Category:
1930s

Okay-Doke!

This was a great moment in American law. From the New York Times - Feb 7, 1935:

Posted By: Alex - Wed Jun 11, 2014 - Comments (6)
Category: Law, Judges, 1930s

The Secret Museum of Mankind

image

What did you receive if you answered this ad and paid their fee?

Five books of odd photos. All now digitized and awaiting your perusal here.

Posted By: Paul - Wed Jun 11, 2014 - Comments (8)
Category: Ethnic Groupings, Freaks, Oddities, Quirks of Nature, Books, 1930s

Crucified himself to win her heart back

This guy would have qualified as someone whose love life is worse than yours (to paraphrase Chuck's term). I wonder how many years of counseling the son needed after this.

From the LA Times - Jun 2, 1935.

Posted By: Alex - Sat Jun 07, 2014 - Comments (4)
Category: 1930s

Occult Betty Boop





Betty gets the better of two supernatural threats.

More on the second film here.

Posted By: Paul - Fri May 30, 2014 - Comments (3)
Category: Horror, Music, Surrealism, Sex Symbols, Cartoons, 1930s

Rat Roulette

Based on the description, it doesn't sound like this was particularly cruel to the rat, though perhaps slightly stressful for it. Apparently the Humane Society got custody of the rat once the game was closed down.


Source: Santa Cruz Evening News - Jun 15, 1939

Posted By: Alex - Thu May 29, 2014 - Comments (16)
Category: Animals, Sports, 1930s, Gambling, Casinos, Lotteries and Other Games of Chance

Nonesuch, the Cat-Dog


In 1937, the Journal of Heredity (vol 28, no. 3). published an article about an unusual kitten that looked very much like a dog. The kitten was called "Nonesuch."

this little animal — now about two months old — is about the queerest looking creature one could hope to set eyes upon. Its face is that of a black, white, and yellow spotted dog. Its ears are quite long and sharp-pointed. It has the short whiskers of a puppy. The hind legs are amusingly bowed. It has a stub tail. What makes the nonesuch even more unusual appearing is the short smooth dog hair all over its cat-like body.

From the very moment of its birth, which was about twelve hours after the rest of the litter, the nonesuch was surprisingly independent in its actions. It was born with its eyes open, and was able to crawl a little — two characteristics quite unknown to new-born kittens.

The nonesuch acts both like a cat and a dog. While it makes a noise like a cat, it sniffs its food like a dog. Nothing delights the nonesuch more than gnawing a bone in a very dog-like manner.

However, although Nonesuch looked like a dog, she was definitely a cat, which she proved by giving birth to a litter of kittens a year later.

Posted By: Alex - Tue May 13, 2014 - Comments (6)
Category: Animals, Cats, Dogs, 1930s

Uncle Tom and Little Eva



Not a single stereotype about African-Americans left unexplored!

Posted By: Paul - Sun May 11, 2014 - Comments (2)
Category: Ethnic Groupings, Racism, Regionalism, Stereotypes and Cliches, Cartoons, 1930s

Arthur Gehrke, the Human Hibernator


Arthur "Turkey" Gehrke of Watertown, Wis., had an odd habit. Every November he would go to bed and stay there until the following April. He told the press, "I hibernate and don't get into trouble; while I may miss some fun, I also miss a lot of disagreeable things." He also said, "If more folks went to bed all winter, there wouldn't be so much trouble and confusion in the world."

Strangely, his business didn't suffer because of his sleep habits. He owned a bar, the Turkey's Roost. He hired a temporary bartender to replace him during his hibernation, and the publicity because of his hibernating actually attracted extra business.

Gehrke began his habit of hibernating in 1913 and continued it until his death in 1942.

Here's some sources where you can read more about him: The Milwaukee Journal - Sep 29, 1935, Watertown History, and the Wisconsin State Journal.

Posted By: Alex - Wed May 07, 2014 - Comments (7)
Category: Eccentrics, Sleep and Dreams, 1930s

Beetle Game

image

I want to see Hasbro or Mattel market this game today.

Original article here.

Posted By: Paul - Thu Apr 24, 2014 - Comments (6)
Category: Games, Insects and Spiders, 1930s

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Alex Boese
Alex is the creator and curator of the Museum of Hoaxes. He's also the author of various weird, non-fiction, science-themed books such as Elephants on Acid and Psychedelic Apes.

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Paul has been paid to put weird ideas into fictional form for over thirty years, in his career as a noted science fiction writer. He has recently begun blogging on many curious topics with three fellow writers at The Inferior 4+1.

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