Edward C. "Count Desmond" Benjamin

BENJAMIN, Edward Cleveland a/k/a “Count Desmond”, 81

 On December 18, 2022, Edward C. Benjamin, of Bentley Creek, PA, and known professionally as Count Desmond, passed away unexpectedly with his adoring family at his side

Count is predeceased by his parents William & Dorothy Cutler, Ernest Benjamin, and by his brother, William Cutler, Jr. in 2016 and his step-son, Donovan in 2022.

Count leaves behind his wife, Maria Benjamin, and his daughter Melissa (Brian) Zimmerman from a previous marriage. Also, 2 sisters; Bonnie Cutler Treiber of Kirkwood, NY & Sally Cutler Hagadorn of Bentley Creek, PA; his grandchildren and several cousins, nieces & nephews.

Born in Binghamton, NY in 1941, and then relocating to Le Raysville, PA, Count attended Northeast Bradford High School before showing an interest in daredevil performing. He started out with the Shrine Circus swallowing coat hangers. It became a hang-up with him, so he went on to swords, having swallowed up to 13 at one time, placing him 3 times in the Guinness Book of World Records. Count also performed with the Circus as Ring Master of Ceremonies, a Side-Show Talker & a Fire Manipulator.

Count performed in many famous venues, including Madison Square Garden, the Gatorball Complex and in many nightclubs doing adult shows, mostly all written by him. In one of his popular acts, the “Suicide Show,” Count would call a non-believer from the audience to shove a sword down his throat.

Count chose Friday the 13th in June of 1980, at the peak of his career, to hang upside down from a helicopter over Niagara Falls to swallow a sword upward.  Another of his daredevil acts was riding a mechanical bull while swallowing a hanger.

Count had been on several national and international TV shows and local radio shows, most notably: “That’s Incredible” hosted by John Davidson & Cathy Lee Crosby, “Guinness World Record Breakers” hosted by Richard Dawson, “You Asked For It,” and “PM Magazine International.”

More recently, Count was presented with a lifetime achievement award for his many sword-swallowing feats including being the first to mix daredevil stunts with swallowing swords. He had been honored with a Gold Medal from Japan for placing in the Top 15 Daredevil Acts of the world, by hanging 35 feet in the air, spinning upside down from a rope with his wife while she placed a sword up his throat.

Per Count's wishes, there will be no services. He will be cremated with part of the cremation to go over Niagara Falls, and then Count will rest at the East Herrick Cemetery in Wyalusing, PA

A future celebration-of-life will be held at the convenience of Count's family.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Edward C. "Count Desmond" Benjamin, please visit our floral store.