35 Vintage Images of Midway Freak Show Performers

Peter Pizagalli Published 09/10/2024 in creepy

Needless to say, P.T. Barnum’s traveling 'freak show' Congress of Freaks would not fly today.

Yes, once upon a time people paid good hard-earned money to see "freaks" for a bit of entertainment. Imagine you're a farm boy whose never been out of your small farm town and one day a man seven feet tall shows up, or a woman with a beard, or heck, some dude who can turn his head a full 180 degrees backward, okay maybe that guy is a freak.

But back in the day attending one of these shows was the highlight of many people's years. And these photos help us see why.

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1.
“Congress of Freaks” - P.T. Barnum’s Traveling Freak Show
2.
This was Martin Joe Laurello, who was known as "The Human Owl" for his ability to rotate his head around almost 180 degrees.
3.
Sideshow boxers of very different proportions.
4.
This man, known as "The Human Caterpillar," was born limbless and would roll and light cigarettes with his mouth.
5.
This is Koo-Koo, the bird girl.
6.
The Human Pincushion.
7.
A "performer" with hand and feet deformities.
8.
Lucia Zarate is the smallest person who ever lived, weighing only four pounds at 18 years old.
9.
Mike, the headless chicken, survived for 18 months after his head was chopped off.
10.
This is the Four-Legged Woman, which may have actually been an illusion.
11.
The Elastic Skin Man.
12.
Frank Lentini, known as "The Three-Legged Man" didn't just have three legs, but four feet, sixteen toes, and two functioning sets of genitals.
13.
This haunting image is The Pierced Man.
14.
Pip and Flip.
15.
A legless acrobat with his family.
16.
A performer with giant feet and another with no arms.
17.
Unzie the Albino.
18.
Annie Jones, who traveled as The American Bearded Woman.
19.
This is Schlitzie Simon Metz, who suffered from microcephaly, a shrunken cranium and brain, which caused him to have the intellect of a small child even into adulthood.
20.
John Jennings was known as the modern-day Sampson for his ability to lift heavy weights with his hair.
21.
These "Wild Men of Borneo" were actually developmentally disabled under-grown twins sold by their mother to the circus.
22.
Robert Owen Melvin was known as "The Man with Two Faces" due to his neurofibromatosis. He was said to be very personable and ambitious, even one day graduating from school after his circus days were behind him.
23.
Conjoined twins marketed as "The Two-Headed Man."
24.
This man, known as Robert "The Pony Boy" Huddleston, suffered from inverted knee joints that kept him from standing up straight.
25.
This performer was known as "The Minnesota Wooly Baby."
26.
This man, Isaac Sprague, was presented as "The Living Skeleton."
27.
Ella Harper was known professionally as "The Camel Girl."
28.
Atoria Gibbons, who made a name for herself as a tattooed woman, wouldn't stand out at all these days.
29.
Fedor Jeftichew was a Russian child suffering from hypertrichosis (excessive hair growth) and was given the bizarre name "Jo-Jo the Dog-Faced Boy."
30.
Atoria Gibbons, who made a name for herself as a tattooed woman, wouldn't stand out at all these days.
31.
Grady Stiles suffered from etrodactyly, which caused him to develop claw-like extremities. He was given the predictable nickname "Lobster Boy."
32.
Conjoined twins Josefa and Rosa Blazeh with Rosa's son.
33.
Unknown diminutive performer with a very serious look on her face
34.
P.T. Barnum and General Tom Thumb
35.
Hairy family of Burma

