OUR BENEFACTORS
THE BALLYHOO
CONGRESS OF THE ODD
THE ALLIGATOR-SKINNED TWINS
Esther Parnell was born in Kenly, North Carolina on March 5th, 1926. She was one of six children and while her sister and three of her brothers were born with perfectly average skin, Esther and her brother William were afflicted with ichthyosis.
There are several forms of ichthyosis, a rare skin condition that derives its name from the Greek word for fish, but the siblings were particularly scaly and were quickly compared to the alligators found hunting in the Carolinas. Besides creating extremely dry and cracked skin, serious ichthyosis also impedes hair growth. As a result both siblings were made miserable due to sparse hair. Esther, especially, was devoid of a full head of hair and eyelashes. The hairless and scales furthered the unusual appearance of the siblings and the two alligator-skinned marvels began their exhibition career.
William was commonly known as Aloa the Alligator Boy and Esther was known as Alice. Together, they were often billed as ‘The Alligator-Skinned Twins’, despite not being actual twins. In fact, much of their promotion material harkened back to Barnum-like tall tales. According to one of their pamphlets, their appearance was due to their mother being frightened by an alligator while pregnant with ‘the twins’. In another, despite being twins, the pair were of different ages. Sometimes their first names or surnames were altered, sometimes they were orphans and sometimes the pair ‘baffled medical science’ with their condition. Together, the siblings travelled almost exclusively within the United States with West’s World Shows, Endy Bros. Shows, Cetlin-Wilson Shows, Royal American Shows and Clyde Beatty’s Circus Sideshow.
By all accounts, William was a good man who happened to drink too much. He eventually fell into alcoholism and his addiction shortened his life substantially. He passed away in 1959.
Esther, on the other hand, flourished with her charming smile and enchanting personality fascinating all who met her. She married Thomas Blackmon at the age of twenty-two and would come to be best known as The World’s Strangest Mother in 1948 when she gave birth to her first child. In total, Esther gave birth to seven children. All were born healthy and with perfect skin.
Professionally, Esther became a member of the Greater Tampa Showmen’s Association and was officially involved in show business for 56 years. In addition to exhibition, she was also featured briefly in two movies. In 1973, Esther appeared opposite Dr. Who’s Tom Barker in ‘The Mutations’, also known as ‘The Freakmaker‘ and later she appeared in ‘The Sentinel‘ in 1977 with fellow marvels Bill Durks and Robert Melvin.
When Esther Blackmon passed away on August 24 in 2003 she left behind seven children, 16 grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.
She passed away only twelve days after her beloved husband and is sorely missed by her beloved family.
image: Esther Blackmon, Author’s collection
© 2008 – 2012, J Tithonus Pednaud. All rights reserved.
RECOMMENDED READING
American Sideshow: An Encyclopedia
Freak Show: Presenting Human Oddities for Amusement and Profit
Sideshow U.S.A.: Freaks and the American Cultural Imagination
Freaks, Geeks, and Strange Girls
Pickled Punks & Girlie Shows: A Life Spent on the Midways of America
The Lives and Loves of Daisy and Violet Hilton: A True Story of Conjoined Twins
The Circus Age: Culture and Society under the American Big Top
Freakery: Cultural Spectacles of the Extraordinary Body
James Taylor's Shocked and Amazed: On & Off the Midway
THE AUTHOR
J Tithonus Pednaud has dedicated this site to highlighting the remarkable lives of those born exceedingly different. These so-called freaks and human oddities stand as uplifting testaments to human spirit and serve as inspiring examples of human tenacity.
14 Responses to “THE ALLIGATOR-SKINNED TWINS”
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what a vivacious expression this woman has, full of self-awareness and irony. Someone you would like to meet.
Without a doubt, she was certainly a tough cookie at peace with the hand fate dealt her.
It says that Esther was born in 1926 and had her first child in 1928. I’m assuming that’s a typo?
I adore your blog, j. You bring so much compassion and truth to the lives of so many fascinating people.
Good catch, thank you very much!
I love how you bring the human side of these amazing people to life. I check your site daily and am so excited when I see a new person to get to know and admire.
My mother was also an alligator girl on the carnivals and circus circuts. She was a wonderful loving mother who had a very trying life.Being labeled a freak for most of your life was very trying. I know she is a angel now.
Someone who is dearly missed. She has left a lasting impact of love with her legacy.
JoAnn
I am Child #3 of Esther “The alligator-skinned Girl.” Mom actually had 7 children. Number 7 was borned in 1966 and still lives in our parents home in Virginia. Also, the information on Uncle Buck and Mom’s education is incorrect. Infact, the state of North Carolina had refused to educate them in 1932. The difficulties my Mother and Uncle encountered during their lifetime is more than any human-being should have to be confronted with; but my mother was a very positive person and always faced each problem, one day at a time. She is the my hero and I miss her every day. Child # 3
I wish to thank you most sincerely for taking the time to read and respond to this article and for providing information regarding your remarkable mother.
I will amend the article as soon as possible to reflect the details you provided. Please contact me personally at tithonus@thehumanmarvels.com if you have any further light to shed on Esther.
Not only is the layout of your blog very in keeping with the information, you are a record keeper of an era when not much was written.
The fact that two others have responded to your post about Esther and her brother only add to your cred.
I will be coming back to visit regularly.,
Out of interest, i wonder how her skin stretched when she had a baby? It must have been very painful for her, and is a credit to her bravery to do it so many times. She is obviously a very courageous woman how must have loved her children deeply
Doctor Who’s 4th Doctor was Tom Baker (not Barker). I just discovered this site today and have spent about four hours looking through it – fascinating.
William was my father. He died in 1951 not 1959 of pneumonia after being drunk for several days.
I found your site yesterday and have been unable to stop reading. These people are amazing how they take control of their lives and make people happy, giving entertainment and giving us people in difficult situations we can look up to. I don’t think we today look at ‘freak’ shows for what they were. Today we would put them on disability and tell them what they can’t do, instead these people got out there and showed us what they can!
do u have the movies of mrs blackmon im am her grandson