new thread
Has anyone seen this? It is vintage footage of a circus strong man fron 1936. I just thought it would be cool to post this.
In case the link does not work, you can copy and paste this.
Scott
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ilNL0H9GdwE
Thanks for bringing it to our attention. But to answer your question, no I hadn't seen that before.
Daniel
Hi Scott,
Until I either get a brand new computer or at least successfully am able to "update" my current "browser", YouTube refuses to let me go to their site.
When it comes to computers, just think of me as dyslexic, obstinate, and retarded all rolled into one.
I'm amazed that MLHH even allows me to post here!
- Ken
Hi Ken,
I've included a link to the download page for the latest version of Firefox (an internet browsing software). Just click on the "Free Download" button, then choose Save File when the window pops up. Wait for it to download, then run the file and follow the instructions. I hope that helps, let me know if you get stuck! :)
Ben
http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/upgrade.html
The man in the video is Joseph Greenstein, a.k.a., The Mighty Atom, one of the greatest vaudeville strongmen of all time. He grew his hair long both to make himself visually "stand out" in a crowd, and also as a symbol of his own, inner power, likening himself to the biblical Samson. Other of his "hairy" feats included pulling a fire engine (with, I believe, 18 firemen aboard) up a hill with his braid, holding back an airplane from take-off with his braid (a feat during which another man was literally decapitated trying to emulate), and being suspended by his braid from the bottom of an airplane in flight. The Mighty Atom built up what called his "scalp muscles" gradually, over time; doctors later determined that he developed was actually a mass of thick, fibrous scar tissue on top of his head, allowing him to accomplish these incredible feats.
Oh, and he really was STRONG. Standing about 5 feet, 7 inches tall, and weighing about 140 pounds, the Atom could, among other things, tear horseshoes in half with his bare hands.
Hope everyone's doing well out there in MLHH-land!
Best regards,
Validus
When Joe Greenstein was in his 80s, he was interviewed by a local New York news station. The neighborhood he had lived in most of his life had really gone downhill, and crime was rampant. He actually kept a desk drawer full of momentoes, things he had taken from criminals who had to make a victim of him. When the interviewer asked why he kept such a long beard (which was completely white by then), he replied that his reason was partly religious (he was Jewish), and partly as a way to tempt the criminals to attack him instead of other old folks in the neighborhood. I'm not quoting exactly here, but he said something like, "The other old ones can't defend themselves, so I wear the beard as a way to tempt the criminals to attack me. Let them pull my hair. Let them pull my beard. I'll pull their arms off."
Above is a picture of The Mighty Atom, in his 80s, driving a nail with his hand through several layers of sheet metal and two inches of lumber. His hair is actually long in the picture, but tied up.
"... a desk drawer full of momentoes, things he had taken from criminals who had TRIED to make a victim of him."
Cool Video Scott and great additional info from our friend Val:)The internet is amazing as I never even knew about this guy.
Mark
For more information about Joseph L. Greenstein, aka The Mighty Atom, visit:
http://www.oldtimestrongman.com/strongmen/the_mighty_atom.html
P.S.--I was mistaken in my post, below. The Atom was 5'5", not 5'7".
The Mighty Atom