BREAKING: Born With a Split Face, He Became a Star: The Shocking True Story of the “Three-Eyed Man”
A birth defect left William “Bill” Durks of the U.S. with a split-like face, featuring two noses but only one nostril.
William Bill Durks was born on April 17, 1913, in Jasper, Alabama, USA. His parents and four siblings were all born without abnormalities. As Ward Hall described in his book “My Unusual Friends” (1991), Bill was said to have a face that “looked as if it had been struck by an axe.”
A Peculiar Appearance and a Life of Performance
William Bill Durks suffered from a congenital craniofacial deformity where the two halves of his face appeared unconnected. His lip and palate were cleft, resulting in two separate noses, each with only one nostril. At birth, both of his eyes were fused shut. As a boy, he underwent surgery, but one eye was permanently blind and could not be corrected.
At the age of 40, while struggling to make ends meet in rural Alabama, Bill was discovered at a local fair and invited to join sideshow performances. He often painted a third eye between his two noses, creating the persona of the “Three-Eyed Man” on stage.
Fame, Fortune, and a Quiet Life
All photos show that Bill’s third eye was artificial, but it seems many people who watched his performances didn’t realize it. He earned about $100 a week – a modest sum by today’s standards, but significantly better than his income as a cotton picker in his hometown. Later, in 1973, he even ventured into Hollywood, playing a minor role in a rather significant film.
Despite his fame, Bill remained a shy and reserved person. He was self-conscious about his appearance and avoided interacting with others. He often hid his unusual face under a wide-brimmed hat during his performances. Due to the deformity between his lip and jaw, he also had difficulty speaking clearly. Nevertheless, he was fortunate enough to find his “other half” – Milly, nicknamed the “Alligator-Skinned Woman” – who was also part of his performing troupe.
Milly was older than Bill, born in 1901. They married and spent many years together as one of the world’s most unusual couples, before Milly passed away in June 1968. Bill continued to perform until his death on May 7, 1975.
What do you think of Bill Durks’ story? It’s quite unique, isn’t it?