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Phineas Taylor Barnum, better known as P.T. Barnum, entered the world of circus entertainment in 1841 when he acquired Scudder’s American Museum and rebranded it as Barnum’s American Museum. In 1875, he teamed up with circus proprietors Dan Castello and William Cameron Coup, renaming the venture P.T. Barnum’s Great Traveling Museum, Menagerie, Caravan, and Hippodrome. By 1881, Barnum’s operation merged with Cooper and Bailey Circus, led by James Anthony Bailey and James E. Cooper, forming the Barnum & Bailey Circus.
Following Barnum’s death in 1891, control of the circus passed to his business partner, James Bailey, who bought Barnum’s share from his widow. After Bailey’s passing in 1906, the Ringling Brothers, who had their own successful circus, purchased Barnum & Bailey Circus. The two circuses combined to form the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, which continued until it closed in May 2017, due to financial strain, evolving public preferences, and concerns regarding animal rights.
10. Frank Lentini - Anomaly: Possessed Three Legs
Frank Lentini was born in Sicily on May 18, 1889 (although some records state July 8, 1884, or July 8, 1885). He had three legs, four feet, 16 toes, and two sets of genitalia—so unusual that the midwife who attended his birth was so shocked she hid him under the bed and ran out of the room in terror. The villagers where Frank grew up believed he was a divine punishment and gave him the nickname 'The Abominable.' Some rumors even suggested that his third leg appeared after his mother, Giovanna, visited a cart-maker with a three-legged table while pregnant.
The extra leg was actually the result of an undeveloped twin that had been absorbed by Lentini. He would place his third leg on a box whenever he rested or sat. His mother made him special clothes, and he wore custom-made shoes. Eventually, his two main legs grew longer than his third leg, so Lentini had to tie it to one of the main ones. Even though his two main legs were not of equal length, Lentini often humorously remarked that although he had three legs, he did not have a proper pair.
In 1898, Lentini met a puppeteer named Magnano, who brought him and his family to the United States. There, Frank joined the Ringling Brothers Circus and later the Barnum Circus. Known as 'The Great Lentini,' he would sometimes use his third leg to kick footballs, earning him the nickname 'The Three-Legged Football Player.' When asked about his unusual legs, Lentini would respond, 'My mother did not give birth to two children. More than one, but not two.' He passed away on September 21, 1966.
9. Kate Brumbach - Anomaly: Incredible Strength
Katharina Brumbach, born in Vienna, Austria, in 1884, was renowned for her extraordinary strength, a trait she shared with her circus-performing parents. Kate, along with three of her sisters, joined the circus, but she quickly rose to prominence as the star. She often challenged men to wrestling matches, offering a reward of 100 marks to anyone who could defeat her. Records show she was never defeated in these bouts, and some even claim she found her husband during one such match.
Her husband, Max Heymann, believed he would easily win since Kate was a woman. However, he soon lost the fight, with no recollection of how it happened. He only remembered entering the ring, seeing the sky above, and being carried away by Kate in defeat. During a performance in New York, Sandwina challenged any man who believed they could lift more than her. Bodybuilding legend and powerlifting champion Eugene Sandow accepted the challenge, but he could not lift a 136-kilogram (300 lb) weight past his chest. Kate had easily lifted it over her head with just one arm. Following this event, she adopted the stage name Sandwina, a female version of Sandow.
The incident with Sandow boosted Kate's fame, leading her to tour the United States with the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. Her performances included carrying horses and cannons, and sometimes she would lift her 75-kilogram (165 lb) husband with one arm, or bear carousels of 14 people on her shoulders. After retiring at 64, she opened a restaurant in New York with her husband, where she delighted customers by breaking horseshoes, bending steel bars, and occasionally lifting her husband. Kate passed away from cancer on January 21, 1952.
