386:
chased the legs into the audience. The subsequent reaction was amazing – people would scream and sometimes even flee the theater in terror. As Eck described it, "The men were more frightened than the women – the women couldn't move because the men were walking across their laps, headed for the exit." The act provided the perfect jolt by frightening people at first but then caused just as much laughter and applause. The illusion would end with stage hands plucking up Eck and setting him atop "his" legs and then twirling him off-stage to be replaced by his twin, Robert, who would then loudly threaten to sue Raboid and storm out of the theater. Their act was so popular that they played to packed audiences up and down the East Coast.
190:, Maryland, as a fraternal twin. His brother Robert Eckhardt was also a performer. He also had an older sister named Caroline Laura Eckhardt. Eck was born with a truncated torso due to sacral agenesis. Though Eck would sometimes describe himself as "snapped off at the waist", he had unusable, underdeveloped legs and feet that he would hide under custom-made clothing. At birth, Eck weighed two pounds (0.9 kg) and was less than eight inches (20 cm) in length. He would eventually reach a height of eighteen inches (45 cm). Although Eck capitalized on the resemblance between himself and Robert, the twins were
218:
198:
students would "fight each other for the 'honor' or 'privilege' of lifting up the stone steps" to school, and that school windows were blacked out to discourage throngs of curious onlookers from peering in at Eck during his studies. In spite of the scrutiny, Eck remained consistently upbeat about his birth defect. When asked if he wished he had legs, he quipped, "Why would I want those? Then I'd have pants to press." He challenged those who did have legs by asking, "What can you do that I can't do, except tread water?"
33:
449:
very little to show materially for his successes – which he attributed to being taken advantage of over the years by unscrupulous managers, "sharp crooks", and even "best friends." Describing the situation of fans dropping by his rowhouse on Milton, Eck wrote to a close friend in 1985, "I am so embarrassed – I would love to be financially able to entertain these wonderful people in a refined way – a tiny sandwich, cold Cola or something..."
205:, and the young Eck was often called upon to perform impromptu sermons for guests. "I would climb atop of a small box and preach against drinking beer and damning sin and the devil," Eck recalled in an autobiographical fragment. These sermons quickly came to an end when Eck began passing around a saucer for donations. At an early age, Eck developed an interest in painting and
287:
his castmates, whom he described as a "happy, noisy crowd" and "childish, silly and in a world all their own." At one point he complained that they had gone "Hollywood" because of the film, "wear sunglasses and acting funny." When Pete
Robinson had difficulty lying on a blanket in one scene, Eck commented that if he had legs, he would have lain on a
1114:
381:, except with an unexpected twist. At first Robert would pretend to be a member of the audience and heckle the illusionist during his routine, resulting in Robert being called on stage to be sawed in half himself. During the illusion, Robert would then be switched with Eck, who played the top half of his body, and a
389:
In addition to film, sideshow and stage, Eck pursued other interests in this period. He and his brother were musicians, having their own twelve-piece orchestra in
Baltimore. Eck conducted while Robert played the piano. Eck continued his love of drawing and painting, early on choosing such subjects as
385:
who played the bottom half, concealed in specially-built pant legs. After seeming to have been sawn off, the legs would suddenly get up and start running away, prompting Eck to jump off the table and start chasing them around the stage, screaming, "Come back!" "I want my legs back!" Sometimes he even
197:
Eck was walking on his hands before his brother was standing when he was a year old. Both of the
Eckhardt twins could read by the age of four. The twins had an older sister named Caroline who educated Eck at home until he and his brother enrolled in public school at age seven. He recalled that larger
