Freak Show….Is It For Real?

The greatest show on earth was possibly the creepiest show on earth as well. Here are 15 of the creepiest of the creepy:

Unzie the Albino

Although the condition that causes one to  albino is not rare at the time of the circus sideshows many people were in awe of those with no skin pigmentation.

A performer with ectrodactyly, a hand deformity that makes his hands look like lobster claws.

Pip and Flip

Pip and Flip, twins who have microcephaly, which makes their heads disproportionately smaller than their bodies.

Isaac W. Sprague

Although normal for most of his childhood, Sprague began losing weight at age 12. In 1865, he joined a circus sideshow, becoming “the Living Skeleton”

Myrtle Corbin

Myrtle was a popular attraction with P.T. Barnum, and later with Ringling Bros. and Coney Island. Her popularity was likely linked to her showmanship – she would often dress the extra limbs with socks and shoes matching her own and this gave her a truly surreal appearance. Myrtle was so popular that she was able to earn as much as $450 dollars a week.

Fat and Skinny

Fat and Skinny boxed in the early sideshows because of their body shapes they were always a HIT with the crowd.

Eli Bowen and his family

Eli Bowen known as “The Legless Wonder”, or “The Legless Acrobat”.  He was also billed as “The Handsomest Man in Showbiz” and the “Wonder of the Wide, Wide World”.  His peak weight was 140 pounds, his height – 24 inches.

Koo Koo the Bird Girl

Minnie Woolsey suffered from a rare congenital growth skeletal disorder called Virchow-Seckel syndrome, which caused her to have a very short stature, a small head, a narrow bird-like face with a beak-like nose, large eyes with an antimongoloid slant, a receding jaw, large ears, and mild mental retardation. In addition, Woolsey was bald, toothless, and either completely blind or very short sighted. She would appear in an Indian-American style costume .

John Jennings

Sideshow performer, known as the “iron jawed man.” Started in the circus business with the John O’Brien show. Walter L. Main’s, 1892-93, and was with it when it was wrecked in Tyrone, PA, receiving injuries which affected his health. Last engagement, Ringling Bros.’ Died in Harrisburg, PA, age 61.

Two Headed Masn

This photograph shows a trick photograph of a two-headed man. It was sold by Almon E. Moxley of Boone, Iowa. April 1, 1901.

Fakir Mirin Dajo

Fakir Mirin Dajo  was born in 1912 as Arnold Gerrit Henskes and adopted his name, an Esperanto term that translates to mean ‘wonderful’. In 1947, at the Corso Theatre in Zurich, Mirin Dajo allow an assistant to plunge a fencing foil right through his body. The foil appeared to have pierced several vital organs and yet, the fakir remained relatively unharmed.

Lucia Zarate

Lucia Zarate, the smallest woman in the world, weighed only 4 pounds at 18 years old.

Annie Jones

Annie Jones may not be the original bearded woman, but she was certainly one of the most famous (and possibly the youngest). Born at an indeterminate time in the 1860s, she started touring with P.T. Barnum when she was only nine months old.

Alice Elizabeth Doherty

The ‘Minnesota Woolly Girl’ – Alice Elizabeth Doherty – holds the unique distinction of being the only recorded American to be born with hypertrichosis lanuginosa. A condition exceedingly rare and unusual. Born with a mane of fine and silky blonde hair; she was an American Werewolf.

Ella Harper

Ella Harper, known on the sideshow circuit as The Camel Girl, was born in Hendersonville, TN sometime between 1870 and 1873. She was born with a condition known as congenital genu recurvatum. In layman’s terms, Ella was born with knees that could bend the other way, allowing her to walk on all fours.