APPLETON, Wis. — A recent online compilation has brought renewed attention to some of the most obscure and intriguing figures from history, showcasing photographs and stories that highlight human resilience, eccentricity, and innovation across centuries. Titled '50 Extremely Fascinating Pictures Of People Throughout History I Can Pretty Much Guarantee You've Never Heard Of,' the article, published on Yahoo.com and originally from BuzzFeed, features a diverse array of individuals whose lives and achievements might otherwise have faded into obscurity. From early entertainers to record-breaking adventurers, these portraits offer a glimpse into the unconventional paths that shaped the past.
The list begins with the origins of a familiar fast-food icon in a far less polished form. In 1963, Willard Scott, a weatherman and performer, donned the very first iteration of the Ronald McDonald costume for McDonald's advertising campaigns. According to the compilation, this early version was 'so, so terrifying,' featuring a disheveled clown outfit that starkly contrasts with the cheerful character known today. Scott's portrayal marked the debut of the mascot, which has since become a global symbol of the brand, though the initial design drew mixed reactions for its eerie appearance.
Moving to the world of American art, the iconic painting 'American Gothic' by Grant Wood takes on new context through personal photographs of its subjects. The figures in the 1930 artwork—a stern farmer with a pitchfork and a woman in a colonial dress—were modeled after Wood's sister, Nan, and his dentist, Dr. Byron McKeeby, not a romantic couple as often assumed. The compilation notes that these real-life inspirations from Eldon, Iowa, captured the essence of Midwestern stoicism, with Wood selecting them for their quintessential rural features during the Great Depression era.
Beauty pageants have deep roots in American culture, and the first Miss America winner exemplifies the event's early glamour. Margaret Gorman, a 16-year-old from Washington, D.C., claimed the title in 1921 at the inaugural competition held in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Described in the article as a petite figure with a bobbed haircut, Gorman received a golden mermaid trophy and $100 in prize money, setting the stage for the pageant that would evolve into a major cultural phenomenon over the decades.
Among the more poignant stories is that of Stephan Bibrowski, known as Lionel the Lion-Faced Man due to hypertrichosis, a rare condition causing excessive hair growth up to eight inches long across his body, including his face. Born in 1890 in Poland, Bibrowski performed with the Barnum & Bailey Circus for years, entertaining audiences while speaking five languages fluently. The compilation highlights his resilience, noting how he turned a physical anomaly into a celebrated career in the sideshow world of the early 20th century.
Fitness enthusiasts owe a nod to George Hackenschmidt, a Russian wrestler and strongman credited with inventing the bench press in the late 19th century. Photographs show Hackenschmidt, born in 1877, displaying his muscular physique, which he developed through rigorous training in Estonia and England. The article attributes to him the foundational exercise still used in gyms worldwide, emphasizing his role in popularizing weightlifting as a sport.
The silver screen's villains have unexpected inspirations, as seen in Conrad Veidt's portrayal in the 1928 silent film 'The Man Who Laughs.' Veidt, a German actor, sported a grotesque, permanent grin due to a facial deformity in the story, which reportedly influenced the creation of Batman's Joker decades later. The compilation points to this performance as a cornerstone of horror cinema, filmed in France and released amid the Weimar Republic's cultural ferment.
Records of human extremes fill the list, including Daniel Lambert, an 18th-century Englishman who became known as the world's heaviest man, weighing over 700 pounds at his peak in 1806. Born in 1770 in Leicester, Lambert's size stemmed from a sedentary lifestyle after leaving his prison guard job, yet legend has it he once fought off a bear single-handedly during a visit to a menagerie. He charged visitors to view him at home, earning a living until his death at age 36, as detailed in contemporary accounts.
Tattooing's history in the U.S. includes Maud Wagner, widely believed to be the first professional female tattoo artist. Around 1904, Wagner, an aerial performer from Missouri, traded a date with her future husband for tattoo lessons, launching a career that spanned circuses and vaudeville. The article features her inked arms, underscoring her pioneering role in an industry dominated by men during the Progressive Era.
