Text/Dong Yi Resident
When I was a child, in some parks in Shanghai, I often saw some "circled" sites. Outside hung a variety of hand-painted giant posters.
The posters were full of strange people or animals, which had an inexplicable attraction for me at the time. However, after entering the scene, I found that it was full of photos and models, or some "specimens" that looked flawed, not at all as "explosive" as in the propaganda.
It wasn't until later that I learned that this was the so-called "disguised deformity show." Of course, there can be no real deformed show in China, after all, this is too "anti-humane". But the real deformity show has been seen before.
The so-called deformity show is an exhibition performance with the theme of abnormal phenomena or deformed creatures, which aims to bring visual and spiritual impact to visitors.
The real deformity show was popular in the United States in 1840, and it was not until 1940 that it began to fall silent, and it was almost a century of heat. This "show" originated with circus performances. Therefore, the early deformity show was just a "warm-up" program for circus performances. It will be interspersed in the middle of some circus performances, for example, a strange-looking person, holding a teaser board through the scene, or pulling props, circling the scene, giving the audience a sense of satisfaction with a "hunting mentality".
Of course, at that time, people, after all, were "circus ticket holders", watching or swallowing fire fat men, god sticks swallowing swords, and some other "basic" performance projects. The appearance of the "deformed man" is not for the main purpose, but like a "flavoring agent" for the performance. In 1840, when modern science was just developing, the medical community did not yet understand the causes of body deformities, which was attributed to "something small mistake in science".
But at this time, circus performances have been born for centuries and have been popular for a long time, and the techniques of performances in them have been solidified, and in the absence of new tricks, the audience's enthusiasm for circus has begun to cool down. As a result, in some large carnival events, the circus's position is becoming more and more awkward. No, it seems to be missing something, there are, there are not many people to see.
It was at this time that the head of a certain circus came up with a "miracle". Why not promote the performance of deformed people to attract attention, so that it is another "new way to play".
Thus, the so-called deformity show appeared. Originally, the "derivative product" of circus performances turned out to be "new products", and the earliest deformity show showed more ingredients than performances, similar to the current museum exhibition. So these "shows" are often set up in small taverns where the business is not very good, which can reduce the cost of the venue and bring business to the place.
At the beginning, the performance of the deformity show was to set up several different "booths" in a field, and then let the actors "concave shape" in the display area, and then the various commentators made up several very strange stories to meet the "curiosity" of the viewers. However, the audience's tastes began to change, they were not willing to look at the "concave" actors, they wanted more tricks. As a result, these "deformed shows" began to add a variety of talent content, such as juggling, playing the piano, singing, and even talk shows, and finally in their heyday, there were large-scale stage plays.
Deformed show old poster
Although the deformed show became more and more "tall" later, it would not depart from the framework of the original "hunting curiosity". In the 19th century, as a unique cultural phenomenon, the deformity show focused on the content of "weird", as long as it was different from ordinary people, it was included in the deformity show. So later, the type of actors in it is not only stereotyped by people with congenital physical deformities and acquired disabilities, but also many performance artists, tattoo lovers, people with special looks, and even transvestites are also involved.
There is a British nurse named Mary Ann Bevan, and at the age of 25, she is getting taller and taller, like "second development". After a physical examination, it was found that she suffered from a disease called "acromegaly", which not only affected her height, but also made her appearance more and more "masculine". In 1914, after the death of Mary's husband, in order to support her family, she had to go to a "deformity show" audition and won the championship.
Mary photo
Because "the fierce-looking butcher who looks like a pig", Mary won the competition. After the competition, she was quickly hired by a well-known runway and became a celebrity on Broadway in New York.
In 1920, she could earn the equivalent of $42,000 a month. Mary also filed a "patent" for her looks, and even took her to court for women who publicly claimed to be "like men" than she was.
In the past, many people thought that the actors of the "deformed show" were disabled, but in fact, this was a misunderstanding, as long as the actors inside looked "distinctive", they would be praised as "stars". At that time, because medical technology was not developed, and the audience only needed to see "weird", not only people with physical deformities, but also those with strange appearances were also welcomed.
Born in Minnesota in 1887, Alice Doherty was born with thick hair, especially on her face, almost covered by hair. Because of this "special" appearance, her family sent her to the circus when she was two years old and performed a deformed show. It wasn't until 1917, discovered by Hollywood scouts, that Alice was famous for her face full of golden fur, and she was known as the "Wool Girl of Minnesota" and was active in the film.
