The Wild Wild Death
Discover the untold stories of the Wild West with The Wild Wild Death podcast. Dive into gripping tales of unusual deaths, historical tragedies, and the life-threatening dangers faced by pioneers in the 19th century. From bizarre medical mishaps to true crime, we talk about the dark side of frontier life. Perfect for history enthusiasts and true crime fans seeking the wildest stories of the past.
The Wild Wild Death
The Afterdeath Life of Elmer McCurdy
In this episode of The Wild Wild Death, we explore the hilariously tragic saga of Elmer McCurdy, the outlaw who was better at botching robberies than being a criminal mastermind. But Elmer’s story didn’t end with his final, drunken shootout. Instead, his mummified body embarked on a posthumous career more successful than anything he managed while alive. From sideshows to movie sets, and even a stint as a funhouse prop, Elmer’s corpse had a more eventful afterlife than anyone could’ve imagined. Tune in for the strange, darkly funny journey of the outlaw who became famous in death after failing spectacularly at life.
If you'd like more information about the history behind this episode of The Wild Wild Death, check out these links:
- https://www.cowboysindians.com/2018/10/25-mysteries-of-the-west/
- https://blogs.loc.gov/headlinesandheroes/2018/07/elmer-mccurdy-traveling-corpse/
- https://www.npr.org/2015/01/09/376097471/the-long-strange-60-year-trip-of-elmer-mccurdy
- https://www.kcrw.com/news/shows/greater-la/halloween/elmer-mccurdy
- https://www.okterritorialmuseum.org/ELMERMC.html
- The Misadventures in Life and Afterlife of an American Outlaw (Svenvold, 2002)
