The Killer Lobster Boy Who was Hated By the Masses
The bizarre life of Grady Stiles
Grady Franklin Stiles Jr. was born in Pittsburgh in 1937. He performed in freak shows all across America. His stage name was Lobster Boy because of the genetic deformity he had which caused the fusion of his fingers and toes into claw-like appendages.
The genetic condition is known as ectrodactyly and for generations this condition afflicted the Stiles family.
The Stiles family managed to turn the lemons life had thrown at them into lemonade, because although ectrodactyly is a handicap, the Stiles family turned it into a money making opportunity.
Since many members of the Stiles family had the rare genetic condition they decided to develop a circus and called themselves the Lobster family. The show was extremely popular, as people traveled far and wide to see the family with the “lobster” hands. It has been estimated that the family made over $50 000, sometimes even close to $100 000 from the freak show which mainly just involved being stared at by the curious public.
Grady’s father had added him to the circus show at the young age of seven. Grady Stiles had a more serious case of ectrodactyly as it affected both his hands and feet. This meant that he could not walk therefore, had to use a wheel chair…
