Major Zamora
Encyclopedia
Major Zamora was a dime museum
performer in the late 1890s. Born in St. Johns
, Zamora was a physical dwarf
who specialized in feats of contortionism and enterology (squeezing into impossibly small spaces, or getting inside a sealed container without disturbing it) and, as an offshoot of this, was a feature escape artist before the advent of Houdini. He was billed, alternately, as "The Triple-jointed Dwarf" and "The Triple-jointed Wonder." His ad hype claimed he was 'triple-jointed' in all the connections of his body. Zamora performed in circus acrobat tights, and sported the large handlebar moustache
so common in men's grooming of the 1890s. Zamora stood 32 inch (0.8128 m) in height and weighed 54 pounds (24 kg).
Zamora's features were squeezing himself in and out of an oversized, but still quite small, bottle, and escaping after being tied, chained, handcuffed and locked inside a small, upright box.
Zamora is referred to in Panorama of Magic by Milbourne Christopher, and in Learned Pigs and Fireproof Women by Ricky Jay.
Zamora married Tina Goughman, who was billed as the "smallest living woman" and was 4 inches taller than the Major.
Dime museum
Dime museums were institutions that were briefly popular at the end of the 19th century in the United States. Designed as centers for entertainment and moral education for the working class , the museums were distinctly different from upper-middle class' cultural events...
performer in the late 1890s. Born in St. Johns
St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
St. John's is the capital and largest city in Newfoundland and Labrador, and is the oldest English-founded city in North America. It is located on the eastern tip of the Avalon Peninsula on the island of Newfoundland. With a population of 192,326 as of July 1, 2010, the St...
, Zamora was a physical dwarf
Dwarfism
Dwarfism is short stature resulting from a medical condition. It is sometimes defined as an adult height of less than 4 feet 10 inches , although this definition is problematic because short stature in itself is not a disorder....
who specialized in feats of contortionism and enterology (squeezing into impossibly small spaces, or getting inside a sealed container without disturbing it) and, as an offshoot of this, was a feature escape artist before the advent of Houdini. He was billed, alternately, as "The Triple-jointed Dwarf" and "The Triple-jointed Wonder." His ad hype claimed he was 'triple-jointed' in all the connections of his body. Zamora performed in circus acrobat tights, and sported the large handlebar moustache
Handlebar moustache
A handlebar moustache is a moustache with particularly lengthy, upward curved, extremities. It is named for its resemblance to the handlebars of a bicycle. It is also known as a "spaghetti moustache", because of its stereotypical association with Italian men...
so common in men's grooming of the 1890s. Zamora stood 32 inch (0.8128 m) in height and weighed 54 pounds (24 kg).
Zamora's features were squeezing himself in and out of an oversized, but still quite small, bottle, and escaping after being tied, chained, handcuffed and locked inside a small, upright box.
Zamora is referred to in Panorama of Magic by Milbourne Christopher, and in Learned Pigs and Fireproof Women by Ricky Jay.
Zamora married Tina Goughman, who was billed as the "smallest living woman" and was 4 inches taller than the Major.