Frank "Cannonball" Richards
- Frank "Cannonball" Richards
-
Frank "Cannonball" Richards (Feb. 20, 1887-Feb. 7, 1969) was a carnival and vaudeville performer whose act involved taking heavy blows to his belly.
Richards began by letting people (including heavyweight champion Jack Dempsey) punch him in the gut. He then progressed to letting people jump on his belly, being struck by a two-by-four, being struck by a sledgehammer, and finally being shot by a 104-lb. cannonball from a spring-loaded 12 ft. cannon.[1] Richards limited his cannonball act to twice per day, as performing it more often was too painful.
A short clip of Richards performing his cannonball trick has become a well known piece of stock footage and well known in popular culture. Some notable uses of the clip include appearing in the cartoon television show Freakazoid!, to films like the 1977 documentary, Gizmo!, a parody in the "Homerpalooza" episode of The Simpsons, and a still image from the clip was used for the cover of the album Van Halen III.
References
- ^ Wallechinsky, David (1978). The People's Almanac Presents the Book of Lists. New York: Bantam Doubleday Dell. p. 351. ISBN 0553111507. With photo.
External links
| Persondata |
| Name |
Richards, Frank |
| Alternative names |
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| Short description |
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| Date of birth |
1887 |
| Place of birth |
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| Date of death |
1969 |
| Place of death |
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Categories:
- Sideshow performers
- Vaudeville performers
- 1887 births
- 1969 deaths
- American entertainer stubs
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