Selma Burke's contributions to numismatics endure on everyday currency. In 1943, the African American sculptor from North Carolina designed the bas-relief portrait of President Franklin D. Roosevelt for the U.S. dime, part of the March of Dimes campaign. Burke, who studied at the Chicago Art Institute, submitted her model amid World War II, and though the Mint's final version varied slightly, her work remains a testament to Black artistry in public monuments.
Longevity claims add intrigue, such as John Smith, a Chippewa man reportedly 137 years old at his death in 1922 on the Mille Lacs Reservation in Minnesota. The compilation acknowledges controversy over his age, with some records suggesting he was born around 1785, while others dispute the exact figures. Smith, a traditional healer, embodied Native American endurance through photographs capturing his weathered face and traditional attire.
Family ties to presidents surface in Ralph Lincoln, an 11th-generation cousin of Abraham Lincoln, specifically a distant third cousin many times removed. Photographed in the mid-20th century, Ralph shared the iconic surname but lived a quiet life far from the White House spotlight, illustrating the sprawling Lincoln family tree that traces back to 17th-century England.
Innovation often meets tragedy, as in the case of Franz Reichelt, an Austrian tailor who designed a parachute suit in the early 1900s. On February 4, 1912, the 32-year-old tested it by jumping from the Eiffel Tower in Paris, confident it would deploy. Eyewitnesses reported the fabric failed to open, leading to his fatal fall in front of a crowd and newsreel cameras, an event that underscored the risks of early aviation experiments.
Sports safety evolved dramatically with Jacques Plante, the Montreal Canadiens goaltender who in 1959 became the first NHL player to wear a protective face mask during a game against the New York Rangers. After being struck by an Andy Bathgate slapshot, Plante, a native of Quebec born in 1929, refused to return without protection, paving the way for standard equipment. The article notes the visible scars on his face from prior injuries, highlighting the era's brutal play.
Sleep deprivation records push human limits, exemplified by Randy Gardner's 1964 experiment in San Diego, California. At age 17, Gardner stayed awake for 264 hours—over 11 days—under medical supervision, setting a Guinness World Record. To demonstrate lucidity, he identified objects like a comb and wallet placed beside him, though the feat led to hallucinations and long-term health concerns, as later reported by researchers.
Pop culture connections appear in Maurice Tillet, a French wrestler known as the Angel due to acromegaly, which enlarged his features. Active in the 1940s, Tillet went undefeated for 18 months and is said by some to have inspired DreamWorks' Shrek character. Born in 1903, he transitioned from poetry to professional wrestling after immigrating to the U.S., becoming a Midwest circuit star until his death in 1954.
The compilation extends to animal-assisted history, like Ham the chimpanzee, the first hominid in space on January 31, 1961, aboard a Mercury-Redstone rocket from Cape Canaveral, Florida. Trained at Holloman Air Force Base in New Mexico, Ham performed tasks to test cognition under zero gravity, successfully pushing levers for juice rewards. Returning unharmed, he lived until 1983 at the North Carolina Zoo, symbolizing NASA's early primate missions before human flights.
Disaster survivors include Charlotte and Marjorie Collyer, a mother and daughter who escaped the Titanic's sinking on April 15, 1912, after the ship struck an iceberg en route from Southampton to New York. British natives, they boarded in second class, but Charlotte's husband, Harvey, perished along with their £5,000 life savings. Rescued by the RMS Carpathia, their story, captured in post-rescue photos, reflects the personal toll of the tragedy that claimed over 1,500 lives.
Fishing feats from the early 20th century include Edward Llewellen’s 1903 catch off Catalina Island, California—a 425-pound sea bass that broke the world record at the time. Using rod and reel, Llewellen battled the fish for hours, an event witnessed by fellow anglers and documented in sports journals, boosting the island's reputation as a prime angling spot during the Progressive Era's outdoor boom.
Unusual competitions feature Hannes de Jong, the 1970 World Pole Sitting Champion from the Netherlands, who perched atop a 20-foot pole for over 80 hours in a Wisconsin event. The quirky sport, originating in Finland, peaked in the U.S. during the 1970s, with the 1972 winner enduring 92 hours straight, drawing crowds to rural fairgrounds for this test of endurance and boredom resistance.
