ClassX Video Lessons Youtube Channel Biographics Elmer McCurdy: The Wild West Outlaw Who Became a Mummy
Welcome to an intriguing story about Elmer McCurdy, a Wild West outlaw whose journey took an unexpected turn, leading him to become a mummy. Let’s dive into this fascinating tale!
In December 1976, the crew of the popular TV show “The $6 Million Man” was filming at the Pike amusement park in Long Beach, California. They were setting up a scene in a spooky funhouse when something unusual happened. The art director was rearranging props and picked up what seemed to be an old dummy. To everyone’s surprise, when the dummy’s arm broke off, they discovered it was actually a mummy!
The police were called, and the mummy was sent to the Los Angeles County coroner’s office. It turned out that the mummy had been through a lot over the years, with many injuries and weighing only about 50 pounds. The cause of death was likely a bullet from the early 1900s. After a week of investigation, detectives identified the mummy as Elmer McCurdy, a criminal from the early 20th century.
Elmer McCurdy was born in 1880 in Bangor, Maine. He had a complicated family situation and was raised by his uncle and aunt, who he later discovered were actually his parents. As a teenager, Elmer ran away from home and traveled around, working as a plumber and miner. Unfortunately, he struggled with alcoholism, which made it hard for him to keep jobs.
In 1907, Elmer joined the Army, where he served for three years before being honorably discharged. After leaving the military, he moved to Kansas and got involved in criminal activities. In 1911, he attempted to rob a train in Oklahoma but failed due to his poor skills with explosives. This led to a series of failed heists and eventually a shootout with the law, where Elmer was killed.
After his death, Elmer’s body was embalmed and became a sideshow attraction known as the “Mummy Bandit.” Over the years, he was displayed in various exhibits until he ended up in the funhouse where he was discovered by the TV crew.
In February 1977, Elmer McCurdy’s journey finally came to an end when he was buried in Summit View Cemetery, next to another infamous outlaw. His story remains a curious piece of Wild West history.
We hope you found this story both educational and entertaining. If you enjoyed learning about Elmer McCurdy, feel free to explore more fascinating historical tales!
Using the information from the article, create a timeline that outlines the key events in Elmer McCurdy’s life. Include his birth, major life events, criminal activities, and eventual discovery as a mummy. This will help you understand the sequence of events and how they contributed to his unique story.
In groups, reenact the scene where the TV crew discovers Elmer McCurdy’s mummy in the amusement park. Assign roles such as the art director, crew members, and police officers. This activity will help you engage with the story and understand the reactions and emotions of those involved in the discovery.
Conduct a research project on the Wild West era, focusing on the lifestyle, common crimes, and law enforcement of the time. Present your findings to the class, highlighting how Elmer McCurdy’s story fits into the broader context of this historical period.
Imagine you are Elmer McCurdy and write a diary entry describing a day in your life during one of the key events mentioned in the article. This creative writing exercise will help you empathize with Elmer’s experiences and challenges.
Participate in a class debate discussing whether Elmer McCurdy’s life should be viewed as tragic or fascinating. Use evidence from the article and your own research to support your arguments. This will help you develop critical thinking and public speaking skills.
Sure! Here’s a sanitized version of the YouTube transcript:
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Hello and welcome to another episode of Biographics. I’m your interim host, KY Small. This is my stuffed anteater named Snoot, and today we’re talking about Elmer McCurdy, the Wild West outlaw who became a mummy. All videos on this channel are based on scripts, with this one written by Radu Alexander. You can find their social media links below if you’re interested.
Speaking of which, I’ve also been instructed by my higher-ups to say the words: like, comment, subscribe. Research shows that mentioning this can increase engagement, which is quite interesting. If you enjoy the videos and want to interact or see more, you would naturally like, comment, and subscribe, but I have to say it anyway.
Now, let’s get to it. In the lead-up to Christmas of 1976, the cast and crew of the hit television show “The $6 Million Man” were in Long Beach, California, shooting an episode at the Pike amusement park. One scene involved a shootout in a funhouse between the bionic hero of the show and an evil German spy. The art director wanted to create a spookier atmosphere and began rearranging props, including an old spray-painted dummy with a noose around its head.
For the previous four years, this dummy had been hidden away in a dark corner, swinging from the gallows, barely noticed by the passing guests. When the art director picked up the dummy, one of its arms snapped off. Upon closer inspection, he discovered that the dummy wasn’t a dummy at all but a mummy.
