the 1960 film Psycho develops a split personality of his mother and commits murder while dressed as her. Gein's crimes continue to inspire Hollywood, most recently in the third season of the Netflix anthology series Monster , which began streaming Oct. 3 and stars Charlie Hunnam as Gein.

Gein's house of