LIONETTE

THE LION-FACED GIRL

DORA GUTTERMAN

Mike Decay, a not-so-distant relative of Dora's, writes: "The Gutterman family were Russian Jews that descnded from a long line of horse thieves.  Dora's family emigrated from Russia by way of London around the turn of the century.  Dora was born in 1903 and spent most of her life living in Brighton Beach.  She worked at the World Circus Side Show from 1925-1940.  The money she made from it supported her family at the time who, as immigrants, were not fully self sufficient yet.  My grandfather was her cousin and he used to walk her from work to the street car every night because even though she would wear a veil in public people would taunt her outside of the freak show and try to beat her up.  She remained a Coney Island personality for 15 years until her family was able to make their own living."

Dora, herself, was born in London

Photo courtesy Circus World Museum, Baraboo, Wisconsin originally published in Robert Lifson's "Enter the Sideshow (1983) Lifson says she was also with the Sells-Floto Circus

21 years old