Lot 219
Authentic Coney Island Carte de Visite / Printed Photograph of The Human Cigarette Factory, These cards were sold by the subject in the photo, as a means to make a living, when so called Freak Shows still existed on Coney Island, USA. Born in Barnesville, Georgia, on November 2, 1926, Otis Jordan was halfway between a human torso and an ossified man. He suffered from arthrogryposis multiplex congenita (AMC), a rare birth defect which causes permanent flexion of the joints. This deformity of his arms and legs left young Otis more or less helpless at least physically. What he lacked in mobility he made up for in brains, and from an early age he understood the importance of getting an education. One of his six normal siblings was charged with carrying the handicapped boy to and from school each day. When he was in the fifth grade, however, Otis sought to alleviate this burden on his family by devising his own means of transportation. He designed a cart to be pulled by the family goat. From day one Otis parents were supportive of their disabled son and taught him never to give up on doing the things he wanted to do. With his fathers help, Otis was able to realize his goat cart design within a month. He finished school with honors and later obtained a degree by correspondence. Though no longer dependent on others to get around, Otis was still unable to make a living on his own. He tried selling pencils, and later newspapers, from his goat cart, but neither of these businesses generated enough income. Then, in 1963, when Otis and a friend went to the freak show at a local fair, Otis decided to pay a visit to showman Dick Burnett. He had become quite prolific at using his mouth and two normal fingers to perform tasks, eventually becoming a skilled appliance repairman. But it was his ability to roll and light a cigarette using only his mouth that sold Burnett on Otis as a performer. Otis was nicknamed The Frog Boy because of his permanently-bent legs. At first, Otis was uncomfortable being the center of attention. He sat in complete silence, performing his cigarette-rolling act for curious audiences. However, Otis soon proved himself a natural showman, giving his own inside lectures. Footage from Ward Halls 1991 documentary My Very Unusual Friends shows just how skillful the Frog Boy was at playing the crowd he was not just a cigarette roller but a sort of fire-eater as well, partially swallowing and then retrieving his cigarette. Otis success as The Frog Boy would continue until 1984, when politically-correct backlash nearly left him without a job. A woman named Barbara Baskin Bogdan says she was handicapped herself saw Otis with Whitey Suttons sideshow at the New York State Fair, and was horrified. She went to court to get the sideshow banned from the fair. Otis fought back, vehemently defending his right to work and won. In 1985 he travelled to Alton, Illinois, to speak in favor of a proposed statue of Altons most famous resident, Robert Wadlow, the tallest man who ever lived. The statue was erected despite a storm of protests from the politically-correct faction, who did not want the nine-foot-tall man categorized as a freak. In 1987, when Otis Jordan joined the Coney Island sideshow, he was re-named the Human Cigarette Factory, and there he spent three years delighting audiences with his dextrous mouth and amiable personality. In 1990, while visiting family in Georgia, he died from kidney disease. Please ask specific questions on details, condition, and shipping prior to bidding, ALL ITEMS ARE SOLD AS IS, and the bidder will be responsible for payment. We box and ship what we can to keep costs low, and use USPS and UPS. Large items, extremely fragile, and high value items will be packed by UPS. Quotes available on request
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Dimensions:
- 3-3/8" x 5.5" Condition:
- Very Good - Excellent Condition
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