Photograph of Stephan Bibrowski, better known as Lionel the Lion-faced Man.

Stephan gained fame as a sideshow performer due to his unique appearance—his entire body was covered in long hair, resembling that of a lion.

This characteristic was likely attributed to a rare condition but his mother attributed the condition to witnessing his father being mauled by a lion while she was pregnant.

She deemed Stephan an abomination and relinquished custody of him.

Eventually, he found his niche as a sideshow performer.

In his performances, Lionel showcased his agility with gymnastic feats and engaged with audiences to reveal his gentle demeanor, which starkly contrasted with his appearance.