Melvin Burkhart

{{short description|American sideshow performer}} {{Infobox artist | honorific_prefix = | name = Melvin Burkhart | honorific_suffix = | image =  | image_size = | alt = | caption = | native_name = | native_name_lang = | birth_name = Clarence Melvin Burkhart | birth_date = {{Birth date|1907|02|16}} | birth_place = Atlanta, Georgia | death_date = {{Death date and age|2001|11|08|1907|02|16}} | death_place = Sun City, Florida | resting_place = | resting_place_coordinates =  | nationality = | education = | alma_mater = | known_for = | notable_works = | style = | movement = | spouse = | awards =  | elected = | patrons = | memorials = | website =  | module = }}

'''Clarence Melvin Burkhart''' (1907–2001) was a sideshow performer known as the Human Blockhead for driving a large steel spike up his nose with a hammer. He was also known as Melvin the Two-Faced Man, due to his ability to wear different facial expressions on the two sides of his face, and as Melvin the Anatomical Wonder for his abilities as a contortionist. His act also included magic, sword swallowing, fire eating, and an electric chair.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Gilbert |first=Elizabeth |date=2001-12-30 |title=THE LIVES THEY LIVED: MELVIN BURKHART, B. 1907; Life as a Blockhead |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2001/12/30/magazine/the-lives-they-lived-melvin-burkhart-b-1907-life-as-a-blockhead.html |access-date=2023-02-03 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref>

== Biography == alt=Sideshow performers of Strates Shows, with Melvin Burkhart pictured (back row, third from left, holding his swallowing swords).|thumb|Sideshow performers of Strates Shows, with Melvin Burkhart pictured (back row, third from left, holding his swallowing swords). Clarence Melvin Burkhart was born in Atlanta on February 16, 1907, and grew up in several places throughout the southern US, principally New Orleans. He dropped out of school in his early teens and moved to Louisville, Kentucky where he worked as a field hand by day and in burlesque halls by night.

At the age of 20, he joined a small one-ring circus, Mr. Leroy Easter's Traveling Family Circus, as a contortionist. In 1934, he joined Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus performing five acts. In 1939, he went to New York to perform at Robert Ripley's Odditorium in New York City, before returning to work with Ringling Brothers.<ref name="nickell" />{{rp|177}} Later, he joined the James E. Strates Shows, emceeing the sideshow and providing the majority of acts. He stayed with Strates Shows for over 30 years before moving to Coney Island USA’s Sideshow by the Seashore where he finished his career.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2001/11/18/nyregion/melvin-burkhart-human-blockhead-in-vanishing-sideshow-culture-dies-at-94.html|title=Melvin Burkhart, 'Human Blockhead' in Vanishing Sideshow Culture, Dies at 94|first=Douglas|last=Martin|newspaper=The New York Times|date=November 18, 2001}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.sideshowworld.com/13-TGOD/2007/tgodRMmelvin_P1.html|title=Sideshow World, Capt.Harvey Lee Boswell,Sideshow Performers from around the world.|website=www.sideshowworld.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2001-nov-14-me-4044-story.html|title=Melvin Burkhart, 94; Carnival Sideshow Performer Known as 'Human Blockhead'|date=November 14, 2001|website=Los Angeles Times}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.magictimes.com/archives/2001/2001-11-16-spotlight.htm |title=Magic Times Spotlight News - 11/16/2001 |website=www.magictimes.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060514090737/http://www.magictimes.com/archives/2001/2001-11-16-spotlight.htm |archive-date=2006-05-14}} </ref>

Burkhart performed a variety of acts, including a human blockhead routine, magic tricks, an electric chair illusion, and a snake-wrestling show.<ref name="nickell">{{Cite book |last=Nickell |first=Joe |title=Secrets of the sideshows |date=2005 |publisher=University Press of Kentucky |isbn=0-8131-7179-2 |location=Lexington, Ky. |oclc=65377460|author-link=Joe Nickell}}</ref>{{rp|176}} He was also able to suck in his abdomen to an extreme degree, becoming known as the "Man Without a Stomach".<ref name="nickell" />{{rp|176-177}}

In 1999 he appeared in the American documentary film ''Sideshow: Alive on the Inside''.<ref>{{Citation |last=Dougherty |first=Lynn |title=Sideshow: Alive on the Inside |type=Documentary |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1934391/ |access-date=2025-05-23 |others=Percilla Bejano, Ronnie Galyon, Donnie Galyon}}</ref>

== Legacy == In 2007, Burkhart was inducted into the Coney Island Sideshow Hall of Fame.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Sideshow Hall of Fame |url=https://www.coneyisland.com/sideshow-hall-of-fame |access-date=2025-05-23 |website=Coney Island USA |language=en-US}}</ref>

== References == {{Reflist}}

== Further reading == * [http://coneyislandtodd.blogspot.com/2009/01/melvin-burkhart.html Confessions of a Glass Eater: Melvin Burkhart] * [http://www.thehumanmarvels.com/melvin-burkhart-the-anatomical-wonder/ MELVIN BURKHART - The Anatomical Wonder]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Burkhart, Melvin}} Category:1907 births Category:2001 deaths Category:American performance artists Category:Sideshow performers Category:Contortionists

{{US-artist-stub}} Category:Sword swallowers