Freaks

Ben Mankiewicz introduces Freaks, 1932.

Ben Mankiewicz introduces Freaks, 1932.

Ben Mankiewicz introduces Freaks, 1932.

Hans (Harry Earles) and pals (Johnny Eck, Jerry Austin, Angelo Rossitto) finally catch Cleopatra (Olga Baclanova) poisoning him, as her man Hercules (Henry Victor) attacks Venus (Leila Hyams) then is challenged by Phroso (Wallace Ford), but made to pay by the whole crew, in Tod Browning's Freaks, 1932.

Director Tod Browning's famous scene, "Half Boy" Johnny Eck leading cohorts, mocking Cleopatra (Olga Baclanova) at her sham wedding to clueless Hans (Harry Earles), his jilted Daisy (Earles) dejected, her real boyfriend, strong-man Hercules (Henry Victor) being dumb, in Freaks, 1932.

In the sometimes forgotten prologue, the barker (Murray Kinnell) lures spectators, then director Tod Browning introduces Hans and Freida (Harry and Daisy Earles) and the already evil-seeming "Cleopatra" (Olga Balaclova), in the eventually influential box-office flop Freaks, 1932.

Actors Robert David Hall, Danny Woodburn, Kurt Yaeger and Marlee Matlin are featured in this discussion on stereotyping of disabled people in the movies, part of TCM's October programming The Projected Image: Disability In Film, Wednesday evenings throughout the month.

Performers Angelo (Rossitto) and Martha Morris chat, Rollo brother (Matt McHugh) visits "torso" Rairdon, Phroso (Wallace Ford) with Schlitze, Zip and Pip, then Koo Koo with Frances O'Connor, and Hans (Harry Earles) trampled by Cleopatra (Olga Baclanova), director Tod Browning exhibiting, in Freaks, 1932.

An early scene at the circus, "Siamese" twins Daisy and Violet (Hilton) with clown Phroso (Wallace Ford), groom Roscoe (Ates), then nasty Cleopatra (Olga Baclanova) with thug Hercules (Henry Victor), together abusing half-woman-half-man Josephine Joseph, in Tod Browning's Freaks, 1932.