Posts
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).
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:
Visit the Border Heritage Center - Come and see what we have! |
| From the card catalogue |
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| Books owned by Erlich |
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| From our Vertical Files |
Check out the biography:
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research culled from family lore, newspaper archives, historical documents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.
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
Some Other Websites:
Digie: https://www.digie.org/en/media/11185 & https://www.digie.org/en/media/1507Elevate 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