1.
“Congress of Freaks” - P.T. Barnum’s Traveling Freak Show
2.
This was Martin Joe Laurello, who was known as "The Human Owl" for his ability to rotate his head around almost 180 degrees.
3.
Sideshow boxers of very different proportions.
4.
This man, known as "The Human Caterpillar," was born limbless and would roll and light cigarettes with his mouth.
5.
This is Koo-Koo, the bird girl.
6.
The Human Pincushion.
7.
A "performer" with hand and feet deformities.
8.
Lucia Zarate is the smallest person who ever lived, weighing only four pounds at 18 years old.
9.
Mike, the headless chicken, survived for 18 months after his head was chopped off.
10.
This is the Four-Legged Woman, which may have actually been an illusion.
11.
The Elastic Skin Man.
12.
Frank Lentini, known as "The Three-Legged Man" didn't just have three legs, but four feet, sixteen toes, and two functioning sets of genitals.
13.
This haunting image is The Pierced Man.
14.
Pip and Flip.
15.
A legless acrobat with his family.
16.
A performer with giant feet and another with no arms.
17.
Unzie the Albino.
18.
Annie Jones, who traveled as The American Bearded Woman.
19.
This is Schlitzie Simon Metz, who suffered from microcephaly, a shrunken cranium and brain, which caused him to have the intellect of a small child even into adulthood.
20.
John Jennings was known as the modern-day Sampson for his ability to lift heavy weights with his hair.
21.
These "Wild Men of Borneo" were actually developmentally disabled under-grown twins sold by their mother to the circus.
22.
Robert Owen Melvin was known as "The Man with Two Faces" due to his neurofibromatosis. He was said to be very personable and ambitious, even one day graduating from school after his circus days were behind him.
23.
Conjoined twins marketed as "The Two-Headed Man."
24.
This man, known as Robert "The Pony Boy" Huddleston, suffered from inverted knee joints that kept him from standing up straight.
25.
This performer was known as "The Minnesota Wooly Baby."
26.
This man, Isaac Sprague, was presented as "The Living Skeleton."
27.
Ella Harper was known professionally as "The Camel Girl."
28.
Atoria Gibbons, who made a name for herself as a tattooed woman, wouldn't stand out at all these days.
29.
Fedor Jeftichew was a Russian child suffering from hypertrichosis (excessive hair growth) and was given the bizarre name "Jo-Jo the Dog-Faced Boy."
30.
Atoria Gibbons, who made a name for herself as a tattooed woman, wouldn't stand out at all these days.
31.
Grady Stiles suffered from etrodactyly, which caused him to develop claw-like extremities. He was given the predictable nickname "Lobster Boy."
32.
Conjoined twins Josefa and Rosa Blazeh with Rosa's son.
33.
Unknown diminutive performer with a very serious look on her face
34.
P.T. Barnum and General Tom Thumb
35.
Hairy family of Burma

freak show - Rattes Congress Freaks Ringling Brothers Barnum Bailey Circus Century

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NEXT GALLERY 20 Science Facts That Sound Like Science Fiction

1. “Congress of Freaks” - P.T. Barnum’s Traveling Freak Show

2. This was Martin Joe Laurello, who was known as "The Human Owl" for his ability to rotate his head around almost 180 degrees.

3. Sideshow boxers of very different proportions.

4. This man, known as "The Human Caterpillar," was born limbless and would roll and light cigarettes with his mouth.

5. This is Koo-Koo, the bird girl.

6. The Human Pincushion.

7. A "performer" with hand and feet deformities.

8. Lucia Zarate is the smallest person who ever lived, weighing only four pounds at 18 years old.

9. Mike, the headless chicken, survived for 18 months after his head was chopped off.

10. This is the Four-Legged Woman, which may have actually been an illusion.

11. The Elastic Skin Man.

12. Frank Lentini, known as "The Three-Legged Man" didn't just have three legs, but four feet, sixteen toes, and two functioning sets of genitals.

13. This haunting image is The Pierced Man.

14. Pip and Flip.

15. A legless acrobat with his family.

16. A performer with giant feet and another with no arms.

17. Unzie the Albino.

18. Annie Jones, who traveled as The American Bearded Woman.

19. This is Schlitzie Simon Metz, who suffered from microcephaly, a shrunken cranium and brain, which caused him to have the intellect of a small child even into adulthood.

20. John Jennings was known as the modern-day Sampson for his ability to lift heavy weights with his hair.

21. These "Wild Men of Borneo" were actually developmentally disabled under-grown twins sold by their mother to the circus.

22. Robert Owen Melvin was known as "The Man with Two Faces" due to his neurofibromatosis. He was said to be very personable and ambitious, even one day graduating from school after his circus days were behind him.

