Ella Harper. Most sources indicate that Ella Harper was born in Hendersonville, Tennessee around 1870 – although there are some conflicting reports. It has also been revealed that Ella had a twin brother, who died quite early. What is not argued, however, is the fact that Ella was born with an unusual orthopedic condition resulting in knees that bent backwards. The nature of this unusual affliction is exceedingly rare and relatively unknown, however most modern medical types would classify her condition and a very advanced form of congenital genu recurvatum – also known as ‘back knee deformity’. Her unusually bent knees, coupled with her preference of walking on all fours resulted in her moniker of ‘The Camel Girl’.

The Doll Family. German dwarf siblings who performed in circuses and side shows. They were extremely successful and worked extensively in film. Two of the siblings, Harry and Daisy, starred in the cult classic Freaks, and all four were featured in The Wizard of Oz as munchkins.

Isaac W. Sprague, The Human Skeleton. Born in Massachusetts in 1841, was by all accounts a normal boy—at least until he got to the age of 12, when he began rapidly losing weight. Before long, his muscle mass had essentially dropped to nil, with his doctors being unable to explain exactly why (his condition was listed by at least one as “extreme progressive muscular atrophy”). At the age of 24, incapable of working any other jobs, he joined the sideshow. At the age of 44, Sprague was officially measured by a doctor and found to be five feet six inches tall while weighing a mere 43 pounds. He died two years later of asphyxiation, probably as a result of his condition. As a result of Sprague’s popularity, “living skeleton” acts became common at many sideshows.

Mignon the Penguin Girl. Mignon was born in the early 1900’s, likely around 1910, with a condition called phocomelia. Phocomelia typically results in the stunting of limbs and the fusion of digits. In Mignon’s case her fingers were fused in such a way as to resemble flippers. Furthermore, as her truncated limbs forced Mignon to waddle rather than walk – her stage name of ‘The Penguin Lady’ was both apt and easily assigned.

Fanny Mills, the Bigfoot Lady. Born in 1860 with a condition known as Milroy’s Disease, which causes extreme swelling of the lower extremities. During her time in the circus, a reward of five thousand dollars was offered to any man willing to marry Fanny. Fanny was already happily married, however, and her $150 a week salary afforded her a comfortable lifestyle until her death at an untimely age of 32.

Pinhead (Real name Schlitzie). Schlitzie was born microcephalus, a condition characterised by an abnormally small and often pointed cranium. The condition often resulted in retardation and Schlitzie himself was as cognitive as a four year old. Previous to Schlitzie, the display and exhibiting of ‘pinheads’ was nothing new. In the 1800’s pinheads were often exhibited as a species apart from man, as the last members of an ancient race – usually Aztecs – and on occasion they were billed as being from another planet. During his lifetime, Schlitzie was exhibited as all of these things. Schlitzie was most famously preceded by the pinhead Zip, and even today pinheads enjoy popularity as a microcephalus man dubbed Beetlejuice frequents The Howard Stern Show.

Prince Randian, The Living Torso. Prince Randian (birth name unknown) was born in 1871 in British Guiana (now the independent nation of Guyana) with tetra-amelia syndrome, a disorder that causes the person to be born without limbs, as well as other possible deformities (which Randian did not have). The rest of his early life is a mystery. According to legend, he was brought (along with his wife, “Princess Sarah”) to America at the age of 18 by P.T. Barnum himself. The two quickly settled in America and began having children (five in total). Randian found fame with his “human snake” act, where he’d wear a one-piece wool outfit and crawl across the stage, as well as performing a number of acts (such as writing or rolling a cigarette with his mouth and shaving with a razor embedded in a wood block) that would seem impossible for a man without appendages. Actually, Randian was very capable without limbs. He claimed that he built his props, as well as the box he stored them in, on his own. He was also extremely intelligent and multilingual, and, according to those who worked with him, possessed a great wit and sense of humor.

Myrtle Corbin, the Four-Legged Woman. Myrtle Corbin was born in 1868 with a parasitic twin dangling from her midsection. She could move the legs of her twin, but they were malformed with only three toes. She earned $450 a week, an astronomical salary in the day. She had five children and passed away at age 60.

Joseph “John” Merrick. Also known as The Elephant Man, is one of the most famous sideshow performers to have ever lived. Born in 1862 with a still-unconfirmed series of genetic defects, Merrick’s skin and bones were eventually covered with numerous growths, protrusions, and tumors. Merrick’s condition didn’t begin to display itself until the age of five, and his parents came to believe that it was the result of his mother being frightened by an elephant while she was pregnant with him (hence the “Elephant Man” moniker). He died April 11, 1890 of asphyxiation in his sleep.

Stephan Bibrowski. Born in 1891 in modern-day Poland, Stephan Bibrowski was an ordinary boy who just happened to have thick hair that grew all over his body. His mother was convinced (not unlike Joseph Merrick’s mother) that the affliction had resulted from her witnessing Stephan’s father being attacked by a lion while she was pregnant. (This explanation for birth defects, known as maternal impression, was popular at the turn of the century, but has long since been debunked.) His mother thought him a monster and gave him away to a German entertainer. Stephan was well-known for being kind, gentle, and intelligent, however. He is reported to have spoken five languages and spent a portion of his act simply talking to his audience. Stephan was able to retire in his 30s and returned to Europe. He died of a heart attack at the age of 41.

Annie Jones, The Bearded Lady. She may not be the original bearded woman, but she was certainly one of the most famous (and possibly the youngest). Born at an indeterminate time in the 1860s, she started touring with P.T. Barnum when she was only nine months old. She quickly became one of Barnum’s prized acts and had even grown a full mustache by the time she was five.