Martin Laurello
postcard, 5.5 x 3.5 inches, circa 1938; signed on reverse in blue ink "M. Laurello"
photographer: unknown
Martin Laurello was known for his unusual ability to turn his head nearly 360 degrees. He was described here as:
THE UNCOMPARABLE MARTIN LAURELLO
Only MAN in the WORLD who can TURN his HEAD from the FRONT to the BACK.
Like Betty Lou Williams and Frieda Pushnik,
Martin Laurello was among the attractions at Robert Ripley's very first Believe-It-Or-Not Odditorium at
the 1933-34 Chicago World's Fair. Though Laurello may have been a bit of
one-trick-pony (but what a trick!), Ripley enthusiastically hyped Laurello's act, saying he
"Turns His Head Completely Backward on His Shoulders." If nothing else, it certainly unsettled his audience.
Despite whatever respect they may have had for his performance skills, fellow troupers were not
always eager to spend time with Martin Laurello. Most notably, Percilla "the Monkey-Girl" Bejano
once described Laurello as a "Nazi" and an extremely unpleasant man.
Laurello continued to work with Ripley for many years. He also appeared with the Ringling Brothers Barnum and Bailey Circus's "Congress of Freaks" for many seasons.
