11 Vintage Pictures From The Freakiest Sideshow

There are so many things in this world that are out of the ordinary. Being different isn't something bad, though. If anything, it should be embraced because being unique is what life is all about. Unfortunately, circuses were created to show off people who were significantly different than others. These circuses resulted in them being made fun of. Well, that's what I thought for a really long time, anyways. It turns out that, for some people, these traveling circuses were a way for them to feel like they belonged and to make a living. Some people definitely received harsh treatment, but there were also those that found it as a means to living. Here are 11 pictures from the craziest sideshows.

1. The Four-Legged Latina

Definitely a frightening sight to behold, but that's probably why she became as popular as she did.

2. Joseph Merrick

Joseph, also known as the Elephant Man, was known around the world during his lifetime.

3. Myrtle Corbin

Looks like she has four legs, right? She had a dipygus twin attached at the waist, meaning she had two sets of reproductive organs and legs.

4. The Monkey Girl

The Monkey Girl (Percilla Bejano) was adopted by a show operator after her father's death and ended up marrying a fellow performer, Emmitt the Alligator-Skinned Man.

5. Sealo the Seal Boy

Stanley Berent's show consisted of him performing everyday tasks with his extremely short arms, but at least he enjoyed the stardom.

6. The Man With Two Faces

Sam Alexander was badly burnt in a gasoline explosion, though he was able to save his eyes. After receiving a prosthetic mask, he joined a circus as the Man With Two Faces.

7. Ella Harper

Also known as "The Camel Girl," Ella Harper had a condition that resulted in her knees bending backwards. Since she preferred walking on all fours, she received the name "The Camel Girl."

8. The Rubberman

James Morris was born with a disease called cutis hyperelastica, which basically allowed him to stretch his skin really far without any pain. When he became less popular, he left the business and opened his own barber shop.

9. Bill Durks

Also known as "The Man With Three Eyes," Durks' appearance was a result of two embryos not properly connecting, so it appeared as if he had two faces on one head.

10. The Three Legged Man

Franceso Lentini's third leg (and extra set of genitals) actually belonged to a twin brother who was born attached to him. At first, he hated his extra limbs, though he learned to love himself after being admitted to a home for disabled children. There, he found that others were far worse off than he was, so he learned to do everything normally and joined a circus in America.

11. Mignon The Penguin Girl

Mignon (French for "cute") was a lot like Sealo (they were both born with phocomelia), though she actually learned to play instruments and wow her crowds that way.