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Frances O'Connor
Frances O'Connor
postcard, 5.5 x 3.5 inches, circa 1940
photographer: unknown
Frances Belle O'Connor, the Living Venus de Milo, was born without arms in 1914 in Minnesota. Over the course of
her long show career, O'Connor worked for the Al G. Barnes, Cole Brothers, and Sells-Floto circuses; but
O'Connor is perhaps best remembered for having appeared with several other top acts of the day in
Tod Browning's infamous film, Freaks (1932).
O'Connor was able to use her lower limbs to perform the functions most usually assigned to arms.
She was remarkably agile with her feet, and would happily sign autographs (as in the example below) or
demonstrate how she drank her coffee or smoked a cigarette. The most startling part of her act was when Frances would
demonstrate her talent with firearms.
Frances O'Connor died in Long Beach, California in 1982.
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All Images and Text © James G. Mundie 2005 - 2010
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