Skip to main content

Giants

Larger than life, the Giant has appeared in myth and children’s fairy tales, but their real life counterparts, the circus or sideshow Giants wowed us whether they were truly giant or just very tall.

Performers in this category:

Cleve Gill

Amalie

John Aasen

Captain Ureck

Anna Swan

Captain Martin Van Buren Bates

Oskar Krause

Eddie Carmel

Chang Yu Sing

Annie Shields

Robert Wadlow

George Auger

Al Tomaini

The Shields Brothers

Lewis Wilkins

Willie Camper

Siah Khan

Thomas Brockman

Johann K. Petursson

Cliff Thompson

Jack Earle

Related Member-Only Images

THE FULL CONTENT IS RESTRICTED TO SUBSCRIBERS

Join now or LOG IN to view the entire image and any interior or verso images, you won’t be disappointed!

BECOME A MEMBER

Jack Earle Feeds An Elephant by H.A. Atwell

Added Jul 13 2025

Life of Chang Pitchbook

Added Jul 12 2025

Pete Kortes World’s Fair Museum Sideshow

Added Jul 6 2025

Mr. Patrick O’Brien “The Irish Giant”

Added Jun 17 2025

Life, History And Travels of Landon Middlecoff (20 Pages)

Added May 25 2025

Life Story of Mr. & Mrs. Al Tomaini (4 Pages)

Added Mar 19 2025

Biography of Capt. Ureck, The German Giant (20 Pages)

Added Mar 19 2025

Amalie “Giant” at Dreamland Circus Sideshow

Added Jan 1 2025

Willy Camper and Sideshow Group At Beach

Added Dec 31 2024

Willie Camper Being Fitted For A Suit

Added Dec 31 2024

Giant Baby Handbill

Added Oct 26 2024

Buck Nelson “Giant” with Clown

Added Oct 20 2024

Henry Hite Advertising Wilson’s Meats

Added Oct 13 2024

Henry Hite for Wilson-Sinclair Meats

Added Oct 13 2024

Henry Hite for Wilson & Co, with Wife

Added Oct 13 2024

Francis Uffner Presents: Capt. Bates, Anna Swan, Admiral Dot

Added Oct 13 2024

Johan Aason “Not a Freak, a Real Giant.”

Added Oct 13 2024

Ray Johnson, Sr.

Added Oct 13 2024

The Fischers, The Biggest Couple

Added Oct 13 2024

J.G. Tarver

Added Oct 13 2024

Montana Hank

Added Oct 13 2024

Abomah

Added Oct 13 2024

Jack Earle

Added Oct 13 2024

George Auger

Added Oct 13 2024

George Auger with Midgets, Barnum Bailey

Added Oct 13 2024

Shadrack Shields & Wife Annie

Added Oct 13 2024

Capt. Ureck with wife Lulu

Added Oct 13 2024

Capt. Ureck & his wife Lulu Lataska

Added Oct 13 2024

Johann K. Petursson

Added Oct 12 2024

Capt. Ureck & his wife, Lulu Lataska

Added Oct 12 2024

Capt. Ureck and Wife

Added Oct 12 2024

Anna Swan

Added Oct 12 2024

CHOUNG CHI LANG Tradecard

Added Oct 12 2024

Choung Chi Lang

Added Oct 12 2024

Capt. Bates & Mrs. A.H. Bates

Added Oct 11 2024

Captain & Mrs. M.V. Bates

Added Oct 11 2024

Wild Giant With Manager (Karoo?)

Added Oct 11 2024

Colonel Cooper

Added Oct 11 2024

Chang Yu-Sing

Added Oct 11 2024

Chang-Yu-Sing

Added Oct 11 2024

JOHEN [sic] (John) AASEN “World’s Largest Man”

