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Ferdinand Waldo Demara, Jr.

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Oddity

The Resume

    (December 21, 1921-June 7, 1982)
    Born in Lawrence, Massachusetts
    Impersonated a civil engineer, a sheriff's deputy, an assistant prison warden, a psychologist, a hospital orderly, a lawyer, a child care expert, a cancer researcher, a teacher, a Trappist monk, a Benedictine monk and a surgeon
    Portrayed by Tony Curtis in 'The Great Impostor' (1960)
    Appeared in the film 'The Hypnotic Eye' (1960)

Why he might be annoying:

    During WWII, he went AWOL from both the Army and Navy, eventually serving 18 months in prison.
    During the Korean War, he posed as Dr. Joseph Cyr and performed 16 operations, including chest surgery, despite having no medical training.
    After publicity made it difficult for him to impersonate people, he became a heavy drinker.
    Ironically for someone who fooled so many people in real life, he is an unconvincing actor in his one movie role.

Why he might not be annoying:

    Unlike Frank Abagnale, he did not use his impersonations as a cover for passing bad checks.
    All 16 of the patients he operated on lived.
    He had a photographic memory that he used to memorize the background for his jobs.
    He settled into a job under his real name as a Baptist minister and counselor at Good Samaritan Hospital in Anaheim, California.
    He became friends with Steve McQueen and delivered last rites to the actor.

Credit: C. Fishel


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    In 2023, Out of 2 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 5 Votes: 60.0% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 10 Votes: 80.0% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 4 Votes: 75.00% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 4 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 3 Votes: 66.67% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 3 Votes: 33.33% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 2 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2015, Out of 18 Votes: 66.67% Annoying
    In 2014, Out of 14 Votes: 57.14% Annoying
    In 2013, Out of 18 Votes: 55.56% Annoying
    In 2012, Out of 16 Votes: 43.75% Annoying
    In 2011, Out of 13 Votes: 61.54% Annoying
    In 2010, Out of 51 Votes: 70.59% Annoying