Horace Ridler - Career

Career

On June 6, 1939, Ridler, now The Great Omi, and his wife Omette arrived at the World's Fair in Queens, New York, having crossed the Atlantic on the ship Laconia and taken up residence at the Hotel Claridge in Times Square. Twenty-two million people attended the fair, where Omi was appearing at John Hix's Odditorium, alongside Betty Broadbent nicknamed the Tattooed Venus, Iron Eyelids, the Anatomical Wonder, and Marvello the Fingerless Pianist, all for an entry price of 40 cents.

Just a few days after arriving in New York, the couple reported being attacked with a knife, claiming that Omi's cheek was slashed by an unknown assailant. No photos of the injury were taken, and the "attack" may have been a publicity stunt, as the New York police records department has no record of the incident. The New York Times News, New York Daily Mirror and New York Herald Tribune all reported the story on June 10, however.

Immediately following the fair, Omi appeared at Ripley's Odditorium Theater as the star attraction. Ripley retained Omi for six months, the longest time Ripley ever showcased a single performer. During that period he appeared more than 1,600 times, often doing nine or ten shows daily.

In 1940, Omi toured with the Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus, appearing as Omi the Zebra Man. He was billed as the star attraction in the sideshow, but left the circus after only one season.

In early 1941, Omi toured both Australia and New Zealand, and spent much of the latter part of the year performing at the beach sideshow Happyland and Bert Lorous Jr.'s "World Fair Freaks" show in Vancouver, Canada. He finished 1941 with appearances with the Rubin-Cherry show in San Diego, California. The Ruben-Cherry show next traveled to Phoenix, Arizona, closing their season in early 1942, and Omi and his wife then criss-crossed America before returning to England. Before leaving America, with World War II underway, Omi tried to re-enlist with the British army, but was not considered acceptable for active service by the British Consul.

Arriving home in a war-weary England, Omi donated his services, giving free performances to troops and charity organizations. He also supported the Allied effort by promoting the sales of war bonds. Omi continued to perform into the early 1950s, retiring at the height of his fame to Ripe, a small village in Sussex, England, where he died in 1969.