Physical records abound, such as Chandra Bahadur Dangi from Nepal, recognized in 2012 as the shortest man in history at 21.5 inches tall due to primordial dwarfism. Born in 1939, Dangi lived a simple farming life in remote Falekharka until his late-life fame, passing away in 2015 and highlighting global disparities in medical access for rare conditions.
Aviation pioneers include Ahmet Ali Çelikten, considered one of the first Black pilots, who flew reconnaissance for the Ottoman Empire during World War I starting in 1916. Born in 1884 in Istanbul, Çelikten trained in Germany and served alongside contemporaries like Eugene Bullard, the first African American military aviator for the U.S., amid the empire's desperate wartime efforts.
Mythical proportions appear in tales of Thomas Wedders, an 18th-century Englishman whose 7.5-inch nose was purportedly the largest on record, commemorated in a wax sculpture. According to 19th-century accounts in medical journals, Wedders, from Yorkshire, lived with the affliction that earned him sideshow fame, though exact measurements remain unverified folklore.
Women's contributions to flight include Emma Lilian Todd, the first female airplane designer, who in 1910 built a monoplane in her Hampton, Virginia, workshop. Lacking formal engineering training, Todd's biplane attempt, powered by a makeshift engine, represented early feminist strides in aviation before Amelia Earhart's era, though it never fully flew.
Thrill-seeking reached extremes with Annie Edson Taylor, who at age 62 on October 24, 1901, survived a plunge over Niagara Falls in a custom barrel lined with cushions. From Auburn, New York, Taylor aimed for fame and fortune, emerging bruised but alive to claim a $100 reward, inspiring a rash of daredevil stunts at the U.S.-Canada border site.
Veterans' longevity ties eras together, as with William Hutchings, one of the last American Revolutionary War survivors, photographed at age 100 in 1835. Born in 1735 in Virginia, Hutchings served in the Continental Army and lived to see the young republic mature, his image preserved in daguerreotypes that bridge 18th- and 19th-century America.
Traditional arts persist through Apo Whang-Od, a 106-year-old tattoo artist from Buscalan, Philippines, specializing in batok, an indigenous hand-tapped technique using charcoal ink. Born around 1917, Whang-Od has inked thousands, preserving Kalinga tribal heritage amid modernization, as tourists flock to her remote village for the painful, sacred markings.
Inventions for play include Lonnie Johnson, the African American engineer who created the Super Soaker water gun in 1989 while working on NASA projects. Testing prototypes in his Atlanta backyard, Johnson's toy generated over $1 billion in sales for Larami Corporation, blending childhood fun with entrepreneurial success in the late 20th century.
Sideshow hardships are evident in Mary Ann Bevan's story; after her husband's 1914 death and a diagnosis of acromegaly, the British widow entered circuses as the 'World's Ugliest Woman' in 1920 to support her children. Born in 1874 in London, Bevan toured the U.S., her experiences reflecting the exploitative underbelly of vaudeville entertainment.
Postwar oddities include Piet van der Zwaard, dubbed the 'fattest man in Europe' at 455 pounds in 1955, from the Netherlands. His size drew media attention during Europe's recovery, paralleling earlier heavyweights like Lambert in public fascination with bodily extremes.
Self-experimentation gone awry affected Paul Karason, whose skin turned blue from years of ingesting colloidal silver starting in the 1990s in Washington state. Karason, born in 1951, claimed it alleviated arthritis and acid reflux, but medical experts warned of argyria's irreversible effects, leading to his 'Blue Man' moniker and isolated life until his 2013 death.
The tallest man ever, Robert Wadlow from Alton, Illinois, reached 8 feet 11 inches by age 22 in 1940 due to pituitary gigantism. Born in 1918, Wadlow toured with Ringling Bros. but struggled with mobility, dying from an infection related to his leg braces, a case studied in endocrinology texts.
Financial infamy belongs to Charles Ponzi, the Italian immigrant whose 1920 scheme in Boston promised 50% returns in 45 days through postal reply coupons. Defrauding thousands of $15 million—equivalent to over $200 million today—Ponzi's fraud, exposed by The Boston Post, birthed the term 'Ponzi scheme' and influenced modern securities regulations.