Added Oct 6 2024

Chang Yu-Sing

Added Oct 1 2024

Chang-Yu-Sing by Bogardus

Added Sep 30 2024

Chang Yu Sing, and his Wife Kin Foo

Added Sep 30 2024

Chang Yu-Sing

Added Sep 30 2024

Chang The Chinese Giant & Chinese Dwarf, Chung Mow

Added Sep 30 2024

Giant Oskar Kraus & Fat Woman Giant Lizette

Added Sep 8 2024

Al Tomaini with The Giant’s Camp Sign

Added Sep 8 2024

Giant’s Tourist Court and Trailer Park Guest Card

Added Sep 8 2024

Giant’s Tourist Court and Trailer Park Guest Card

Added Sep 8 2024

Al Tomaini and Friend on The Backlot, 1940

Added Sep 8 2024

Al Tomaini & Friend #7

Added Sep 8 2024

Al Tomaini and Friend on The Backlot, 1940

Added Aug 11 2024

Al Tomaini Hand Tracing

Added Aug 11 2024

Mildred “Skeleton Giantess”

Added Mar 3 2024

Not Showman Clyde Ingals with Unidentified Giant

Added Mar 3 2024

Sideshow Bannerline Featuring Abomah & Baron Paucci

Added Jan 7 2024

Robinson Brothers, Iowa Giants

Added Jan 7 2024

Deakin’s Opera Co. “Scene From Jack The Giant Killer”

Added Jan 1 2024

Ben Bowen “The Yankee Giant”

Added Dec 25 2023

Captain George Auger Advertises The Flatiron Building

Added Dec 25 2023

Robert Wadlow, June 2, 1936

Added Dec 25 2023

Giant Cliff Thompson, Unidentified Fat Woman, Midgets, and Crowd

Added Dec 16 2023

Mr. & Mrs. Tarver “Texas Giant”

Added Sep 23 2023

Cliff Thompson

Added Sep 4 2023

Jóhann K. Pétursson with Thunderbird

Added Sep 4 2023

Unidentified Giant Advertises Barrister Cigars

Added Sep 3 2023

Clifford Thomas Advertises FWD Trucks

Added Sep 3 2023

George Auger “Giant, Actor and Author”

Added Sep 3 2023

Willie Camper Getting His Foot Measured

Added Aug 20 2023

Jakob Nacken, In Western Uniform

Added May 7 2023

Funeral Card for Robert Pershing Wadlow (Orange Version)

Added May 7 2023

Funeral Card for Robert Pershing Wadlow (Purple Version)

Added May 7 2023

Don Koehler, Giant, Advertises Hudson Automobiles

Added May 7 2023

Pioneer Apartments, Owned by The Fischers

Added Mar 19 2023

J.G. Tarver & Lady Little

Added Jun 13 2022

George Shields “Texas Giant”

Added Jun 12 2022

Lewis Wilkins “A Giant’s Hands”

Added Apr 30 2022

Joseph Gantonio “The Young Italian Giant”

Added Apr 23 2022

Miss Melius “Astonishing Giantess”

Added Apr 23 2022

Mr. W. Campbell “The Scottish Giant”

Added Apr 23 2022

J.J. Brice “French Giant”

Added Apr 23 2022

Herr Winklemeier, “Austrian Giant”

Added Apr 23 2022

Willie Camper “Giant Boy” & Friend

Added Apr 17 2022

A Giant Living Child “1 Yr Old, 3 Ft Tall, 60 Lbs.”

Added Apr 9 2022

Willie Camper, Mexican Rose and Australian Pinhead Chang

Added Apr 3 2022

Odditorium New Zealand with Willie Camper & Mexican Rose

Added Apr 3 2022

Mexican Rose with Friend, and Giant Boy Willie Camper

Added Apr 3 2022

Cliff Thompson Advertising Premium Puzzle

Added Oct 10 2021

Al Tomaini and Friend Compare Hands

Added Oct 9 2021

History of S.A. Shields & Wife Pitchbook (16 Pages)

Added Jun 13 2021

Harry “The Shadow,” Major Mite, Jim Tarver, Alice From Dallas by Edward Kelty

Added Jun 2 2021

Store Show “Oddities On Parade Museum” In Phoenix, Arizona

Added May 27 2019

Ringling Brothers Barnum Bailey 1950 Sideshow Cast At Madison Square Garden

Added Mar 9 2019

Jack Earle, Sideshow Giant & San Francisco Chef

Added Aug 15 2018

howard-side-show-1-a

The Howard Sideshow

Added May 19 2018

Carter’s Southern Museum with Santa Fe Giant and Double Headed Child

Added Jul 29 2017

Ray Marsh Brydon’s “Believe It Or Not” Show

Added Jul 29 2017

Tiny Dollita, “That Atomic Bomb of Entertainment”