452:
In
January 1987, the then 76-year-old Eckhardt brothers were robbed in an ordeal that lasted several hours. One of the two thieves mocked and sat on Eck while the other took his belongings. Thereafter, Eck went into seclusion, and the brothers no longer invited visitors into their home. Eck would go
414:
When sideshows lost popular appeal, the
Eckhardt brothers returned to their red brick rowhouse at 622 North Milton Avenue, in the East-side, working-class section of Baltimore. This was the same house that the family had lived in since 1906, and is where the Eckhardt brothers resided for the rest of
286:
and was often at his side while on set. Eck would later say that "Browning wanted me to stay as close to him as possible. He told me whenever I have an empty seat or chair, you are to sit alongside me while we shoot." Although he sometimes tried to socialize, he didn't feel comfortable mingling with
448:
attracted a new generation of fans, some of whom Eck wasn't entirely comfortable with, telling a friend, "You'd be surprised to see these 'avid' fans. I say they are crazy." But he also expressed dismay at his own circumstances. Despite having a notable career that ran back to the 1920s, Eck had
245:
Eck was billed as a single-o (solo sideshow act), though he traveled with Robert and used Robert's normality to emphasize his own abnormal physique. His performance included sleight-of-hand and acrobatic feats including his famous one-armed handstand. Eck often performed in a tuxedo jacket while
241:
at a local church by John McAslan. When McAslan asked for volunteers for his act, 12-year-old Eck bounded onto the stage on his hands to the surprise of the magician. McAslan convinced Eck to join the sideshow with him as manager; Eck agreed, but only if his brother was also employed. Robert was
242:
charged by his mother with looking after his brother. His parents signed a one-year contract, which Eck attested the magician later changed to a ten-year contract by adding a zero. In 1924, Eck left McAslan and signed on with a carny named
Captain John Sheesley.
309:, and he no longer had the clout with studios to do many of the projects he wished to do. Eck was also disappointed by how much of his part had been trimmed from the film in the nearly thirty minutes that were cut by censors.
295:
would reminisce fondly of her costar (whom she described as "handsome"), "When we finished the picture, he came and gave me a present. He had made a circus ring made from matches. He said he had made it in my honor."
461:
On
January 5, 1991, Eck had a heart attack in his sleep, dying at age 79 at the home where he was born. Robert died on February 25, 1995, aged 83. They are buried under one headstone in
419:
until a business tax forced them out of business. In the 1950s, the brothers bought and ran a used children's train ride in a local park; Eck acting as conductor. Eck also became a
1201:
1181:
887:
1035:
439:
shows for the children who would come to visit. However, the
Eckhardts' neighborhood was increasingly becoming less safe because of drugs and crime.
1196:
1186:
374:
Rajah Raboid, for his "Miracles of 1937" show. In it they performed a magic feat that amazed audiences. Raboid performed the traditional
1176:
1092:
1074:
772:
427:, a grocer and local folk artist who invented the art form in 1913. Eck is interviewed about the craft in the 1989 documentary film
1064:
998:
217:
322:
351:
519:", which describes a man without a lower body who becomes a famous entertainer, is based loosely on the life of Johnny Eck.
1191:
984:
958:
334:
138:
258:
155:
films. He was often billed as "The
Amazing Half-Boy", "King of the Freaks" and "The Most Remarkable Man Alive".
1171:
524:
516:
539:
375:
186:
John
Eckhardt Jr. was born on August 27, 1911, to Emelia (born 1876) and John Eckhardt Sr. (born 1874) in
32:
346:
in 1931, used a full body cast of him. When the Eckhardt home was facing foreclosure due to the oncoming
1166:
1161:
462:
299:
Eck claimed that Browning wished to do a follow-up picture with him and Robert where he would play a
209:, and would spend hours with his brother carving and painting elaborate, fully articulated circuses.
102:
1059:(Tarcher/Penguin, 2005) by Marc Hartzman. Johnny Eck and his twin brother are featured on the cover.
