1930s

The 1930s were one of the most active decades for the sideshow business, with more than 300 carnival shows on the road, and a dozen (or more) large traveling store shows decamping throughout the country in the winter season.

1932 was the year of the first Ripley's "Believe-It-Or-Not" show at the Century of Progress in Chicago, with John Hix's "Strange As I Seems" a formidable competing freakshow, as well as several smaller shows at the fair. Each of these "still" fair shows spawned their own traveling shows when the fair ended in 1934.

Member Images - Dates

Darkest Africa Show At The Century of Progress with Woo Foo	Darkest Africa Show At The Century of Progress with Woo Foo	Alice "The Alligator Girl"
Aloa "The Armadillo Boy"	Martin Laurello Writes to Walter Sibley at Hubert's Museum	Miss Rose Foster

Performers active

Zola Williams in Bearded Ladies
Zaza Frazee aka Marjorie Sylvester Frazee, aka "World's Greatest Female Freak", aka "The Bald-Headed Bearded Lady", aka "Not A Half-Man, Half-Woman" in Bearded Ladies, in Half-Man Half-Woman, Half-And-Halfs, Hermaphrodites
Zandau aka Zandou, aka "The Quarter Boy", aka "The Turkey Boy", aka Johnny Gilmore, aka Zandu "The Half-Man from Morocco" in FREAKS, in Odd Extremities, in Legless, in Limbless
The Great Wilno aka Human Projectile [d] in Daredevils
Willie Camper aka Guicel Camper, aka "Wee Willie" in Giants
William Hilliar aka William John Hilliar in Magicians
Walter Wanous aka Walter Wanous, Sr.
The Torp's Loppe Cirkus aka Willy & Else Torp in Flea Circus
Jeanie Tomaini aka Bernice Smith , aka Strangest Married Couple, aka Geanie Weeks in FREAKS, in Legless, in Limbless
Three Ball Charlie aka "Big Mouth Charlie" in Strange Talents
Cliff Thompson aka Clifford Marshall Thompson, aka "The Scandinavian Giant", aka "The Wisconsin Paul Bunyan", aka "Count Olaf" in Giants
Stella Adams in Half-Man Half-Woman, Half-And-Halfs, Hermaphrodites
Siah Khan aka "The Iranian Giant", aka Siah Khan Ibn Kashmir Khan in FREAKS, in Giants, in Craniofacial Anomalies
Serpentina aka Mary Krasinski in FREAKS, in Ossified
Schlitzie aka Simon Metz, aka Slitzy, aka Schlitze, aka Slitzie, aka "The Last of the Aztecs", aka "The Missing Link" in Pinheads, Microcephalics
Sailor Jim White in Strong Folk
Roy Heckler aka Herbert Leroy Heckler in Flea Circus
Roxana aka "The Living Hermaphrodite" in Half-Man Half-Woman, Half-And-Halfs, Hermaphrodites
Roberta Ray aka Bobbie Ray in Half-Man Half-Woman, Half-And-Halfs, Hermaphrodites
Robert Wadlow aka Robert Pershing Wadlow in Giants
Prince Randion aka Prince Randian, aka "Armless & Legless Wonder", aka "The Living Torso", aka "Caterpillar Man", aka "Snake Man", aka "World's Greatest Living Wonder", aka "Half-Man", aka "The Hindoo Wonder", aka Rardion in FREAKS, in Armless, in Legless, in Limbless
Princess Valetta aka Valetta G. Smith in Little People, Midgets, Dwarves
Prince Ma-Ho aka Prince Eco Half, aka "Pony Boy", aka "The World's Great Quadrumanous Entertainer", aka "Half-Horse, Half-Man" in FREAKS, in Camel Girls, Pony Men, Dog Folk
Prince Elmer aka Elmer E. O'Dell in Little People, Midgets, Dwarves
Piramal & Sami aka Piramel & Sami, aka Piramal & Sami, aka Perumal Sami, aka Peroomal and Samy, aka "Double Bodied Hindoo Enigma", aka "Double Bodied Boy" in FREAKS, in Extra Limbs, in Parasitic Twins