Added Feb 5 2017

Facade of The Coney Island Dreamland Circus Sideshow in 1921

Added Nov 6 2016

Maggie Murphy “Giantess” at Tilyou’s Steeplechase Park

Added Apr 18 2016

Sells-Floto Sideshow with Bayrooty

Added Oct 23 2015

Life History of Count Olaf (Four Pages)

Added Oct 18 2015

Siah Khan

Added Aug 23 2015

Siah Khan

Added Aug 23 2015

Sigh Khan, Iranian Giant

Siah Khan

Added Aug 23 2015

My Life Story, by Gilbert Reichert (4 Pages)

Added Jul 26 2015

Eddie Carmel

Added Apr 26 2015

Kohl & MIddleton’s with Irish Giant & Giantess

Added Apr 9 2015

John Aasen

Added Apr 5 2015

Giant’s Tourist camp

Added Apr 2 2015

Jeanie & Al Tomaini

Added Apr 2 2015

Johann Petursson & Doll Family

Added Mar 25 2015

Fred and Frieda Fischer with Harry Doll

Added Mar 1 2015

Jack Earle at The Golden Gate International Exposition.

Added Feb 25 2015

Jack Earle “A King-Size Kibitzer”

Added Feb 25 2015

The Smallest, Tallest and Fattest

Added Jan 25 2015

Uffner Presents: Capt. Bates, Anna Swan, Admiral Dot, Murray Triplets

Added Jan 18 2015

“Some of Barnum’s Freaks”

Added Jan 17 2015

johann_petursson_early_card_1

Johann K. Petursson

Added Oct 28 2014

johann_petursson_early_card_3

Johann K. Petursson as OLAF

Added Oct 28 2014

johann_petursson_early_card

Johann K. Petursson

Added Oct 28 2014

freekeltydetail

Clifford Thompson on Cole Brothers Clyde Beatty Circus Sideshow

Added Oct 22 2014

routhgoshanfree

Routh Goshan, pitchbook cover

Added Oct 12 2014

Life of Col. Routh Goshan [Goshen] (70 Pages)

Added Sep 14 2014

barnumsfreaks1865free001

Barnum’s Freaks, American Museum 1865

Added Sep 12 2014

Jakob Nacken “World’s Tallest Man”

Added Aug 30 2014

Jack Earle

Added Aug 12 2014

A Map To Johann K. Petursson “Viking Giant’s” Trailer

Added Jun 23 2014

Something About The Tallest Man and Woman IN The World, Capt. M.V. Bates and Wife (12 Pages)

Added Jun 22 2014

Clifford Thompson

Added Jun 22 2014

The Shields Brothers, The Four Texan Giants (12 Pages)

Added Jun 22 2014

Life History of Cliff Thompson (4 pages)

Added Jun 22 2014

Gottlieb & Elfrieda Fischer “Biography of the Giant Couple”

Added Jun 21 2014

“Facts In The Life of Jack Earle World’s Tallest Man” (4 pages)

Added Apr 16 2014

Gruss vom Festplatz (Greetings From The Fairground)

Added Apr 13 2014

Barnum & Bailey Circus Freaks for German Tour, 1903

Added Apr 6 2014

Dodson’s Side Show, 1928

Added Apr 6 2014

Free Images

Dolly Dutton’s Sheet Music

Added May 31, 2025

Wonderland Circus Sideshow, Coney Island

Added December 31, 2024

1893 Newspaper Advertisement For The Tocci Brothers and Chevalier Cliquot

Added March 30, 2024

1893 Newspaper Advertisement For The Tocci Brothers and Chevalier Cliquot

Added March 30, 2024

HORROR STORIES Pulp Cover Two-Headed Girl (December 1940)

Added January 28, 2024

Baby Irene “Fat Lady” Cashes In On Laughs (1950)

Added December 26, 2023

1937 Philadelphia Store Show Facade

Added July 22, 2023

Mr. & Mrs. Chauncy Morlan at Huber’s 14th Street Museum

Added July 21, 2023

Hulett Pest Control Spokesmen, Dwarfs John and Greg Rice

Added January 31, 2023

Foy Large & Frank Morgner

Added October 24, 2021