488:
483:
403:
355:
266:
496:
492:
444:
305:
275:
147:
43:
1137:
1088:
1070:
909:
768:
478:
474:
251:
247:
762:
719:
1119:
347:
171:
167:
1002:
864:
432:
424:
420:
191:
163:
48:
788:
477:
has pursued making a Hollywood feature film on the life of Johnny Eck, to be written by
436:
328:
292:
175:
926:
1155:
300:
531:
A character inspired by Eck makes a brief appearance in a Victorian sideshow in the
1146:
764:
Weird Maryland: Your Travel Guide to Maryland's Local Legends and Best Kept Secrets
500:
416:
283:
270:
222:
162:
performer and actor, the multi-talented Eck was also a folk artist (specifically a
142:
692:
367:
238:
226:
666:
453:
on to say, "If I want to see freaks, all I have to do is look out the window."
1109:
544:
533:
159:
134:
1057:: An Encyclopedia of History's Most Wondrous and Curiously Strange Performers
512:
435:, Major, telling stories about his life. He and his brother often performed
399:
371:
187:
74:
1142:
962:
567:
522:
He is also mentioned in the piece "Lucky Day (Overture)" on Waits's album
810:
631:
395:
391:
382:
378:
269:
talent scout to be cast for his first feature film, as the "Half-Boy" in
262:
206:
1133:
358:. It was there that Eck was billed as "the Most Remarkable Man Alive".
1101:
First Edition, Wolf's Head Press, Silver Spring, MD. ASIN B00MJ8QTUG.
339:
317:
202:
152:
592:
1054:
303:'s creation. However, Browning's career was irretrievably hurt by
288:
216:
1127:
1087:, pages 145–6. Second edition, 2002. Faber And Faber, New York.
714:
712:
710:
316:, Eck was featured as a bird creature or "Gooney Bird" in three
129:, (August 27, 1911 – January 5, 1991), professionally billed as
342:
films, footage of which was filmed during the production of
237:
In late 1923, Eck and his brother attended a performance of
442:
The 1980s brought more visitors as the video release of
761:
Lake, Matt; Mark Moran; Mark Sceurman (July 25, 2006).
587:
585:
562:
560:
503:
as a possible lead, playing both the Eckhardt twins.
402:, the "Johnny Eck Special". In 1938, Eck climbed the
246:
perched upon a tasseled stool. Eck performed for the
907:"The Second Life of Johnny Eck", Stephanie Shapiro,
137:performer in sideshows and a film actor. Born with
859:
857:
431:. Eck would sit on the steps of his porch with his
338:(1941). The creation of Eck's bird costume for the
194:. Aside from the sacral agenesis, Eck was healthy.
116:
108:
98:
82:
56:
23:
985:"Robert a Eckhardt in Social Security Death Index"
394:enthusiast and the driver of his own custom-built
151:and his appearances as a bird creature in several
499:as executive producers. Production notes include
835:"Magic's Most Unusual Illusion", David Charvet,
767:. Sterling Publishing Company, Inc. p. 89.
415:their lives. In Baltimore they bought and ran a
1130:, online collection of photographs and ephemera
390:pretty girls, ships and himself. He was also a
1066:Carny Folk: The World's Weirdest Sideshow Acts
366:In 1937, Eck and Robert were recruited by the
669:. Welcome to Baltimore, Hon!. August 27, 1911
625:
623:
621:
619:
261:in the summer of 1931. Eck was performing in
8:
921:
919:
903:
901:
201:Emilia Eckhardt intended that Eck go into
141:, Eck is best known today for his role in
31:
20:
1026:, issue 61, Clare Barker, June/July 2002.
886:magazine, Baltimore (October 1, 2013).
756:
754:
752:
750:
748:
746:
556:
16:American freak show performer and actor
1202:People with caudal regression syndrome
1063:Hornberger, Francine (April 1, 2005).
847:
845:
570:. Johnnyeckmuseum.com. August 27, 1911
686:
684:
7:
595:. The Human Marvels. August 7, 2006
811:"My favorite freak #2: Johnny Eck"
809:Coolidge, Danger (November 2008).
632:"My favorite freak #2: Johnny Eck"
630:Coolidge, Danger (November 2008).
