The "juggler" couldn't juggle at all. Many shots were wasted because the balls kept falling into the street.
The "trumpet player" was a NY cab driver who was literally pulled out of a cab and offered $5 to hold a trumpet.
The "strongman" was a bouncer at Friars, a local nightclub.
The "acrobats" were street performers and awful acrobats. The guy underneath could only hold his "partner" for three seconds at a time, resulting in many shots before it could be gotten right.
The dwarves were the only genuine article. They were hired from a local acting agency and they had to be talked into doing the shot. Yes, twins. The dwarf on the back of the cover is the twin brother of the one on the front cover. One the way to the shooting location, they both sat on the strongman's lap as they smoked cigars. Strange days indeed.
All this weirdness because Jim Morrison did not want to appear on the cover.
Below is what the shooting location looks like today (a side alley near Lexington and Third):