8. Schlitzie - Anomaly: Microcephaly
Schlitzie, originally named Simon Metz, was born on September 10, 1890 (or 1901). He had microcephaly, a condition that caused his head to remain small while the rest of his body developed normally. As an adult, Schlitzie had a slanted forehead, a small brain, and the cognitive ability of a three- or four-year-old. His condition sparked fascination, and he found work in several circuses, including the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, where he was exhibited as the last living member of the Aztec people. He was also often dressed as a woman for practical reasons, as it made it easier to change his diaper.
In addition to his circus career, Schlitzie enjoyed a film presence, appearing in numerous films such as The Sideshow (1928), Freaks (1932), Island of Lost Souls (1932), Tomorrow’s Children (1934), and Meet Boston Blackie (1941). He passed away from bronchial pneumonia on September 24, 1971. On his death certificate, his name was listed as Shilze Surtees, the surname of his legal guardian, George Surtees, a chimpanzee trainer who cared for him from 1936 until his own death in 1960.
7. Joice Heth - Anomaly: None
Joice Heth's only distinction was her advanced age, which made her the perfect attraction for a young P.T. Barnum. In 1835, Barnum promoted her as being 161 years old, claiming that she had cared for George Washington in his youth. These assertions were completely false. Heth was neither 161 years old nor had she ever met George Washington. She was a slave, and Barnum had purchased her from her owner for $1,000 to showcase her across the United States for a year.
She performed for audiences while Barnum fabricated elaborate tales about her connection to the young George Washington. As time went on, Barnum continued to create even more falsehoods about Heth. When religious leaders objected to his exploitation of a slave for profit, Barnum insisted that Heth was no longer enslaved and that he was only attempting to raise money to free her family. At one point, he even claimed that Heth wasn’t 161 years old, and in fact, wasn’t human at all. Instead, he suggested she was a machine made of whale bones and covered in leather.
The grueling tour took a toll on Heth, who was already in fragile health. She was weak, blind, and had previously suffered a stroke. She passed away in February 1836, just a few months after her tour with Barnum began. Barnum, however, was not quick to part with her. He arranged for her autopsy and sold tickets to those eager to witness it. When the examining doctor stated that Heth couldn’t have been older than 80, Barnum insisted that the doctor had been given a different body and that the real Heth was still alive. Heth was the first person to ever be displayed by Barnum, and the myths and controversies surrounding her played a key role in establishing Barnum’s reputation.
6. Annie Jones - Oddity: Heavy Beard
Annie Jones was born in 1865 with a full beard covering her chin, which worried her parents at first. However, they soon recognized the potential for her to earn money and began negotiations with P.T. Barnum. Barnum offered them $150 per week in exchange for a three-year contract. The offer was too enticing to refuse, and her parents quickly accepted, bringing her to New York to begin her career.
Jones was the most renowned of the bearded ladies from the Victorian era. Not only did she wear a full and thick beard, but she also had incredibly long hair, extending over 1.8 meters (6 feet). A skilled singer with impeccable manners, Jones toured as a bearded lady for 36 years. Unfortunately, her life was cut short when she fell ill and passed away in 1902 at the age of 37.
5. Isaac W. Sprague - Oddity: Extraordinary Slimness
Isaac W. Sprague was born on May 21, 1841, and lived a normal childhood until he began losing weight at age 12. His weight loss was so rapid that his parents restricted him from engaging in any strenuous activities. Despite their efforts, Sprague continued to lose weight as he matured. Eventually, he became so thin that he was unable to work. In 1865, a promoter discovered him at a carnival and offered him the opportunity to tour in exchange for payment.
Although initially hesitant, Sprague accepted the offer. He earned the nickname 'The Living Skeleton' and became so famous that he joined Barnum’s American Museum. For promotional purposes, he was often ‘married’ to a much heavier woman. By the time he was 44, he stood 168 centimeters (5’6”) tall and weighed only 19 kilograms (43 lb). Due to his condition, Sprague had to eat constantly, carrying a flask of milk that he drank at regular intervals throughout the day.
In 1868, Sprague departed from Barnum’s American Museum after a near-fatal experience in a fire. He married Tamar Moore and fathered three sons during this period, but financial struggles led him back to the museum. Sprague passed away on January 5, 1887. His condition, though never definitively diagnosed, is believed to have been severe muscle atrophy.