178:operator, and expert model-maker.
14:
1182:American actors with disabilities
1112:
722:. Missinglinkclassichorror.co.uk
423:, having learned the craft from
1197:Burials at Green Mount Cemetery
1001:. Hollywood.com. Archived from
1069:. Citadel Press. p. 244.
961:. Phreeque.com. Archived from
282:Eck got along quite well with
1:
265:when he was approached by a
1187:Entertainers from Baltimore
999:"News Roundup: Nov. 6 2001"
593:"JOHNNY ECK – The Half-Man"
352:Ripley's Believe It or Not!
221:Eck (centre) with co-stars
166:), musician, photographer,
1218:
1177:American male child actors
1099:The Johnny Eck Photo Album
1097:Raymond, Warren A. (2014)
145:'s 1932 cult classic film
398:that was street-legal in
356:1933 Chicago World's Fair
112:Actor, sideshow performer
93:Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.
30:
1041:@ the Tom Waits Fan blog
350:, Eck performed for the
335:Tarzan's Secret Treasure
957:Elizabeth J. Anderson.
695:. Turner Classic Movies
481:, the scriptwriter of
234:
929:. Johnnyeckmuseum.com
892:baltimoremagazine.com
867:. Johnnyeckmuseum.com
220:
495:, with DiCaprio and
463:Green Mount Cemetery
376:sawing-a-man-in-half
103:Green Mount Cemetery
1192:Sideshow performers
1005:on January 26, 2013
965:on October 21, 2010
484:Edward Scissorhands
429:The Screen Painters
404:Washington Monument
259:Canadian Exhibition
213:Professional career
47:, with his co-star
865:"622 N Milton Ave"
720:"Freaks of Nature"
507:In popular culture
487:, and produced by
354:Odditorium at the
323:Tarzan the Ape Man
235:
133:, was an American
1128:Johnny Eck Museum
1055:American Sideshow
910:The Baltimore Sun
479:Caroline Thompson
475:Leonardo DiCaprio
473:Since the 1990s,
469:Biographical film
291:'s bed of nails.
252:Barnum and Bailey
248:Ringling Brothers
124:
123:
117:Years active
61:John Eckhardt Jr.
1209:
1122:
1120:Biography portal
1117:
1116:
1115:
1085:The Monster Show
1080:
1042:
1033:
1027:
1021:
1015:
1014:
1012:
1010:
995:
989:
988:
981:
975:
974:
972:
970:
954:
948:
945:
939:
938:
936:
934:
923:
914:
913:, April 8, 2001.
905:
896:
895:
883:
877:
876:
874:
872:
861:
852:
849:
840:
833:
827:
826:
824:
822:
815:Unbelievably Bad
806:
800:
799:
797:
795:
785:
779:
778:
758:
741:
738:
732:
731:
729:
727:
716:
705:
704:
702:
700:
691:Stafford, Jeff.
688:
679:
678:
676:
674:
663:
657:
654:
648:
647:
645:
643:
636:Unbelievably Bad
627:
614:
611:
605:
604:
602:
600:
589:
580:
579:
577:
575:
564:
348:Great Depression
257:Eck went to the
158:Besides being a
127:John Eckhardt Jr
89:
77:, Maryland, U.S.
70:
68:
35:
21:
1217:
1216:
1212:
1211:
1210:
1208:
1207:
1206:
1152:
1151:
1118:
1113:
1111:
1108:
1083:Skal, David J.
1077:
1062:
1050:
1045:
1034:
1030:
1022:
1018:
1008:
1006:
997:
996:
992:
983:
982:
978:
968:
966:
959:"+windowtitle+"
956:
955:
951:
946:
942:
932:
930:
925:
924:
917:
906:
899:
885:
884:
880:
870:
868:
863:
862:
855:
851:Hornberger, 78.
850:
843:
834:
830:
820:
818:
808:
807:
803:
793:
791:
787:
786:
782:
775:
760:
759:
744:
740:Hornberger, 81.
