Joseph Merrick

Joseph Merrick, often called John or the Elephant Man, was a 19th century performer renowned for his physical deformities.

Biography
Merrick was born in 1862. Due to early 20th century belief in the theory of maternal impression, it was widely thought that his appearance was caused by an elephant who had startled his mother during her pregnancy.

In his childhood, he was friends with Fu Manchu's son, who gave him the nickname "John" after an elephant they knew. Merrick later became famous as a freak show performer; (PROSE: The Beasthouse) at one point while touring northern England in Diodati's Circus, he ran away with Brenda. (PROSE: Fellowship of Ink)

After time travel technology became widely available in the form of Dr Barnardo's Patented Chrono-Ambulatory Tunnel, Merrick became a regular guest on 1970s talk shows, such as Blue Peter, where he caused John Noakes to slip on the wet floor, and Parkinson, where he reunited with Fu Manchu's son and, after becoming irritated by Johnny Morris, stabbed the host in the face.

In the 1980s Merrick became an environmentalist activist against the ivory trade. In 1983 he underwent plastic surgery to graft an trunk onto his face. He died in 1890 of a cocaine overdose during a photoshoot for GQ magazine. (PROSE: The Beasthouse)

Behind the scenes
Joseph Merrick was played by John Hurt in the 1980 film. The cover of The Land of the Dead shows an adapted image of Joseph's skull.