This might sound like an urban legend, but it’s absolutely true. The police were called in, and the discovery was initially treated as a possible prank. Things only got weirder as the body made its way to the Los Angeles County coroner’s office. It had sustained numerous injuries and mistreatments over the years, and it had shriveled down to a lean 50 pounds. The cause of death was likely a copper-jacketed bullet still lodged in its chest, dating back to the early 20th century.
After about a week of unusual leads and bizarre questions, detectives uncovered the true identity of the body: he was Elmer McCurdy, a turn-of-the-century criminal who was killed in a shootout with the law after robbing a train in 1911. But how did a Wild West outlaw get mummified and end up as a prop in an amusement park funhouse?
To explain that, we need to start from the beginning. Elmer’s story is quite amusing, as he was more of an inept criminal than a classic outlaw. We don’t have a lot of information about his early life, mainly his military records and bits historians have been able to piece together. According to his army documents, Elmer was born in Bangor, Maine, in 1880. Due to circumstances surrounding his birth, he was adopted and raised by his uncle George McCurdy and his wife.
George became a doctor but died from tuberculosis in 1890. Afterward, Elmer’s mother moved in briefly to help raise him. It was only around this time that Elmer discovered that his aunt was actually his mother, which he initially took well. However, as he entered his teenage years, he grew resentful of her for keeping the secret and eventually ran away from home.
Elmer drifted from state to state, applying his trade as a plumber and sometimes as a miner. He often went by the name Frank E. Curtis, possibly to avoid trouble with the law or discrimination. Unfortunately, he also descended into alcoholism, which affected his ability to keep jobs.
In November 1907, Elmer enlisted in the Army. His time in the military was relatively uneventful, except for a misspelling of his name on enlistment papers. After serving three years, he received an honorable discharge in 1910.
After his discharge, Elmer moved to St. Joseph, Kansas, where he met a friend from the Army. They were arrested for carrying burglar tools, but Elmer was found not guilty. In January 1911, he teamed up with a hardened criminal named Walter Jarrett, and they robbed a train near Lenora, Oklahoma.
Elmer’s lack of precision with nitroglycerin led to a chaotic robbery, and he ended up with only a fraction of the intended loot. After a series of failed heists and a shootout with law enforcement, Elmer was killed.
Following his death, his body was embalmed and eventually exhibited as a curiosity, dubbed the “Mummy Bandit.” Over the years, Elmer was passed around various sideshows and exhibits until he ended up in a funhouse, where he remained until his discovery by the crew of “The $6 Million Man.”
In February 1977, Elmer’s journey came to an end when he was buried in Summit View Cemetery next to another notorious outlaw.
I hope you found this video educational and entertaining. If you enjoyed it, please leave a like or a comment with feedback or suggestions for future topics. Subscribe for more content like this, and as always, have the day you deserve!
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This version maintains the essence of the original transcript while removing any informal language and ensuring clarity.
Elmer – A given name, often used in historical contexts to refer to specific individuals. – Elmer was a common name in the early 20th century, often found in historical records of that time.
McCurdy – A surname that may be associated with historical figures or families. – The McCurdy family played a significant role in the local history of the town.
Mummy – A preserved body, often wrapped in cloth, from ancient civilizations, especially Egypt. – The museum displayed a mummy from ancient Egypt, showing how people were preserved thousands of years ago.
Outlaw – A person who has broken the law and is hiding or running from authorities. – Jesse James was a famous outlaw in American history, known for his bank robberies.
History – The study of past events, particularly in human affairs. – In history class, we learned about the causes and effects of the American Revolution.
Criminal – A person who has committed a crime. – The criminal was captured and brought to justice after a long investigation.
Army – An organized military force equipped for fighting on land. – The Roman army was one of the most powerful military forces in ancient history.
Alcohol – A substance found in drinks like beer and wine, often discussed in historical contexts regarding its impact on society. – During Prohibition in the 1920s, the sale of alcohol was banned in the United States.
Exhibit – A public display of items of historical, cultural, or artistic interest. – The history museum’s new exhibit features artifacts from the Civil War.
Cemetery – A place where the dead are buried, often of historical significance. – The old cemetery in town has graves dating back to the 1800s, offering a glimpse into the past.