Percilla Bejano aka "The Monkey Girl", aka Percilla Lauther, aka Percilla Roman, aka Mrs. Emmitt Bejano in FREAKS, in Hairy Folk
Paul-Pauline LaPage aka "Double-Bodied Woman" in Half-Man Half-Woman, Half-And-Halfs, Hermaphrodites
Paul Desmuke aka Judge Desmuke, aka Peter Dismuki, aka "The Armless Wonder" in Armless, in Limbless
Mondu "Half Man, Half Woman" aka "The Ninth Wonder of the World" in Half-Man Half-Woman, Half-And-Halfs, Hermaphrodites
Mike Butch aka "Pop-Eye" in Strange Talents, in Gurners and Grimacers
Mignon, the Penguin Girl aka Mickey Mignon, aka Ruth Berry, aka Ruth LaArgo, aka Ruth Davis in FREAKS, in Little People, Midgets, Dwarves, in Frog Folk, Turtle Folk, Bear Folk, Serpent Folk, Penguin Folk
Paul McWilliams aka Paul "Big Mouth" McWilliams in Strange Talents, in Magicians
Grace McDaniel aka "The Mule-Faced Woman", aka "World's Ugliest Woman", aka Grace McDaniels [sic] in FREAKS, in Craniofacial Anomalies, in Anomalies
Mary Ann Bevan aka "The Homliest Woman In The World" in Craniofacial Anomalies
Mary & Margaret Gibb aka "Holyoke Siamese Twins" in Conjoined Twins, in Siamese Twins
Martha Morris aka Margaret Morris, aka "The Armless Wonder" in FREAKS, in Armless, in Limbless
Major Arthur aka "Midget Saxophonist" in Little People, Midgets, Dwarves
Madam Olga aka Jane Barnell, aka Lady Olga, aka Princess Olga, aka Lady Olga Roderick in Bearded Ladies
Mac Norton aka Claude Louis Delair, aka "The Human Aquarium" in FEATS, in Regurgitators and Water Spouters
Louis-Louise Logsdon aka "Sex Enigma", aka Billy Logsdon, aka "Kentucky's Sex Enigma", aka Billy Logsden, aka Pinky Pepper, aka "Margarette Clarke" in Half-Man Half-Woman, Half-And-Halfs, Hermaphrodites
Lou Dufour
Lionette aka "The Lion Girl", aka 'The Lion Face Girl", aka Doris Gutterman, aka Dora Gutterman in Hairy Folk
Lillian Mahoney aka "Airy Fairy" in Albinos
Leo-Leola "The Human Paradox" aka Homer Tracy in Half-Man Half-Woman, Half-And-Halfs, Hermaphrodites
Laurello aka Martin Joe Laurello, aka Lourello, aka "The Man With The Revolving Head", aka "The Wonder Man", aka Martin Emmerling, aka "The Human Owl" in Misc Freaks, in Strange Talents, in Contortionists, in Trained Animals
Larry Benner in Flea Circus, in Magicians, in Ventriloquists
Lady Little aka "The Doll Lady" in Little People, Midgets, Dwarves
Koo Koo "The Bird Girl" aka Minnie Woolsey, aka Minnie Ha-Ha in FREAKS, in Wild Folk
Kiko and Sulu aka "PINHEADS FROM ZANZIBAR", aka Zib and Izzit in Pinheads, Microcephalics
Julius B. Shuster aka "World's Champion Pick-Up Artist", aka "Million Dollar Hands" in Strange Talents, in Jugglers
Julius Graubart aka Julius The Pinhead , aka Julis in Pinheads, Microcephalics
Josephine-Joseph aka "Brother And Sister In One Body" in Half-Man Half-Woman, Half-And-Halfs, Hermaphrodites
Jolly Ethel in Fat Folk
John Williams aka "Alligator-Skin Boy", aka John H. Williams, aka "The Human Alligator", aka "Crocodile Boy", aka "Lizard Boy" in FREAKS, in Alligator Skin, Elephant Skin, Armadillo-Skin
John Aasen aka "The Movie Giant", aka Johan Aasen, aka John Aason in Giants
Johann K. Petursson aka "The Icelandic Viking Giant" in FREAKS, in Unusual Size, in Giants
Joe Horowitz aka "The Man With The Iron Nose" in Strange Talents, in WORKING ACTS
