14 Of The World’s Most Vintage Freak Show Performers

The freak show is a the symbol of a bygone era, where disability and deformity were treated with a sense of mystery and fear. These unique people drew in huge audiences, with crowds desperate to see what strange ailments affected the performers.

While the term ‘freak’ is outdated and harsh, some of these people turned a life altering disability into a wonderful gift. Some even achieved a celebrity status unknown to apparently ‘normal’ people. Not bad for freaks eh?

Here are some of the most famous circus freak in history for your viewing pleasure. Don’t be surprised if you find their stories utterly compelling.

1. Ella Harper

One of the highest-earning freak show performers in history, Ella suffered from a back deformity which made her a massive attraction.

2. Alice E. Doherty

Known as ‘The Werewolf Girl’, it’s easy to see how she got her nickname.

3. Robert Huddleston

Nicknamed ‘The Pony Boy’, Robert couldn’t stand upright due to back deformity. Thankfully for him though he managed to turn his life-altering disability into a lucrative career.

4. Sealo ‘The Seal Boy’

Sealo suffered from a deformation called phocomelia. He got famous performing normal tasks with his stunted arms. much to the crowd’s amusement. He was also known for having an amazing personality.

5. Mignon ‘The Penguin Girl’

Like Sealo, Mignon suffered from phocomelia. She married twice, once to a “normie”, then to Hoppy ‘The Frog Boy’.

6. Twin brothers Robert and John Eck

These brothers performed as a magician duo, showing a very realistic sawing in half trick. While Robert was a normal man, John was missing the lower half of his torso, making it look like John was sawed in two. Very clever.

7. Chiquita

Very famous and very cute, Chiquita was labelled ‘The Living Doll’ due to her dwarfism.

8. Sam Alexander

An actor by trade, Sam lost half his face in a gasoline explosion. Thankfully though he managed to turn his deformity into a moneymaker. He named himself ‘The Man With Two Faces’ and would wear a lifelike mask made by a brilliant prosthetics master. He then removed the mask to show his horribly disfigured face.

9. Myrtle Corbin

Complete with four legs and two vaginas, Myrtle was able to control her extra legs, making her a freak show sensation.

10. Priscilla Lauther

Known as ‘The Monkey Girl’, Priscilla was an amazing woman who fell in love with one of her freak show colleagues. Priscilla and the Alligator Skinned Man remained happily married for almost 60 years.

11. Maxine Mina

A woman with two sets of limbs from the Phillipines, she could control them at will. Widely known as the ‘Four-Legged Girl’, she would perform naked to make sure the audience could see the true nature of her deformity.

12. Joseph Merrick

Often wrongly referred to as John Merrick, this was the man showcased as the famous ‘Elephant Man’ due to his severe deformities.

13. Krao

Labelled by some as ‘the missing link’ between humans and apes; Krao was a freak show performer from a very young age. She later reached celebrity status and managed to perform her act on her own terms. Rare for freak show performers, who often needed a promoter to build an act.

14. Francesco Lentini

Lentini hated his extra limb as a child, and was forced to live in a disability home by his family. It was there however that he discovered his lust for life, embracing his disability and turning it into a success by joining the circus.

The stories of these unique but troubled performers is truly incredible. Delivered a rough hand from the outset, these ‘freak show’ performers managed to make the best of their rare conditions. Did you enjoy your dose of freaky? Well here are some more pictures that look weirder the more you stare at them. Which of our vintage freak show performers impressed you the most? Let us know.