Also, many strongmen sold photos of themselves nude or near-nude, flexing and posing. (although what they considered the epitome of male beauty was different from modern ideals – particularly the very low emphasis on chest size, and great emphasis on oblique size, and symmetry.)
Discovered a website featuring strongmen and other human 'oddities' that could be found in some of the travelling circuses of the time.
JOSEPH GREENSTEIN – 'THE MIGHTY ATOM'
Greenstein was born three months premature on July 15, 1893 in Suvalk Poland into the poorest family in town. Weighing less than 4 pounds, “Joseph” Greenstein was fortunate to even survive his infancy
Greenstein began his career as a wrestler. Shortly after marrying, and after encountering rising anti-Semitism, Greenstein immigrated to the United States.
It was in America where Greenstein and the legend of The Mighty Atom truly took shape. In 1914, “Kid Greenstein” was shot in the head in Galvenston, Texas. Greenstein left the hospital the same day convinced that his physical conditioning saved his life. Determined to show the world the marvels of his lifestyle, Greenstein truly began his career as a strongman.
The Mighty Atom was able to break chains with his hands and by expanding his chest. He was known to bend iron bars or horseshoes with his teeth. He often bent half inch rolled steel rods into heart shapes and drove nails through wood with his bare hands. He could change a car tire without any tools and could literally bite through nails with his teeth. He once tied his hair to a plane and held it to the ground as it attempted to lift off – the September 29th, 1928 headlines read “ The Mightly Atom – Super Strong Man Pits Brawn Against Plane, Wins!” and the feat was featured in “Believe it or Not”.
The Might Atom was a true superhero, and he was best known for fighting intolerance.
Truth be told, there were several.
Perhaps the best known and traditional of these brawny babes was Josephine Blatt, who was better known by her stage name Minerva.
In her displays she demonstrated her strength by breaking horseshoes with her hands, breaking steel chains by expanding her chest, and playing catch with a 24 pound cannon ball. She was capable to lift a stone weight of 360 lbs with a single finger thrust through a lifting ring. Furthermore, The Guinness Book of Records recognized Minerva as having lifted the greatest weight ever by a woman.
The act opened with Charmion taking the stage in full Victorian attire. She would then mount the trapeze and proceed to undress to her leotard while performing impressive and strength-dependant stunts. The act was incredibly impressive and provocative for the era. However, the controversy created by her performances did not prevent the formulation of a devoted, and mostly male, fan base.
Greenstein began his career as a wrestler. Shortly after marrying, and after encountering rising anti-Semitism, Greenstein immigrated to the United States.
It was in America where Greenstein and the legend of The Mighty Atom truly took shape. In 1914, “Kid Greenstein” was shot in the head in Galvenston, Texas. Greenstein left the hospital the same day convinced that his physical conditioning saved his life. Determined to show the world the marvels of his lifestyle, Greenstein truly began his career as a strongman.
The Mighty Atom was able to break chains with his hands and by expanding his chest. He was known to bend iron bars or horseshoes with his teeth. He often bent half inch rolled steel rods into heart shapes and drove nails through wood with his bare hands. He could change a car tire without any tools and could literally bite through nails with his teeth. He once tied his hair to a plane and held it to the ground as it attempted to lift off – the September 29th, 1928 headlines read “ The Mightly Atom – Super Strong Man Pits Brawn Against Plane, Wins!” and the feat was featured in “Believe it or Not”.
The Might Atom was a true superhero, and he was best known for fighting intolerance.
JOHN HOLTUM – THE CANNONBALL MAN
At one point in history every circus, carnival, and vaudeville hall had a strongman on hand to astound spectators. The image of a mustachioed man clad strongman smiling in leopard print while hoisting a bending barbell high aloft is still synonymous with circuses. The spectacles these men provided ranged from the highly impressive the the borderline mundane but in a golden age populated with hundreds of contemporaries an individual simply had to go the extra mile to ensure fame and fortune.
John Holtum elected to stand apart by becoming a human target. Holtum caught cannon balls fired directly at his him from point-blank range.
The Danish-born strongman continued to draw crowds wherever he performed and his fame continued to grow. His charm, his physique and his death-defying ways made Holtum something of sex-symbol. In Paris, a group of female fans petitioned to ban his performance. They feared that their Adonis would meet an early demise – or worse – that his beautiful body would be maimed.
Eventually, Holtum decided to retire from strongman antics. He married a pretty equestrienne and settled down in England where he lived in considerable comfort until he died peacefully of natural causes in 1919.
The Danish-born strongman continued to draw crowds wherever he performed and his fame continued to grow. His charm, his physique and his death-defying ways made Holtum something of sex-symbol. In Paris, a group of female fans petitioned to ban his performance. They feared that their Adonis would meet an early demise – or worse – that his beautiful body would be maimed.
Eventually, Holtum decided to retire from strongman antics. He married a pretty equestrienne and settled down in England where he lived in considerable comfort until he died peacefully of natural causes in 1919.
The strongman has long been a staple in circus and sideshows. The image of handlebar moustached man garbed in a leopard print leotard has become the stereotypical image associated with feats of extraordinary strength. But, what about the ‘fairer sex’? Was there ever a professional strongwoman?
Truth be told, there were several.
Perhaps the best known and traditional of these brawny babes was Josephine Blatt, who was better known by her stage name Minerva.
Charmion
Laverie Vallee, Charmion, was a Sacramento born trapeze artist who possessed strength and a physique most men would be envious of. However, she was most well known for her risqué striptease performances.
The act opened with Charmion taking the stage in full Victorian attire. She would then mount the trapeze and proceed to undress to her leotard while performing impressive and strength-dependant stunts. The act was incredibly impressive and provocative for the era. However, the controversy created by her performances did not prevent the formulation of a devoted, and mostly male, fan base.
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