Collyer Brothers
Homer Collyer (ホーマー・コリヤー, Hōmā Koriyā) and Langley Collyer (ラングレー・コリヤー, Rangurē Koriyā) are the main protagonists of The Brothers Nobody Knew: Collyer Brothers, the third chapter of The Lives of Eccentrics series.
Following their parents' divorce, these two brothers isolate themselves within their house in Harlem, interacting with the outside world only to collect goods and supplies. As their strange way of life marks them as prime targets in the crime-ridden neighborhood, the two set up countless traps within the house to prevent burglars from reaching them.
Appearance
The Collyer brothers are commonly depicted in formal attire with matching white shirts underneath. Homer wears a light, orange suit with a black tie tucked into a white waistcoat, while Langley wears a dark, red suit with a white cravat and a pocket square in his left chest pocket. The two also wear top hats, with Homer's being white with a black stripe and Langley's being black with a white stripe. Though their faces are not clearly shown, Langley's facial hair is styled in a Balbo beard, and stubble is visible on Homer's face.
Homer's emaciated corpse is discovered with long light-colored hair and a clean-shaven face, wearing a light-colored suit with dark lapels and cuffs with no shirt underneath. What little remains of Langley's corpse can be seen wearing light trousers with black Venetian-style shoes.
Personality
The two burglars act as foils to each other: while the acolyte is gullible and easily overcome by emotion, the leader is more cautious, observant, and determined. As a result, the leader is easily able to convince his partner to act against his better judgement on several occasions. The two burglars seem to share a close relationship, only occasionally and briefly becoming frustrated with each other; the acolyte even refers to his partner as his older brother. However, after his acolyte's death, the leader shows no remorse regarding the incident, focused on his objective above all else.
History
Background
Homer Collyer was born to a pair of unnamed parents in 1881, and received a brother named Langley four years later. The two brothers and their parents lived in a house on Fifth Avenue in the Harlem district of New York City, which was a high-class residential district at the time. However, at the turn of the 20th century, an influx of African-American tenants caused many rich white residents to move away, eventually causing the neighborhood to become overrun with crime and poverty.
Despite the state of their hometown, the Collyer brothers attempted to lead more-or-less normal lives. Homer is known to have taken up a position as a lawyer specializing in maritime law, and to have been engaged to a girl named K. Bender by the age of 27. One night, Bender invited her lover to her house while her parents were away. Homer refused to sleep with her, however, claiming that she was too cute for him to lay hands on. Homer was seen holding an erotic magazine later that night, and his relationship with Bender was dissolved soon afterward. For his part, Langley aimed to make a living for himself as a concert pianist, and had succeeded in doing so by the time Homer was 28.
In 1909, the Collyer brothers' mother caught their father, a gynecologist, engaging in improper behavior with one of his female patients. The resulting tension in their marriage caused the father to abandon the family shortly afterward, mentally scarring the Collyer brothers, who begin to withdraw from society. When their mother later passed away, the Collyers become completely isolated from the world.
At some point, Homer began to lose his eyesight, forcing Langley to become the pair's de facto point of contact with the outside world. Langley would purchase 100 to 200 oranges a month from a shopkeeper named R. Simon, hoping to cure his brother's blindness without the aid of a doctor; at the same time, he would also order various goods such as automobiles, mannequins, and animal skeletons, using them to construct traps to keep burglars from reaching them. Langley was also responsible for sneaking out of the house at night to collect water and thrown-out food. When the oranges fail to cure his brother, Langley instead asks R. Simon to deliver newspapers and kerosene to the house, a task made incrementally more difficult as he seals the walls surrounding the house with bricks and installs barbed wire atop them.
The Brothers Nobody Knew: Collyer Brothers
At some point, Langley accidentally triggers one of his own traps, resulting in his death. With his brother gone, Homer is unable to feed himself and starves to death a month later. Their corpses are discovered in March 1943 after an anonymous caller reports dead bodies within the house, though not before Langley's traps take the lives of a pair of burglars.
Quotes
Quotes- “I'm certain of it... These guys are hiding something alright! Being the hermits they are, they wouldn't dare deposit any money at the bank! The Collyer house is a treasure trove! (確信したぜ。絶対に こいつら財産を隠し持ってるッ！ 銀行にも預けないで仙人暮らしをしてな！ コリヤー邸は宝の山だッ！)”—Leader Burglar, The Lives of Eccentrics Episode 3: The Brothers Nobody Knew: Collyer Brothers
- “Hey... Would the two of us be burglars? Or are we thieves? (なあ おれたちゃドロボーなのか？ それとも強盗なのかよ？)”—Acolyte Burglar“We know they haven't left the house... As long as they're asleep, we get to go home as mere burglars. But if they wake up, this could turn into a robbery. (確実なのは留守じゃあないってことだ……寝てりゃあドロボーってことで帰るが。起きてりゃあ強盗になることもありうるな)”—Leader Burglar, The Lives of Eccentrics Episode 3: The Brothers Nobody Knew: Collyer Brothers
- “The pain... Th- The younger one must've done this! Damn it all... That damn younger brother! I'm gonna kill him! He's not gonna get away with this! (痛でえッ！ お…弟の方だなッ！ ちくしょおおおお 弟の野郎だなッ！ ぶっ殺してやるッ！ 許さねえーーーーッ)”—Acolyte Burglar“Don't be so reckless! Put that knife away! At least wait to off them until we find the money! (おい あわてるなッ！ ナイフはしまえッ！ 金をみつけるまでは殺すんじゃあねーぞッ！)”—Leader Burglar, The Lives of Eccentrics Episode 3: The Brothers Nobody Knew: Collyer Brothers
- “Big broooooo! I want out! I want out! (兄貴イイイイイイ 出だい！ 出だい)”—Acolyte Burglar's last words, The Lives of Eccentrics Episode 3: The Brothers Nobody Knew: Collyer Brothers
- “I'll kill you! But first, I'll have you tell me where the money is! (ぶっ殺してやるッ！ 金のありかを吐かせたあとになああああ)”—Leader Burglar's last words, The Lives of Eccentrics Episode 3: The Brothers Nobody Knew: Collyer Brothers
Gallery
The burglars inspect the house
The acolyte loses his temper
The acolyte burglar's final moments
The leader burglar meets his end
Trivia
- The appearances and mannerisms of the two burglars bear a striking resemblance to Prosciutto and Pesci from Vento Aureo.