Alice poses with her family
Anne, a Canadian circus actress, has a proud figure of 1.83, while her parents are ordinary medium heights, standing next to her, less than a shoulder. Next to father Alexander Swan and her mother Ann Haining Swan, they are 1.83 meters tall, while both of her parents are of medium build.
Until now, a girl with 1.83 long legs walking on the road will attract the attention of passers-by at most. At that time, this woman had such a height, but it was a great "weirdness". Therefore, Anne's also embarked on the road of deduction from this "weird".
Anne's height comparison with her parents
In addition to some eye-catching hunting content in the deformity show, there are also some "inspirational" performances. These performers usually become disabled after some accident, they will use speeches or talk shows to tell their own experiences, and the audience will often be moved by the stories of "disabled people".
Kitty Smith is known as the "armless generator" in the "Deformity Show". When she was nine years old, because her drunken father was burning a coal stove in the kitchen, because of neglect, it caused a fire, burning Kitty's arm, thus causing her to lose both arms.
At the age of 21, Kitty supported herself with her feet instead of hands. She joined different circuses in the early 20th century, showing how people who lost their arms write, play the piano and draw. In 1906 alone, Kitty made a whopping $870,000, which she eventually set up a charity for children with disabilities.
Kitty's inspirational performance
The actors of the deformed show are generally from the bottom of society. Many people participate in the performance in order to "support their families", and finally become stars with their own specificity and efforts. However, in the deformity show, there is no shortage of these "star second generation" who have a prominent family lineage, and they come with an aura to "play tickets". Of course, these people, because of the high starting point, are also undertaking some large-scale programs, and such people are "big names" as soon as they debut.
Charles Sherwood Stratton was born in Germany in 1838, had 8.1 pounds at birth, and was considered a "big" baby by his family. Then, at six months of age, he stopped growing. Until his fourth birthday, his height and weight had not increased, he was only two feet tall and weighed about 13.6 pounds.
Finally, his family sent him to the hospital for examination and found that the child suffered from "dwarfism". This is a "thunderbolt on a sunny day" for Charles's parents, because the family is an opera family, and the parents originally wanted him to inherit the mantle and continue to perform on stage, but now he has become a small child, what to do?
When Charles was 5 years old, a distant uncle named Barnum came to visit the family, who was originally the head of a well-known deformity show troupe. When he saw that the child was clever, he told his parents to "don't worry, just teach it according to normal children", so the parents followed Barnum's advice and put together the basics of opera, dance, pantomime, and even how to ventriloquism.
After Charles became an adult, with his excellent stage skills and unique "child appearance", he achieved success on the stage. Finally, at barnum's recommendation, the young Charles began to tour Europe, and won the favor of the Kaiser at the time, met queen Victoria twice, and finally went to the United States to hold a stage play, and finally became an international stage actor.
Charles photo
He also ended up getting married with actress Lavinia Warren, who also suffered from dwarfism, which became the hottest news of the time. The wedding was held at grace anglican church and at the Metropolitan Hotel in New York, and the wedding was as lavish as a royal wedding, attended by members of Congress, generals, and New York celebrities. Especially after the wedding, the couple also went to the White House and were received by President Lincoln.
Charles died of an accidental stroke in 1883 at the age of 45, when more than 20,000 people attended the funeral. His wife also died in 1919 at the age of 77. Charles's starting point is high, his popularity is not small, and in the history of modern art, he can be called an "artist". It is also the deformed show actor who has won the most honors to date.
The celebrant officiated charles's wedding
Since the early 1860s, because more and more people think that the deformity show is a kind of performance that "tramples on human dignity", it will form a self-oppressive behavior for the disabled, and michigan in the United States also first banned the display of deformed humans except for scientific research purposes by legal means, at which time the deformity show began to come to an end.
By the middle of the 20th century, the exploration of genes and diseases had led the public to face up to the causes of physical deformities. Those with deformities are labeled as disabled and taken in by social welfare agencies. There is a growing dislike for shows, carnivals and circuses that make a profit by showing physical deformities, which are banned.
However, it is undeniable that for a time, the deformity show was as mainstream as the current "talent show", and such performances can be seen in many places. After all, people still have a strong "curiosity mentality", and in some exhibitions, nightclubs and TV talk shows in some other countries today, there will be more or less programs similar to deformed shows.