Johnny Eck
Johnny Eck , actually Johnny Eckhardt , (born August 27, 1911 in Baltimore , Maryland , † January 5, 1991 ibid) was an American actor , artist, magician and musician.
Life
While his twin brother Robert showed no physical peculiarities, Johnny's body was only developed normally up to the ribs; the rest was stunted and useless. Even fully grown he only reached a height of 46 centimeters. Still, the boy was viable and spiritually up to date. He learned to read and write at a very early age, became an excellent student and, like Robert, soon developed a penchant for artistic activities.
Already in his childhood, Johnny, together with his twin brother, began to present his unusual body - he always launched the rumor that his body ended below the ribs as if it had been cut - in a magic show. In addition to appearances in cabinets of curiosities and circuses, Johnny Eck, who originally planned to become a preacher, also worked as a painter and photographer, and directed his own twelve-piece orchestra. In Hollywood he played animals in three Tarzan films with Johnny Weissmüller in costume . He is best known today for his role as a boy without a belly in the classic Freaks (1932) by Tod Browning .
In the 1930s, Johnny Eck was able to fulfill his dream of acquiring a racing car, which he had converted for manual operation and given road approval. Later a miniature train was added, which is still preserved today, even if it is in need of restoration. Johnny Eck and his brother never moved out of their parents' home in Baltimore. In 1987 Johnny was robbed here. He survived the attack, but from then on lived bitter and withdrawn with his brother. So he said after the attack: "If I want to see freaks, I just have to look out the window."
Johnny Eck died of a heart attack in 1991 at the age of 79. Robert outlived him by a few years. Her house, now owned by the operator of a virtual Johnny Eck museum, is in what is now a very shabby neighborhood in Baltimore.
Filmography
- 1932: freaks
- 1932: Tarzan the Ape Man
- 1936: Tarzan's Revenge (Tarzan Escapes)
- 1941: Tarzan's Secret Treasure (Tarzan's Secret Treasure)
Web links
- Johnny Eck in the Internet Movie Database (English)
- Virtual Johnny Eck Museum
- Biographical details
Individual evidence
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Eck, Johnny |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Eckhardt, Johnny (real name) |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | American actor, artist, magician, and musician |
| DATE OF BIRTH | August 27, 1911 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Baltimore , Maryland , United States |
| DATE OF DEATH | 5th January 1991 |
| Place of death | Baltimore , Maryland , United States |