Adonis Ames (John A. Krause)

Born John A. Krause on 8 December 1871 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Adonis Ames was the most celebrated contortionist of the late 19th century in both America and Europe. Billed as 'The Original and World Noted Flexible Marvel', he performed in a white body stocking and was admired for his muscular physique, unusual for contortionists of the era. His signature acts included the 'Transformation Bouquet' (curling into a rose shape) and emerging from a specially made coffin in spectacular contortions. He performed at the Wintergarten in Berlin for Kaiser Wilhelm and was described by the New York Journal as 'a veritable human snake'. A close friend of Erich Weiss (later Harry Houdini), Ames died of tuberculosis at age 29 on 16 April 1900. His early death was widely attributed to the physical toll of contortion.

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Overview

Born John A. Krause on 8 December 1871 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Adonis Ames was the most celebrated contortionist of the late 19th century. Billed as 'The Original and World Noted Flexible Marvel in His Sensational and Picturesque Elastic Productions', he transformed contortion from a curiosity act into a dramatic theatrical performance.

Early Life

Krause attended and began his athletic career at the Fourteenth District School in Milwaukee. After leaving school as a teenager, he drove a delivery wagon for Johnston Brothers, a downtown mill and bakery on Broadway Street. He continued his contortion training in the company's barn.

His close friend and fellow acrobat during this period was Erich Weiss — the future Harry Houdini. Together, they performed free shows on the Wisconsin Avenue bridge over the Milwaukee River.

Career

Ames spent time in Europe refining his skills and building his reputation. By the mid-1890s, he was the most famous contortionist on either side of the Atlantic.

What Made Him Different

At a time when the Inter Ocean newspaper of Chicago described most contortionists as "emaciated, loosely jointed persons", Ames stood apart. He was:

• Muscular and handsome — described by the New York Journal as "a veritable human snake"
• Theatrical — performing in a white body stocking that displayed his physique, with copyrighted costume designs, elaborate staging and electrical effects
• Graceful — the Chicago Tribune compared his spinal curves to the work of 18th-century painter Hogarth

Signature Acts

• The Transformation Bouquet — he curled himself into the shape of a rose, slowly unfolded, then sprang into a cartwheel
• The Coffin Entrance — he was wheeled onstage in a specially made coffin that dramatically flew apart as he emerged in a series of spectacular contortions
• Various balancing stunts performed on a white pillar

Major Venues

• Chicago Opera House (1896) — where the Tribune gave him a rave review
• Wintergarten, Berlin (1898) — where he performed for Kaiser Wilhelm
• Multiple engagements in Los Angeles, where the LA Herald and LA Times both praised his work

Illness and Death

In 1898, while performing at the Wintergarten in Berlin, Ames suddenly took ill. He and his wife, the performer La Belle Carmen, returned to the United States and settled in Wauwatosa, a suburb of Milwaukee.

Ames had contracted tuberculosis (then called 'consumption') and was gradually forced to quit performing. He died at his Wauwatosa home on 16 April 1900, aged just 29 years old.

The Evening Wisconsin reported that "it is believed that his feats of contortion had something to do with his early death." This claim — that contortion itself destroys the body — persists as a myth in popular culture to this day, despite evidence that many contortionists retire perfectly healthy.

Historical Significance

Adonis Ames represents a pivotal moment in contortion history:

• He elevated contortion from curiosity to art, bringing theatrical staging, costume design and dramatic narrative to what had been a simple display of flexibility
• His friendship with Houdini places him at the intersection of contortion and the broader world of vaudeville entertainment
• His early death shaped public perceptions of contortion as dangerous, a narrative that the contortion community continues to challenge
• He was among the first contortionists to have his ideas, costumes and effects copyrighted, recognising contortion as intellectual property

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