Horace Ridler - Becoming The Great Omi

Becoming The Great Omi

At some point between 1927 and 1934, while living in Mitcham, a few miles south of London, Ridler took steps to improve his career as a sideshow act. Contacting tattooist George Burchett, he inquired about having himself "tattooed all over". Burchett performed more than 150 hours of tattooing on Ridler with a pattern of curved black stripes, often described as zebra-like, masking the earlier tattoos. He later claimed he spent $10,000 for the procedure, although Burchett said it was only $3,000 and that he was never paid in full.

The extent of tattooing on his lower body is a matter of some debate, but viewers who saw him perform in 1941 have reported that much of his lower body was tattooed with more conventional designs. His body and face thus transformed, he began exhibiting himself at the London Olympia and toured England and France, under the name The Great Omi.

Upon his return to England, aware that his act was not interesting enough to provide steady work, he decided to take his transformation a step further, having his ears pierced and stretched to accept large-gauge jewelry, and acquiring a large septum piercing from a veterinarian. He hired a dentist to file his teeth and began to wear elaborate costumes, completing his physical transformation.

Like many sideshow performers, his act consisted of telling tall tales about his body modification. After being introduced by his colorfully dressed wife, Gladys Ridler, performing under the name Omette, he would appear on stage and tell his story. A common monologue claimed that he had been captured and tortured via tattooing in New Guinea, and is similar to tales told by other tattooed sideshow performers. While today this story seems completely implausible, at the time a general lack of knowledge about many areas of the globe provided an opportunity for performers to play on the audience's ignorance and fantasies. Later in life, during his retirement, his stories became even more fanciful, less believable, but no less colorful.