In the 1970s, a gripping discovery unfolded on the set of the TV show “The Six Million Dollar Man” – an authentic mummy was found. This mummy was actually Elmer McCurdy, a bandit who met his end in 1911, gunned down by lawmen following a failed train robbery.
After being embalmed and abandoned at an Oklahoma funeral home, his body became a macabre attraction, drawing spectators who paid to witness the eerie display. Claimed falsely by two individuals posing as his brothers, Elmer’s remains embarked on a chilling journey through carnivals and haunted houses. Even film promotions featured his corpse as a spooky prop.
However, fate had a different plan. A fortuitous accident occurred when the show’s art director inadvertently tore off Elmer’s arm while making adjustments on the set. The bone revealed the unsettling truth – this was no mere prop; it was a real human body. This shocking revelation put an end to Elmer’s eerie exploits. He was finally laid to rest in Guthrie, Oklahoma, his body protected by two feet of concrete to ensure eternal peace.
- Elmer McCurdy: America’s Bizarre Sideshow Corpse
- Little Rosalia Lombardo and The Mystery of the Blinking Mummy
Top image: Elmer McCurdy’s mummy would be mistaken for a prop and used on TV. Source: WG Boag / Public Domain.
