Arthur “Artie” Atherton (born Charles Arthur Moll; January 30, 1890 – May 31, 1920) was an American entertainer, showman and circus sideshow performer during the early 20th century, who was billed as “the living human skeleton” or “skeleton dude”. He joined the Barnum & Bailey Circus in 1909, and took the stage name of Artie Atherton, working alongside many others like him with disabilities and unique physical traits, who were subject to mockery. He also worked as a reporter for a Chicago newspaper during the circus off-season.[10] Atherton initially worked as a barker for Barnum & Bailey’s traveling circus, which the company billed as “The Greatest Show on Earth”. In the circus he acquired fame performing as a solo act, as well as in a group. He was styled by Barnum & Bailey as “The Skeleton Dude”, a derivative replacement act emulating John “James W.” Coffey (1852–1912), the elegant “Ohio Skeleton”, which for 12 years made him a popular cultural icon. Atherton was routinely given prominence in regional newspapers as a top headline act, aimed at enticing interest in advance of the arrival of the traveling circus. Children at the time were encouraged by their parents to enjoy such entertainment, which contemporaries would now consider to be unacceptable behaviour when vulnerable people with rare physical traits are subject to commercial exploitation and public ridicule. His living skeleton act proved to be continuously successful in the Barnum & Bailey traveling circus, and it was mimicked by numerous other living skeleton protégés such as Peter Robinson and Eddie Masher. He also worked for a period at Dreamland Circus sideshow on Coney Island.
Alias Skeleton Dude, The Living Human Skeleton, Human Skeleton, The Living Skeleton, The Thinest Man in the World, Transparent Man
Real Names/Alt Names Arthur “Artie” Atherton, Charles Arthur Moll
First Appearance Historical figure (b. 1890 – d. 1920)
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Appearance List ○
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Description Arthur “Artie” Atherton (born Charles Arthur Moll; January 30, 1890 – May 31, 1920) was an American entertainer, showman and circus sideshow performer during the early 20th century, who was billed as “the living human skeleton” or “skeleton dude”. He joined the Barnum & Bailey Circus in 1909, and took the stage name of Artie Atherton, working alongside many others like him with disabilities and unique physical traits, who were subject to mockery. He also worked as a reporter for a Chicago newspaper during the circus off-season.[10] Atherton initially worked as a barker for Barnum & Bailey’s traveling circus, which the company billed as “The Greatest Show on Earth”. In the circus he acquired fame performing as a solo act, as well as in a group. He was styled by Barnum & Bailey as “The Skeleton Dude”, a derivative replacement act emulating John “James W.” Coffey (1852–1912), the elegant “Ohio Skeleton”, which for 12 years made him a popular cultural icon. Atherton was routinely given prominence in regional newspapers as a top headline act, aimed at enticing interest in advance of the arrival of the traveling circus. Children at the time were encouraged by their parents to enjoy such entertainment, which contemporaries would now consider to be unacceptable behaviour when vulnerable people with rare physical traits are subject to commercial exploitation and public ridicule. His living skeleton act proved to be continuously successful in the Barnum & Bailey traveling circus, and it was mimicked by numerous other living skeleton protégés such as Peter Robinson and Eddie Masher. He also worked for a period at Dreamland Circus sideshow on Coney Island.
