Marking the end of the “old time” carnival side show performers, Melvin Burkhart, 94, the “Human Blockhead” dies. “No freak was a freak to me,” he said. “They were my friends, and we were all freaks together. I tried to be their shield against the world.” Carnival sideshows, or freak shows, declined sharply in the 1960s as medical science learned how to eliminate or reduce genetically caused deformities and as public attitudes changed, prompting state laws that banned exploiting the disabled. Other factors included development of special effects in movies, television and theme parks that could induce greater thrills than a mere peek at a bearded lady.”
“He taught me how to be a rich man,” said his son, Dennis, a biochemical engineer. “He said a rich man is someone who can make one person smile every day.