Jack Earle

Jacob Rheuben Ehrlich (3 July 1906 in Denver, Colorado - 18 July 1952 in El Paso Texas) was an American silent film actor and sideshow performer. Due to acromegalic gigantism, Earle was one of the world's tallest humans at the time of his death, standing at 7 ft 7½ inch. (2.32 m) tall. For 14 years, he traveled with Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, then became a salesman. He is referenced in Tom Waits's song "Get Behind The Mule". He was born in Denver, Colorado in 1906, at a weight of less than four pounds. Jacob was small for his age, until he reached his seventh birthday. By the time was ten, he was over six feet tall. His family lived in El Paso Texas at this time and the locals nicknamed him "Pecos Bill" (a title he used...