739:
735:
725:
723:
718:
717:
708:
698:
696:
690:
689:
682:
672:
670:
665:
664:
660:
656:Hornberger, 80.
655:
651:
641:
639:
629:
628:
617:
613:Hornberger, 79.
612:
608:
598:
596:
591:
590:
583:
573:
571:
566:
565:
558:
554:
525:The Black Rider
509:
471:
459:
425:William Oktavec
412:
364:
362:Famous illusion
215:
184:
139:sacral agenesis
94:
91:
87:
86:January 5, 1991
78:
72:
71:August 27, 1911
66:
64:
63:
62:
52:
49:Angelo Rossitto
41:as Half-Boy in
26:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1215:
1213:
1205:
1204:
1199:
1194:
1189:
1184:
1179:
1174:
1172:American twins
1169:
1164:
1154:
1153:
1150:
1149:
1143:Johnny Eck Jr.
1140:
1131:
1124:
1123:
1107:
1106:External links
1104:
1103:
1102:
1095:
1081:
1075:
1060:
1049:
1046:
1044:
1043:
1028:
1016:
990:
976:
949:
940:
915:
897:
878:
853:
841:
828:
801:
789:"Rajah Raboid"
780:
773:
742:
733:
706:
680:
658:
649:
615:
606:
581:
555:
553:
550:
549:
548:
540:Camera Obscura
529:
520:
508:
505:
489:Pelagius Films
470:
467:
458:
455:
437:Punch and Judy
421:screen painter
411:
408:
406:on his hands.
363:
360:
329:Tarzan Escapes
293:Olga Baclanova
254:, and others.
214:
211:
183:
180:
176:Punch and Judy
164:screen painter
122:
121:
118:
114:
113:
110:
106:
105:
100:
96:
95:
92:
90:(aged 79)
84:
80:
79:
73:
60:
58:
54:
53:
36:
28:
27:
24:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1214:
1203:
1200:
1198:
1195:
1193:
1190:
1188:
1185:
1183:
1180:
1178:
1175:
1173:
1170:
1168:
1165:
1163:
1160:
1159:
1157:
1148:
1144:
1141:
1139:
1135:
1132:
1129:
1126:
1125:
1121:
1110:
1105:
1100:
1096:
1094:
1093:0-571-19996-8
1090:
1086:
1082:
1078:
1076:0-8065-2661-0
1072:
1068:
1067:
1061:
1058:
1056:
1052:
1051:
1047:
1040:
1039:
1032:
1029:
1025:
1024:Black + White
1020:
1017:
1009:September 20,
1004:
1000:
994:
991:
986:
980:
977:
964:
960:
953:
950:
947:Hornberg, 83.
944:
941:
933:September 20,
928:
922:
920:
916:
912:
911:
904:
902:
898:
893:
889:
888:"Screen Star"
882:
879:
871:September 20,
866:
860:
858:
854:
848:
846:
842:
838:
832:
829:
821:September 20,
816:
812:
805:
802:
794:September 20,
790:
784:
781:
776:
774:1-4027-3906-0
770:
766:
765:
757:
755:
753:
751:
749:
747:
743:
737:
734:
721:
715:
713:
711:
707:
694:
687:
685:
681:
668:
662:
659:
653:
650:
637:
633:
626:
624:
622:
620:
616:
610:
607:
594:
588:
586:
582:
569:
563:
561:
557:
551:
546:
542:
541:
536:
535:
530:
527:
526:
521:
518:
517:Table Top Joe
514:
511:
510:
506:
504:
502:
498:
494:
490:
486:
485:
480:
476:
468:
466:
465:, Baltimore.