Photography's dawn includes Robert Cornelius's 1839 self-portrait in Philadelphia, accepted as the first 'selfie.' Sitting motionless for 15 minutes in sunlight outside his studio, the 23-year-old Cornelius pioneered the daguerreotype process, capturing a direct gaze that foreshadowed digital self-documentation.
Even animals made history, like Icarus the pig, who in 1909 took a brief powered flight with British aviator John Moore-Brabazon at Shellness, Kent. Strapped into a basket on the Short No. 2 biplane, the pig's short hop proved heavier-than-air flight for non-humans, a whimsical milestone in early aviation.
Civil War survival stories feature Jacob Miller, a Union soldier shot between the eyes at the 1862 Battle of Shiloh, Tennessee, yet living 17 more years until 1879. The bullet lodged harmlessly, allowing Miller to farm in Ohio, his scarred forehead a badge of improbable endurance amid the war's 620,000 casualties.
Naval mascots included Herman the Cat, an expert mouser on the USS Argus during World War II. Stationed to control rats that spread disease, Herman's service exemplified the Coast Guard's use of felines on Pacific patrols, boosting morale for sailors facing Japanese kamikaze attacks.
Animal workers extended to a South African baboon in the 1880s who assisted disabled railway signalman James Wide at Uitenhage station. Nicknamed Jack, the baboon operated levers accurately for nine years, earning 20 cents a day and proving primate intelligence in colonial infrastructure, following another baboon predecessor.
Century-spanning lives like 107-year-old Bill Lundy's 1955 photo posing with a fighter jet at an airbase raise questions. Claiming Civil War service for the Union, Lundy's age and enlistment—allegedly at 14 in 1861—face debate among historians, with some records unconfirmed, yet his longevity from Minnesota farms to jet age symbolizes American progress.
Social scenes from 1925 show French beaches packed with men in wool suits and women in modest swimsuits, reflecting Roaring Twenties leisure before bikini liberation. Photographed at Deauville or similar Normandy resorts, these images capture pre-Depression frivolity, with sand-clogged attire a minor annoyance compared to emerging fashion shifts.
Inventive vehicles like the Dynasphere, a 10-foot monocycle wheel designed by Dr. J.A. Purves in 1930s England, reached 30 mph on test tracks. Intended for efficient travel, the spherical design proved unstable for passengers, limiting it to prototypes amid the interwar push for alternative transport.
Holidays' creators sometimes soured on their legacies, as Anna M. Jarvis did with Mother's Day. Originating the U.S. observance in 1908 in Grafton, West Virginia, to honor her mother, Jarvis campaigned for its federal recognition in 1914 but later protested its commercialization, leading to her 1948 arrest for disturbing a convention.
The smallest production car, the Peel P50 from the Isle of Man, measured 54 inches long, 41 inches wide, and 47 inches tall when introduced in 1962 by Cyril Cannell. Powered by a 49cc engine for 38 mph top speed, just 50 units sold amid the British mini-car craze, now collector's items.
Space exploration's hazards involved astronaut Joseph P. Allen IV, who in 1984 on STS-51-A repaired a satellite during an extravehicular activity from the Challenger shuttle. Floating 250 miles above Earth, Allen's mission retrieved the Westar 6 and Palapa B-2 payloads, advancing orbital maintenance techniques in the shuttle program's golden age.
Social clubs for the portly, like New York's Fat Men's Club around 1930, required 200-pound minimums for membership. A photograph captions members including A. Rockwitz at 312 pounds, comedian Eddie Cantor at 250, David Burns at 475, and F.C. Kupper at 351, gathering for camaraderie during Prohibition's speakeasy culture.
Beauty industry's tools evolved with Max Factor's 1930s beauty calibrator, a metal frame with adjustable markers to measure facial proportions for makeup application. The Polish immigrant, who founded his Hollywood empire in 1909, used the device on stars like Jean Harlow, standardizing cosmetics amid the Golden Age of cinema.
This compilation not only revives forgotten tales but invites reflection on how history's margins reveal broader human stories. As digital archives democratize access, such collections ensure these figures—from pioneers to performers—endure, potentially inspiring future generations to unearth more hidden narratives.