BEN TURPIN
INSURANCE: $25,000
BODY PART: EYES
Comedian Ben Turpin’s eyes are not out of this world. They are simply cross-eyed. Plenty of people have the same common condition, but Ben sure was lucky that the world loved him for his eyes that make you take a double-take. His remarkable popularity in Hollywood was credited to his appearance, making him one of the stars of the silent film era alongside Charlie Chaplin and Lauren and Hardy. No wonder Ben insured those unique eyes for $25,000.
In 1917, the cross-eyed comic joined the Mack Sennett studio, the primary comedy company at that time. He is usually cast against type by movie writers to boost the humorous effect, such as a sophisticated lover, a stuntman, or a Yukon miner. When the silent film was over, Turpin decided to retire and began investing in real estate. He lived to be 70 years old.