464:
456:
454:
450:
447:
446:
440:
438:
434:
430:
426:
422:
418:
409:
407:
405:
401:
397:
393:
387:
384:
380:
377:
373:
369:
361:
359:
357:
353:
349:
345:
341:
337:
336:
331:
330:
325:
324:
319:
315:
310:
308:
307:
302:
301:mad scientist
297:
294:
290:
285:
280:
278:
277:
273:'s 1932 film
272:
268:
264:
260:
255:
253:
249:
243:
240:
232:
228:
224:
219:
212:
210:
208:
204:
199:
195:
193:
189:
181:
179:
177:
173:
169:
165:
161:
156:
154:
150:
149:
144:
140:
136:
132:
128:
119:
115:
111:
109:Occupation(s)
107:
104:
101:
99:Resting place
97:
85:
81:
76:
59:
55:
50:
46:
45:
40:
34:
29:
22:
19:
1147:Find a Grave
1098:
1084:
1065:
1053:
1048:Bibliography
1037:
1031:
1023:
1019:
1007:. Retrieved
1003:the original
993:
979:
967:. Retrieved
963:the original
952:
943:
931:. Retrieved
908:
891:
881:
869:. Retrieved
836:
831:
819:. Retrieved
814:
804:
792:. Retrieved
783:
763:
736:
724:. Retrieved
697:. Retrieved
671:. Retrieved
667:"Johnny Eck"
661:
652:
640:. Retrieved
635:
609:
597:. Retrieved
572:. Retrieved
538:
532:
523:
501:James Franco
497:Joseph Rappa
493:Joseph Fries
482:
472:
460:
451:
443:
441:
428:
417:penny arcade
413:
388:
365:
343:
333:
327:
321:
313:
311:
304:
298:
284:Tod Browning
281:
274:
271:Tod Browning
256:
244:
236:
230:
223:Wallace Ford
203:the ministry
200:
196:
185:
172:penny arcade
157:
146:
143:Tod Browning
130:
126:
125:
88:(1991-01-05)
42:
38:
18:
1167:1991 deaths
1162:1911 births
839:, June 1997
699:January 30,
642:January 30,
368:illusionist
332:(1936) and
267:MGM Studios
239:stage magic
227:Leila Hyams
207:woodworking
168:illusionist
51:as Angeleno
37:Johnny Eck
1156:Categories
1134:Johnny Eck
1036:Lyrics to
969:October 4,
726:October 4,
673:October 4,
599:October 4,
574:October 4,
545:Lloyd Rose
534:Doctor Who
410:Later life
182:Early life
135:freak show
131:Johnny Eck
67:1911-08-27
25:Johnny Eck
1038:Lucky Day
927:"Letters"
515:'s song "
513:Tom Waits
433:Chihuahua
400:Baltimore
372:hypnotist
192:fraternal
188:Baltimore
75:Baltimore
693:"Freaks"
396:race car
392:race car
379:illusion
326:(1932),
320:movies:
263:Montreal
160:sideshow
817:(2): 82
638:(2): 82
491:and by
174:owner,
1091:
1073:
771:
537:novel
445:Freaks
344:Freaks
340:Tarzan
318:Tarzan
314:Freaks
312:After
306:Freaks
276:Freaks
233:(1932)
231:Freaks
153:Tarzan
148:Freaks
120:1923–?
44:Freaks
39:(left)
837:Magic
568:"Bio"
552:Notes
543:, by
457:Death
383:dwarf
289:fakir
1138:IMDb
1089:ISBN
1071:ISBN
1011:2011
971:2010
935:2011
873:2011
823:2011
796:2011
769:ISBN
728:2010
701:2009
675:2010
644:2009
601:2010
576:2010
370:and
225:and
83:Died
57:Born
1145:at
1136:at
229:in
1158::
918:^
900:^
890:.
856:^
844:^
813:.
745:^
709:^
683:^
634:.
618:^
584:^
559:^
279:.
250:,
170:,
1079:.
1013:.
987:.
973:.
937:.
894:.
875:.
825:.
798:.
777:.
730:.
703:.
677:.
646:.
603:.
578:.
547:.
528:.
69:)
65:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