Joe Hatfield aka "Human Pincushion", aka "Pincushion Man", aka "The Pain-Proof Man" in Human Pincushions
Jenny Lee, Elvira, and Clayton Snow aka Zippo and Flippo, aka Pipo and Zipo, aka Pip and Flip, aka "Pinheads from Peru", aka Flip and Zipo, aka Pip and Flit in Pinheads, Microcephalics
Irene Clifford aka "The English Champion Fasting Lady" in Hunger Artists
Robert Huddleston aka The Pony Boy, aka Bob Huddleston in FREAKS, in Odd Extremities, in Camel Girls, Pony Men, Dog Folk
Frank B. Hubin
John Huber aka Jack Huber, aka “Terre Haute’s Armless Phenomenon” in Armless, in Limbless
Howard "The Lobster Boy" aka "The Human Lobster" in FREAKS, in Lobster Folk
William H. Hill aka William "Red" Hill in Daredevils, in Funambulists
Harry Houdini aka Eric Weiss, aka Erik Weisz, aka "Handcuff King", aka "King of Cards" in Magicians
Happy Jack Eckert in FREAKS, in Unusual Size, in Fat Folk
Hans Rohrl (Röhrl) aka "The Human Hydrant", aka "The Human Water Spout", aka "The Mysterious Aquarius" [Der mÿsteriöse Wassermann] in Regurgitators and Water Spouters
Wallace Hagenbeck in Fat Folk
Benjamin G. Green aka "The Alligator Skin Man", aka "The Alligator Man" in FREAKS, in Alligator Skin, Elephant Skin, Armadillo-Skin
Goldie aka "the Man Who Was Crucified" in WORKING ACTS, in Fakirs, in Human Pincushions
Lucio and Simplicio Godino aka The Samar Twins, aka The Godina Brothers in Conjoined Twins, in Siamese Twins
Gene-Jeanette in Half-Man Half-Woman, Half-And-Halfs, Hermaphrodites
Lorett Fulkerson aka "The Tattooed Lady", aka Loretta Love in Tattooed People
Freda-Fred Van aka "Double-Bodied Wonder", aka "The World's Most Interesting Physique", aka "AKA Frances Ferrel", aka Fred West, aka Freddie West in Half-Man Half-Woman, Half-And-Halfs, Hermaphrodites
Francies Benton "Male And Female In One" in Half-Man Half-Woman, Half-And-Halfs, Hermaphrodites
Francette "Half Man - Half Woman" in Half-Man Half-Woman, Half-And-Halfs, Hermaphrodites
Frank Lentini aka Francesco A. Lentini, aka "3 Legged Wonder" in FREAKS, in Odd Extremities, in Extra Limbs, in Parasitic Twins
Frances O'Connor aka Frances Belle O'Connor, aka "Living Venus de Milo" in Armless, in Limbless
Frances "Half Man Half Woman" in Half-Man Half-Woman, Half-And-Halfs, Hermaphrodites
Fifi aka "Sheep-Headed Woman", aka Rose Westlake in Long Haired People, in Circassians
Fannie and Frank Blais aka The Blais Family of Undetermined Sex in Half-Man Half-Woman, Half-And-Halfs, Hermaphrodites
Esther-Lester aka "Hermaphrodite", aka Eddie Lester in Half-Man Half-Woman, Half-And-Halfs, Hermaphrodites
Ernie & Len aka Ernie Conklin, aka Ernie Defort in FREAKS, in Extra Limbs, in Parasitic Twins
Emmit Bejano aka "The Alligator Skinned Boy", aka "Lobello", aka Emmitt Driggers, aka "The Strangest Married Couple" in Alligator Skin, Elephant Skin, Armadillo-Skin
Elsie-John aka Earnest Heinz in Half-Man Half-Woman, Half-And-Halfs, Hermaphrodites
Elizabeth Green "The Stork Woman" aka Koo Koo, The Bird Girl, aka Molina, the Pinhead in FREAKS, in Wild Folk
Eko & Iko aka George and Willie Muse, aka "Ambassadors From Mars", aka "Sheep-Headed Men From Mars" in Wild Folk
Eddie Masher aka Skeleton Dude in FREAKS, in Human Skeleton, Living Skeleton, Thin Man
