Armless wonder
Encyclopedia
Circus
A circus is commonly a travelling company of performers that may include clowns, acrobats, trained animals, trapeze acts, musicians, hoopers, tightrope walkers, jugglers, unicyclists and other stunt-oriented artists...
sideshow
Sideshow
In America, a sideshow is an extra, secondary production associated with a circus, carnival, fair or other such attraction.- Types of attractions :There are four main types of classic sideshow attractions:...
. Typically (but not exclusively) a woman, she would perform various tricks using her feet and toes, such as smoking a cigarette or writing. Frequently, she would have a supply of visiting card
Visiting card
A visiting card, also known as a calling card, is a small paper card with one's name printed on it. They first appeared in China in the 15th century, and in Europe in the 17th century...
s which, for an extra charge, she would sign with her feet and give to onlookers.
Whilst such exploitation of disabled
Disability
A disability may be physical, cognitive, mental, sensory, emotional, developmental or some combination of these.Many people would rather be referred to as a person with a disability instead of handicapped...
people would not be acceptable today, the Armless Wonder was often one of the most highly-paid people of the sideshow. In times when the exposure of even a female ankle was considered risqué, a pretty young woman who performed feats of dexterity with her toes would inevitably attract a great deal of prurient interest.
Performers
Examples of Armless Wonders of the early 20th century are Frances O'ConnorFrances O'Connor (performer)
Frances Belle O'Connor was born without arms. She made her living by appearing in various circus sideshows as the armless wonder or the living Venus de Milo...
and Martha Morris, both of whom also appeared in the 1932 film, Freaks
Freaks
Freaks is a 1932 American Pre-Code horror film about sideshow performers, directed and produced by Tod Browning and released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, with a cast mostly composed of actual carnival performers. The film was based on Tod Robbins' 1923 short story "Spurs"...
. Another example from the late 19th century was Anne Leak who usually included a few simple lines of verse
Poetry
Poetry is a form of literary art in which language is used for its aesthetic and evocative qualities in addition to, or in lieu of, its apparent meaning...
when she signed her visiting cards, such as the following:
So you perceive it's really true,
When hands are lacking, toes will do.
Examples of male Armless Wonders are Carl Unthan
Carl Herman Unthan
Carl Hermann Unthan was a Prussian-born violinist who was born without arms.Unthan's father was a teacher who insisted he not be "coddled". Whether this was the reason or not, Carl reportedly could feed himself at two and around the age of ten is said to have taught himself to play the violin by...
and Charles B. Tripp
Charles B. Tripp
Charles B. Tripp was a Canadian-American sideshow performer known as the "Armless Wonder".A native of Woodstock, Ontario, Tripp was born without arms, but learned to use his legs and feet to perform everyday tasks. He was a skilled carpenter and calligrapher and started supporting his mother and...
.