The Human Circus Attraction

The Intimidating
William Henry Johnson, also known as "Zip, the What is it?" was born with the same condition as Schlitze but P.T. Barnum played off the fears of his audience with Zip. He was billed three months after the introduction of Darwin's Origin of the Species in 1860 and was presented to the crowd as the "missing link" to humanity. He stood erect in a cage wearing a fur suit and would grunt and growl at the audience. He was one of Barnum's most popular attractions and traveled with the circus until his death in 1926.
Stephen Bibrosky suffered from a skin-disorder called hypertrichosia, which caused six inches of hair to cover his entire body. His stage name was "Lionel the Lion Faced Man" and he became famous throughout Europe at the age of four. He soon traveled to America and was hired by Barnum and Bailey's Circus. Audiences were told that a lion killed his father in front of his mother's eyes while she was pregnant with him. In spite of his frightening appearance, Stephan wore the best of clothing during his performances and sought to show the audience that he was merely a gentleman beneath all of his fur, for he spoke five different languages. He died in Italy in 1932 at the age of 42.

mcelanm1@lasalle.edu

January 18, 2005



	Physical Disabilities - Intimidating - Socially Inclined - Happy Endings


	The Intimidating William Henry Johnson, also known as "Zip, the What is it?" was born with the same condition as Schlitze but P.T. Barnum played off the fears of his audience with Zip. He was billed three months after the introduction of Darwin's Origin of the Species in 1860 and was presented to the crowd as the "missing link" to humanity. He stood erect in a cage wearing a fur suit and would grunt and growl at the audience. He was one of Barnum's most popular attractions and traveled with the circus until his death in 1926. Stephen Bibrosky suffered from a skin-disorder called hypertrichosia, which caused six inches of hair to cover his entire body. His stage name was "Lionel the Lion Faced Man" and he became famous throughout Europe at the age of four. He soon traveled to America and was hired by Barnum and Bailey's Circus. Audiences were told that a lion killed his father in front of his mother's eyes while she was pregnant with him. In spite of his frightening appearance, Stephan wore the best of clothing during his performances and sought to show the audience that he was merely a gentleman beneath all of his fur, for he spoke five different languages. He died in Italy in 1932 at the age of 42.