Betty Broadbent, also known as the “Tattooed Venus,” gained widespread recognition as the most photographed tattooed lady of the 20th century. Born on November 1, 1909, in Zellwood, Florida as Sue Lillian Brown, she later adopted the name Betty Broadbent. Her parents relocated from North Carolina to Philadelphia when she was young.

Broadbent’s fascination with tattoos began at the age of fourteen while working as a nanny in Atlantic City. There, she encountered Jack Redcloud, a man covered in tattoos, who captivated her curiosity. Redcloud introduced Broadbent to Charlie Wagner, his tattoo artist. In 1927, Broadbent became the canvas for Wagner, along with other tattoo artists like Tony Rhineagear, Joe Van Hart, and Red Gibbons. They adorned her body with an impressive bodysuit comprising over 565 tattoos.

Charlie Wagner had connections in the circus through his friend Clyde Ingalls. When Ingalls learned about Broadbent’s passion for tattooing, he offered her a position in the circus. Subsequently, Broadbent joined the Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus, where she exhibited her artistic tattoos. During her time in the circus, she also trained as a steer rider and performed alongside renowned circus performer Tom Mix. As her career progressed, she expanded her skills to include horseback riding and mule riding.

In addition to showcasing her tattoos, Broadbent pursued a career as a tattoo artist. She worked in various tattoo parlors across the United States, including locations in Montreal, San Francisco, and New York. In 1937, she ventured internationally, working for independent circuses in New Zealand and Australia. Upon returning to the United States, she continued to travel and perform with sideshows until her retirement in 1967. In 1939, Broadbent challenged societal beauty norms by participating in a beauty pageant at the 1939 New York World’s Fair while working in a sideshow.

On March 28, 1983, Betty Broadbent passed away peacefully in her sleep while residing in Florida. Her extensive tattoo collection encompassed various themes. Notably, she had a tattoo of the Madonna and child on her back, Charles Lindbergh on her right leg, and Pancho Villa on her left leg. One of her most famous tattoos, a spread-eagle design, required over six sittings and stretched from one shoulder to the other. When asked about the pain involved, Broadbent replied, “It hurt something awful, but it was worth it,” as quoted in the New York Times on May 3, 1939.