The Outlaw Who Became a Mannequin | Elmer McCurdy’s Bizarre Afterlife

Have you ever walked through a seaside amusement park and wondered if the dusty attractions have stories hidden behind them? In 1976, a TV crew filming The Six Million Dollar Man stumbled upon a shocking truth: what they thought was a mannequin was actually the mummified remains of an outlaw who had died more than 65 years earlier.This is the macabre tale of Elmer McCurdy, a bungling bandit whose crimes never quite succeeded — but whose death turned him into a carnival attraction, a waxwork curiosity, and finally a TV prop before the truth came out.From botched train robberies to decades on the sideshow circuit, McCurdy’s strange afterlife raises unsettling questions: how many people knew? How many others might still be out there, hidden in plain sight?Join us as we uncover one of the strangest conspiracies in American history — where fact, folklore, and the grotesque collide.⏱️ Timestamps0:00 Intro – The strange mannequin in the funhouse0:51 The bungling bandit: Elmer McCurdy’s early life1:32 Train robberies gone wrong2:19 Final gunfight and death in 19112:33 The undertaker’s display trick3:11 Stolen by carnival owners3:43 Decades of sideshows and wax museums4:17 From ghost towns to funhouses4:45 1976 discovery during The Six Million Dollar Man filming5:32 The media storm and shocking truth6:05 McCurdy finally buried under concrete6:50 Questions about exploitation and legacy8:11 When does someone become “something”?9:29 Concrete measures – and fears of more outlaws hidden away10:04 The bizarre immortality of Elmer McCurdy10:47 Outro – The Cherrywood Conspiracy Files10:57 Sponsors#CherrywoodConspiracyFiles #ElmerMcCurdy #TrueCrimeHistory🏆 SponsorsClub Awesome – for autistic children and their familiesDe Medici Associates – chartered structural & civil engineers: demediciassociates.comRight at Home Medway – quality care in the comfort of your home: rightathome.co.uk/medway | 01634 979000Clearwater Kent – cleaning & facilities management: clearwaterkent.co.uk | 01634 681885Cherrywood Productions – weddings & promotional films: cherrywoodpro.comHindsight Directory – local business promotion: hindsightdirectory.co.ukNU Digital – web, SEO & ads: nudigital.co.ukWelcome to Cherrywood Podcast, your source for inspiring conversations and compelling stories. Join us as we dive into the journeys of remarkable individuals from various fields, offering insights into personal growth, entrepreneurship, creativity, and more. Subscribe for positivity, authenticity, and engaging discussions. Learn how we blew up on YouTube:https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLkif0i1i5oaDN83UzwYQQBSH-4DEMhfJ0&si=zzna8zvRN2Jyqzv3https://youtu.be/p9GnbbykQoM?si=cBr4ZHuNwXumP_4RContact:📧 Email: [e-mail]📞 Phone: [phone]🌐 Website: www.cherrypro.co.uk📱 Facebook: www.facebook.com/cherrywoodproductions📸 Instagram: @cherrywoodproGuests Song Choices playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3YxsMkrJLbFQSjeRKfzcCQ?si=21a21d1ef9534479Disclaimer: Views expressed by guests on Cherrywood Podcast are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of the podcast hosts or producers.