4. Wild Men Of Borneo - Oddity: Dwarfism and Remarkable Strength
The Wild Men of Borneo were two brothers, Hiram and Barney Davis, who, despite being mentally challenged, displayed extraordinary strength. Weighing only 20 kilograms (45 lb) and standing at just 102 centimeters (3’4″) tall, the brothers entered the world of show business in 1850 when a promoter renamed them Waino and Plutano, claiming they had been captured in Borneo. The showman further claimed that the brothers were notorious for their violent nature, having been caught in a fierce encounter involving guns and nets.
The brothers were known for lifting heavy weights and even spectators during their performances. They also engaged in staged fights with audience members. In 1880, they joined P.T. Barnum’s show, quickly rising to fame. They continued their career in show business until Hiram passed away in 1905, followed by Barney in 1912.
3. Charles Stratton - Oddity: Dwarfism
Known to the world as General Tom Thumb, Charles Stratton was one of P.T. Barnum’s most beloved and famous oddities. Born on January 4, 1838, in Bridgeport, Connecticut, to a carpenter and a housewife, Stratton's growth was stunted from an early age. Despite both of his parents being of average height, he stopped growing when he was just six months old and didn’t start to grow again until much later. In 1842, Barnum came across this four-year-old boy who weighed only 15 pounds and stood at a mere 25 inches tall, and he was immediately intrigued. Seeking new attractions for his Hall of Living Curiosities in New York City, Barnum offered $3 a week to Stratton's parents, and soon, the family was on their way to New York.
Barnum marketed Stratton as an 11-year-old English boy named Tom Thumb. He dressed him in various costumes, including that of Napoleon and a Scottish Highlander. Within a month, Tom Thumb became a sensation, and Barnum raised his pay to $50 per week—a substantial sum in the 1840s. When Stratton was six, Barnum took him to England, where he won over audiences, including a visit from Queen Victoria, who came to see him twice. By 1856, Barnum and the now 3-foot-tall Stratton toured the United States.
Tom Thumb continued to captivate audiences, and in 1863, Barnum orchestrated the wedding of the century, uniting General Tom Thumb with another of Barnum’s curiosities, Lavinia Warren. Although many considered the wedding a publicity stunt, the couple insisted it was a true love match. Afterward, they honeymooned at the White House, where they performed for President Abraham Lincoln. Stratton passed away in 1883 at the age of 45 from a stroke.
2. Prince Randian - Oddity: Totally Limbless
Born in British Guiana in 1871, Prince Randian was completely without limbs. Known by various names such as The Snake Man, The Living Torso, The Human Worm, and The Human Caterpillar, the latter nickname was inspired by his striped clothing and his unique method of movement, which involved wriggling across the floor.
Randian performed in numerous shows and museums but became most famous for his time with P.T. Barnum’s circus, where he amazed audiences by performing extraordinary feats such as writing, painting, shaving, and even lighting cigarettes. He didn’t just light cigarettes with his mouth, but also rolled them and removed the matchsticks from the matchboxes using his incredible skills.
1. Fedor Jeftichew - Oddity: Excessive Facial Hair
Born in Saint Petersburg, Russia, in 1868, Fedor Jeftichew had a condition called hypertrichosis, which led to abnormal facial hair growth. His father took him on tours until his passing, after which Fedor joined the Barnum circus. There, he was given the stage name Jo-Jo The Dog-Faced Boy. The circus often played up his resemblance to a dog, making claims that he barked and growled when anxious. Fedor himself embraced the role, occasionally barking and growling during performances.
Barnum crafted an elaborate backstory for Fedor, claiming that he and his father had been captured by a hunter who tracked them into a cave. The father was said to be violent, while Fedor was depicted as calmer. In reality, Fedor was known for his sharp intellect and composure. He spoke multiple languages, including English, German, Russian, and reportedly two others. Fedor passed away from pneumonia in 1904 (with some records stating 1903).
