The Man Who Sold the World, the late David Bowie’s third album, was released on November 4, 1970 in the United States, and by the following June had sold only 1,395 copies. After a reissue in 1972 sparked by the success of his 5th album, it struggled to stay on the U.S. charts for 23 weeks, topping out at 105, after which it sank into the background of his career, at least for a while. The range of Bowie’s talents, of course, was extraordinary, as he was able to sing, write music and lyrics, play a dozen or so instruments, and act. His acting was not just limited to his film or stage roles either. As a character in the public eye, he also portrayed various versions of himself, from…