23. Conjoined twins marketed as "The Two-Headed Man."

24. This man, known as Robert "The Pony Boy" Huddleston, suffered from inverted knee joints that kept him from standing up straight.

25. This performer was known as "The Minnesota Wooly Baby."

26. This man, Isaac Sprague, was presented as "The Living Skeleton."

27. Ella Harper was known professionally as "The Camel Girl."

28. Atoria Gibbons, who made a name for herself as a tattooed woman, wouldn't stand out at all these days.

29. Fedor Jeftichew was a Russian child suffering from hypertrichosis (excessive hair growth) and was given the bizarre name "Jo-Jo the Dog-Faced Boy."

30. Atoria Gibbons, who made a name for herself as a tattooed woman, wouldn't stand out at all these days.

31. Grady Stiles suffered from etrodactyly, which caused him to develop claw-like extremities. He was given the predictable nickname "Lobster Boy."

32. Conjoined twins Josefa and Rosa Blazeh with Rosa's son.

33. Unknown diminutive performer with a very serious look on her face

34. P.T. Barnum and General Tom Thumb

35. Hairy family of Burma

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eBaum's Picks

1.
“Congress of Freaks” - P.T. Barnum’s Traveling Freak Show

2.
This was Martin Joe Laurello, who was known as "The Human Owl" for his ability to rotate his head around almost 180 degrees.

3.
Sideshow boxers of very different proportions.

4.
This man, known as "The Human Caterpillar," was born limbless and would roll and light cigarettes with his mouth.

5.
This is Koo-Koo, the bird girl.

6.
The Human Pincushion.

7.
A "performer" with hand and feet deformities.

8.
Lucia Zarate is the smallest person who ever lived, weighing only four pounds at 18 years old.

9.
Mike, the headless chicken, survived for 18 months after his head was chopped off.

10.
This is the Four-Legged Woman, which may have actually been an illusion.

11.
The Elastic Skin Man.

12.
Frank Lentini, known as "The Three-Legged Man" didn't just have three legs, but four feet, sixteen toes, and two functioning sets of genitals.

13.
This haunting image is The Pierced Man.

14.
Pip and Flip.

15.
A legless acrobat with his family.

16.
A performer with giant feet and another with no arms.

17.
Unzie the Albino.

18.
Annie Jones, who traveled as The American Bearded Woman.

19.
This is Schlitzie Simon Metz, who suffered from microcephaly, a shrunken cranium and brain, which caused him to have the intellect of a small child even into adulthood.

20.
John Jennings was known as the modern-day Sampson for his ability to lift heavy weights with his hair.

21.
These "Wild Men of Borneo" were actually developmentally disabled under-grown twins sold by their mother to the circus.

22.
Robert Owen Melvin was known as "The Man with Two Faces" due to his neurofibromatosis. He was said to be very personable and ambitious, even one day graduating from school after his circus days were behind him.

23.
Conjoined twins marketed as "The Two-Headed Man."

24.
This man, known as Robert "The Pony Boy" Huddleston, suffered from inverted knee joints that kept him from standing up straight.

25.
This performer was known as "The Minnesota Wooly Baby."

26.
This man, Isaac Sprague, was presented as "The Living Skeleton."

27.
Ella Harper was known professionally as "The Camel Girl."

28.
Atoria Gibbons, who made a name for herself as a tattooed woman, wouldn't stand out at all these days.

29.
Fedor Jeftichew was a Russian child suffering from hypertrichosis (excessive hair growth) and was given the bizarre name "Jo-Jo the Dog-Faced Boy."

30.
Atoria Gibbons, who made a name for herself as a tattooed woman, wouldn't stand out at all these days.

31.
Grady Stiles suffered from etrodactyly, which caused him to develop claw-like extremities. He was given the predictable nickname "Lobster Boy."

32.
Conjoined twins Josefa and Rosa Blazeh with Rosa's son.

33.
Unknown diminutive performer with a very serious look on her face

34.
P.T. Barnum and General Tom Thumb

35.
Hairy family of Burma