Collyer brothers

American hoarders and recluses

The Collyer brothers, Homer Lusk Collyer (November 6, 1881 – March 21, 1947) and Langley Wakeman Collyer (October 3, 1885 – March 9, 1947), were two American brothers who became famous for their bizarre lifestyle and compulsive hoarding. They lived in a brownstone at 2078 Fifth Avenue in Harlem, New York City, which became a labyrinth of clutter and debris.

Early Life

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Homer Collyer in 1939

Homer and Langley Collyer were born to a well-to-do family in Manhattan. Their father, Dr. Herman Livingston Collyer, was a gynecologist, and their mother, Susie Gage Frost, was an opera singer. The brothers were educated at Columbia University, where Homer studied law and Langley studied engineering and chemistry.

Lifestyle and Hoarding

The Collyer brothers became increasingly reclusive over the years. After their parents' deaths, they inherited the family home and began to withdraw from society. Langley, in particular, developed a habit of collecting newspapers, books, and various items, which he believed might be useful in the future. This behavior escalated into compulsive hoarding.

The brothers' home became notorious for its squalor and the vast amounts of clutter that filled every room. Langley constructed elaborate tunnels through the piles of debris, and he set up booby traps to protect their possessions from intruders.

Isolation and Death

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Langley Collyer with attorney in 1946

As the years passed, the Collyer brothers became more isolated. Homer lost his eyesight in the early 1930s, and Langley took on the role of his caregiver. Langley believed that a diet of 100 oranges a week, along with black bread and peanut butter, would restore Homer’s sight.

In March 1947, police received an anonymous tip about a dead body in the Collyer home. After a massive cleanup operation, which involved removing over 100 tons of debris, the bodies of both brothers were discovered. Homer had died of starvation, and Langley was found crushed under a pile of their own hoarded items.

Legacy

The story of the Collyer brothers has become a cautionary tale about the dangers of hoarding. Their lives have inspired numerous books, plays, and films, highlighting the psychological and social aspects of their condition.

Related Pages

• Hoarding disorder
• Compulsive hoarding
• Harlem
• Columbia University