Human Marvels
The Torture King
I haven't been able to find much information about R.H. "Skeets" Hubbard, except that he was a sideshow performer in the 1950s, whose talents included driving an eight-inch spike into his head, and pulling a wagon with his eyelids. He was sometimes called "The Torture King," "The Human Plank," or "The Human Blockhead." Tough way to make a living.
Posted By: Alex - Sat Sep 28, 2013 -
Comments (3)
Category: Human Marvels, 1950s
Gogea Mitu
When I first saw the cover of this March 1935 issue of the Berliner Illustrirte Zeitung, I thought the photo must be fake. But no, it's real. It shows 20-year-old Gogea Mitu, a boxer and the tallest Romanian in history. From wikipedia:
Mitu only lived to be 22, dying of tuberculosis in 1936. In the picture, it looks like he's wearing Converse sneakers. Did they come in his size, or were they custom-made for him?
Posted By: Alex - Mon Jun 24, 2013 -
Comments (7)
Category: Human Marvels, 1930s
1907: Big Year for Faux Gorillas
Original article here.
Original article here.
Posted By: Paul - Mon Dec 24, 2012 -
Comments (3)
Category: Animals, Human Marvels, Stereotypes and Cliches, Superstition, 1900s, Fictional Monsters
The Great Antonio
The strongman Antonio Barichievich (1925-2003), aka the Great Antonio, seems Weird-Universe worthy. Here's a few brief facts about his life (via wikipedia and mrkurtnielsen.com):- He first made it into the Guinness Book of World Records in 1952 by pulling a 433-ton train 19.8 metres.
- He weighed 465 pounds (at his heaviest) and stood about 6 foot 4 inches.
- He could eat 25 chickens or 10 steaks at one sitting.
- He claimed that he trained by running head-on into trees from a distance of 60 metres.
- He sang with a soft, beautiful voice, and at one time wanted to tour with Tiny Tim.
- He owned what was possibly the world's largest rocking chair — 4 meters high and 2 meters wide.
- He believed he was descended from extraterrestrials.
- As he grew older, he braided his dreadlocks into a club held together with masking tape and used this to play "hair golf."
- Later in life, the only way to contact him was to leave a message at the Dunkin' Donuts in Rosemont, Canada.
- He died of a heart attack at the age of 77.
Posted By: Alex - Tue Sep 11, 2012 -
Comments (4)
Category: Eccentrics, Freaks, Oddities, Quirks of Nature, Human Marvels
Hercules McElroy
Read all about short-famed black strongman Hercules McElroy in the pages of EBONY magazine.
Posted By: Paul - Thu Jun 28, 2012 -
Comments (6)
Category: Human Marvels, 1960s
The Great Gravityo
The Great Gravityo was the stage name of Albert Franklin Davidson (1880-1949), a multi-talented performer whose career spanned the first half of the 20th Century. He's one of many once-popular performers who are now all but forgotten. His specialty was pulling cars and lifting heavy weights with his hair, but he was also a sharpshooter, juggler, magician, and trapeze artist.
He performed right up to the end of his life, dying of a heart attack shortly after a performance at the age of 69. It's amazing he still had his hair at 69, given his occupation.
There was hardly any info online about him. But here's a brief description of his act I found in the Paris Texas News (Sep 4, 1941):
Posted By: Alex - Sun May 06, 2012 -
Comments (8)
Category: Human Marvels, ShowBiz
Going to the Store
going to the store. from dlew on Vimeo.
1.2 million views. But maybe this little piece of silliness is as new to you as it was to me.
Posted By: Paul - Sat Nov 12, 2011 -
Comments (3)
Category: Body Modifications, Human Marvels, Movies, Surrealism
Five Balls, No Problem!
Posted By: Paul - Wed Sep 14, 2011 -
Comments (9)
Category: Human Marvels
The Theme from DEEP THROAT
I'll bet you never even knew there was a theme!
Posted By: Paul - Fri Aug 05, 2011 -
Comments (6)
Category: Human Marvels, Music, Sexuality, 1970s
Deep, Deep Ancient Well
Read more about this amazing construction here.
Posted By: Paul - Mon Jan 24, 2011 -
Comments (3)
Category: Human Marvels, Technology, Asia
| Who We Are |
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| Alex Boese Alex is the creator and curator of the Museum of Hoaxes. He's also the author of various weird, non-fiction, science-themed books such as Elephants on Acid and Psychedelic Apes. Paul Di Filippo Paul has been paid to put weird ideas into fictional form for over thirty years, in his career as a noted science fiction writer. He has recently begun blogging on many curious topics with three fellow writers at The Inferior 4+1. Contact Us |