Jake Erlich AKA Jack Earle

Jacob Rheuben Erlich

Jacob Rheuben Erlich AKA Jake Erlich (July 3, 1906 – July 18, 1952), professionally credited as Jack Earle, was an American silent film actor and sideshow performer. Earle claimed to be one of the world's tallest humans standing 8 ft 6.5 in (2.60m) however some sources say his actual height was only around 7 ft 6 in (229 cm). For 14 years, he traveled with Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, then became a salesman.  He was born in Denver, Colorado, in 1906, the son of Jewish immigrants.  He went to El Paso High and graduated from the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) and in January 1952 he retired and returned to El Paso, TX for health reasons.

He is referenced in Tom Waits's song "Get Behind The Mule" (at 1:39).

https://youtu.be/O_v2HChe350?si=naA5SrsKKTVc95o0

He died on July 18 at Hotel Dieu in El Paso, TX, at age 46 and is buried in the B'Nai Zion section of Concordia Cemetery in the Erlich family plot.

July 19, 1952 Obituaries

For more information:

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From the card catalogue

    

Books owned by Erlich

From our Vertical Files

Check out the biography:

https://elpasopl.ent.sirsi.net/client/en_US/default/search/results?qu=Erlich%2C+Andrew.#

The Long Shadows: The Story of Jake Erlich is a fascinating true-life novel about the extraordinary life of Jacob Reuben Erlich, who, at 8 foot 6, was known as the tallest man in the world. Drawing on ten years of research culled from family lore, newspaper archives, historical documents and the recorded recollections of Jake’s contemporaries, author Dr. Andy Erlich weaves a fascinating bio-fictional account of a remarkable man and the cast of colorful characters who knew him.

Some Other Websites:

Digie: https://www.digie.org/en/media/11185 & https://www.digie.org/en/media/1507

Elevate El Paso: https://youtu.be/sm3iKDDkzk4?si=voKIJgh6-IjWQGCt

Vintage Everyday: https://www.vintag.es/2023/07/jack-earle.html

KLAQ: https://klaq.com/el-pasoan-tallest-man-in-the-world/

Carnival World Museum: https://showmensmuseum.org/traveling-carnival-and-circus-sideshows/circus-tall-man-jack-earle/

Sideshow World:  https://sideshowworld.com/41-GG/103-Jack/CG-Earle.html

Wiki: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Earle

Tales From the Morgue: https://www.elpasotimes.com/story/news/history/blogs/tales-from-the-morgue/2012/04/06/1950-el-paso-giant-goes-over-big-in-new-career/31505571/

Texas Hill Country: https://texashillcountry.com/jack-earle-larger-than-life-texan/

Bygonery: https://www.bygonely.com/jack-earle-of-el-paso/

EPCC Lib Guide: https://epcc.libguides.com/c.php?g=754275&p=5406555