Johnny Eck aka John Eckhardt, Jr., aka "The Only Living Half-Boy", aka "King of the Freaks", aka "Nature's Greatest Mistake" in FREAKS, in Legless, in Limbless, in Anomalies
Duchess Leona aka Leona M. Parks, aka "The Beautiful Miniature" in Little People, Midgets, Dwarves
Doraldina Huera "Half Man - Half Woman" aka "Sexsational Phenomena" in Half-Man Half-Woman, Half-And-Halfs, Hermaphrodites
The Doll Family aka The Earles, aka Grace, Harry, Daisy, Tiny Earles, aka "The Tiny Town Review", aka Grace, Tiny, Harry & Daisy Schneider in Little People, Midgets, Dwarves
Delno Fritz aka Delmo Fritz, aka William Sherman Fritz in Fire Acts, in Sword Swallowers
The Del Rio Family aka The Three Del Rios, aka Paul Del Rio, aka Delores Del Rio, aka Carmen Del Rio, aka Paul, Inez and Trinidad Rodriguez, aka Dorothy Del Rio in Little People, Midgets, Dwarves
David Logsdon "Linda Lopez" aka Linda Lopez, aka Lynn Lopez, aka Linda-Lynn in Half-Man Half-Woman, Half-And-Halfs, Hermaphrodites
Colon T. Updike "Boy With The Horse's Mane" in FREAKS, in Hairy Folk
Frank Coleman in Limbless
Charles Rubinstein
Chang "Chinese Pinhead" aka "The Pin Head Chinese", aka Chong in Pinheads, Microcephalics
Carlson Sisters aka Dot and Flo Carlson, aka "The Boxing Fat Girls", aka Dorothy and Florence Carlson in Fat Folk
Captain Ringman Mach aka Ringman Mack, aka "Central American Wonder Athlete" in Strong Folk, in Fakirs
Chet Cain aka C.H. Cain in Tattooed People
Bobby Kork aka "Cherie", aka "A Study In Sex", aka "?", aka "Unknown Sex Family" in Half-Man Half-Woman, Half-And-Halfs, Hermaphrodites
The Amazing Blondini aka Mike Blondini in Bed of Nails/Nail Board, in Sword Swallowers
Bingo aka "The boy with the ear of an elephant" in FREAKS, in Craniofacial Anomalies
Billy Dick in Half-Man Half-Woman, Half-And-Halfs, Hermaphrodites
Billie in Half-Man Half-Woman, Half-And-Halfs, Hermaphrodites
Bessie and Bessettes "Half Man and Half Woman aka "Brother and Sister In One Body", aka "Oriental Enigma" in Half-Man Half-Woman, Half-And-Halfs, Hermaphrodites
Benny Rogers "The An-drog-y'nal Wonder" aka "Both Male and Female in One Body" in Half-Man Half-Woman, Half-And-Halfs, Hermaphrodites
Babe Alice aka "A Ton of Mama" in Fat Folk
Anna John Budd aka William H. Muldoon, aka Miss Anna-John, aka "Nature's Interrogation", aka "Nature's Greatest Enigma", aka "The Originator" in Half-Man Half-Woman, Half-And-Halfs, Hermaphrodites
Andrew A. Gawley aka "The Steel-Fingered Wonder" in Armless, in Limbless
Amok aka Chief Amok, aka "The Filipino Headhunter", aka "Bantoc Headhunter", aka "Bantos Head Hunter" in Ethnic Curiosities, in Wild Folk
Aloa aka "The Alligator-Skin Man", aka William Bradley Smith in Alligator Skin, Elephant Skin, Armadillo-Skin
Alfred Langevin aka The Eye-Smoker in Strange Talents, in WORKING ACTS, in NOVELTY AND VARIETY
Al Tomaini aka "World's Strangest Married Couple" in Giants
Ajax aka Joseph Milana, aka "King of Swords", aka "Arabian Sword Swallower" in Fire Acts, in Trained Animals, in WORKING ACTS, in Sword Swallowers
Adam and Eve [aka Albert-Alberta] aka Albert-Alberta, aka "World's Only Male and Female In One Body", aka "The Third Sex" in Half-Man Half-Woman, Half-And-Halfs, Hermaphrodites

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1930s

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