Sandra Reed

Sandra Dee Reed (1945–2019) was an American sword swallower born with albinism.^[1] She started working for the Slim Kelly and Whitney Sutton sideshow of James E. Strates Shows at the age of 24 as a lecturer (educator on albinism) before being trained in sword swallowing^[2] and later performing in the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus.^[3]

Sandra Reed
Signed photo of Sandra Reed swallowing swords
Born	Mary Armstrong 1945 Hermon, New York
Died	2019
Other names	Lady Sandra Queen of the Swords The Albino Queen of the Swords
Years active	1960s—1980s
Employers	Slim Kelly and Whitney Sutton Sideshow James E. Strates Shows Clyde Beatty Circus Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus
Spouse	Harold Spohn
Honours	Guinness Book of World Records holder for swallowing 5 swords at once, female (1975–1977)

Career

Reed was offered a job by showman Whitney Sutton at the New York State Fair in 1969, initially to be a lecturer on albinism. Her family was supportive—her sister Doreen, also albino, also joined as a lecturer, their father joined to sell tickets, and their mother previously worked in vaudeville and girl shows.^[4]

She learned sword swallowing from Ricky Richiardi in Gibsonton, Florida, in 1969.^[4]

In the mid-1970s she married and performed with Harold “Big Jim” Spohn, billed as “the fat man”.^[5]

From 1975 to 1977 she held the Guinness World Records title for most swords swallowed simultaneously by a woman (five swords).^{[citation needed]}

An illustration of Reed swallowing swords was used for the cover art of volume one of James Taylor’s carnival history magazine Shocked and Amazed! for which she was interviewed in 1995.^[6]

Sandra Reed (far right, hand on her husband Harold’s shoulder) among other sideshow performers.