Which of American Horror Story's Freaks Are Based on Real Circus Acts?
As the Oct. 8 premiere of American Horror Story: Freak Show draws ever closer, we're looking at the real-life stories behind the latest installment of the anthology series. Certain aspects of Ryan Murphy's own twisted version of the freak show, like the two-faced Edward Mordrake, for instance, can be chalked up to myth. But as we've followed along with the release of every new trailer and as we've beheld the official character portraits, we couldn't help but wonder: what's real? Keep scrolling for actual vintage photos of "freaks" from the past century and find out how they've been appropriated for American Horror Story.
The Strongman
Feats of extraordinary strength are a common circus inclusion. Along with the easily recognizable Tarzan-esque outfit, which you can clearly see in this 1925 photograph, these gents would often be lifting people and whatever else they could get their hands on.
American Horror Story's Take
Meet Dell Toledo (Michael Chiklis).
Fortune Tellers
Fortune tellers, gypsies, mediums . . . whatever you call them, these performers, like this woman in this 1930s portrait, would have their own tents for palm readings, tarot cards, and crystal ball inspection.
American Horror Story's Take
Meet Maggie Esmeralda (Emma Roberts).
Cleft Hands
Cleft hands are caused by a deficiency known clinically as ectrodactyly, where the hands form improperly. Individuals afflicted with the malformation, like this Spanish mother and her children (date unknown), would would often submit themselves to sideshows and circuses, referring to themselves as "lobster people."
American Horror Story's Take
Meet Jimmy Darling (Evan Peters).
The Bearded Lady
Perhaps one of the more commonly known "freaks" in the circus, bearded ladies, like the one featured here in 1924, have appeared many times in pop culture, in many iterations. (See: Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant.)
American Horror Story's Take
Meet Ethel Darling (Kathy Bates).
Conjoined Twins
Conjoined twins have been a constant source of fascination, both in real life and pop culture. It's easy to see why two heads on one body, seen in this 1970 photo of these twins, might generate curiosity. They've appeared in other fantastical ventures, like Big Fish, as well as more true-to-life situations, like on Grey's Anatomy.
American Horror Story's Take
Meet Bette and Dot Tattler (Sarah Paulson).
Contortionists
There's just something about watching someone bend themselves in half that makes it impossible to look away. In circus performances, they might squeeze themselves into tiny boxes or perform death-defying feats of balance. This Cirque Medrano performer posed for this picture in 1938, and you can still find acts like this in the modern day, performing in venues like Cirque du Soleil.
American Horror Story's Take
Featured in one of the many Freak Show trailers, this woman is a contortionist with a third leg. And speaking of third legs . . .
Extra Appendages
There's another type of conjoined twin, where only one sibling is actually living. The result is fully formed limbs from the other half, but no actual person, like this three-legged boy from 1901. Also, this is something that still occurs; in 2005, a girl in India was born with four arms and four legs.
American Horror Story's Take
In addition to the contortionist, we've also seen this crazy swinging trapeze artist. And don't forget Desiree Dupree (Angela Bassett), who has three breasts.
Very Small People
Anita, the woman in this 1912 photograph, was referred to as a "human doll," feeding into the trope that individuals affected by dwarfism have long been lumped in with the circus culture.
American Horror Story's Take
Meet Jyoti Amge, who is actually the world's smallest woman.
Sword Swallowers
Another widely known talent in the circus industry involved sliding the length of a sharp blade down one's throat while somehow managing not to cause any internal damage. This man, pictured in 1945, did it on the streets of Paris.
American Horror Story's Take
While we can't say for sure if a sword swallower will be featured in the upcoming season, one is featured in one of the show's many teasers.
Nosy Children
Why pay for a ticket when you can just peek underneath the tent? Here you can see a policeman scolding some troublemakers in 1938.
American Horror Story's Take
Of course, in Freak Show's case, you don't just get trouble from the police. You get eaten alive.
Extraordinary Height Differences
We've already talked about the frequent inclusion of those below-average in height, but veritable giants, those affected by gigantism, were just as common. Think again of Big Fish. And, well, putting them together, like this 1912 photograph, seems like kind of an inevitability.
American Horror Story's Take
It seems the show has caught on to the whole tall person/small person contrast as well.
Terrifying Clowns
Come on, you can't have a circus or freak show without some kind of nightmare-inducing clowns, and these guys from the 1930s are a pretty unsettling example.
American Horror Story's Take
In Freak Show's case, we're supposedly going to come face-to-face with the most terrifying clown we've ever seen. The clown from the teaser is scary enough, so we dread to think of what John Carroll Lynch's clown will actually look like. Are you ready?!