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, following their education at St. Mary’s College in Raleigh, 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 six 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 six children, 16 grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.

She passed away only twelve days after her beloved husband.

image: Esther Blackmon, Author's collection

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Ralph Albert Krooner was born in Montpelier, Vermont in 1888 and he owed much of his fictitious and show-worthy back story to the long-discredited medical theory of maternal impression.

The theory of maternal impression was once a popular phenomenon that attempted to explain the existence of birth defects and congenital disorders. The theory stated that an emotional stimulus experienced by a pregnant woman could influence the development of the fetus. According to Ralph, his pregnant mother was traumatized by a stampeding group of elephants. The rampaging circus elephants allegedly killed five men, and injured twenty-one. Ralph's mother purportedly witnessed the carnage and was so affected by the episode that, four month later, her son was born into the world with an elephantine hide rather than supple skin.

The entire story is, of course, a complete fabrication and taken almost verbatim from the promotions associated with Joseph Merrick. When Ralph was born, Merrick was already living in London hospital and had left his career as an exhibit far behind. Sir Frederick Treves, physician and friend to Merrick, published his book The Elephant Man and other Reminiscences in 1923, which is around the time Ralph began his 30 year career exhibiting himself in carnival sideshows.

Ralph's condition was unique during his time and was certainly not the ichthyosis (alligator skin) that many other strange-skinned performers had. Until fairly recently his condition was a complete mystery but recent events, like this one in Eastern Europe, have shed some possible light on his affliction.

Most recently an Indonesian fisherman named Dede has come to public attention. He has, what appears to be, a much more serious version of Ralph’s condition likely made much worse by decades of medical neglect.

The cause of Dede’s tree-like appearance was discovered by Dr Gaspari of the University of Maryland. Medically he has little more than the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV), a fairly common infection that usually causes small warts to develop on sufferers. However Dede also has a rare genetic fault that impedes his immune system, meaning his body is unable to contain the warts.

It is quite possible that Ralph possessed a similar genetic impediment, but was able to keep his condition in check with routine soakings, filings and treatment.

The eventual fate of Ralph is currently unknown however a Ralph Albert Krooner passed away in Tampa, Florida in 1952.

image: courtesy of Quasi-Modo.net
video courtesy of Telegraph

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