Jake Erlich - Tallest Man In The World

Jake Erlich - Tallest Man In The World

Many of us know of Erlich as the “world’s tallest man,” as the Guinness Book of Records once deemed him. He was also an extraordinary artist. But his fame as a painter was overshadowed by his fame for being more than eight feet tall.He was born in Denver, Colorado, in 1906, the son of Jewish immigrants. He was born at a weight of less than four pounds. Jacob was small for his age, until he reached his seventh birthday. By the time he 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 for over twenty years.) Erlich, who lived much of his life in El Paso , was a movie star featured in several silent films, and he also was a circus performer for several years. Also, Erlich is an El Paso High graduate. But Erlich was famous mainly for being taller than everyone else. In fact, he was once named the "Tallest Man in the World," standing, by most accounts, at 8 feet, 6 inches tall. Jake Erlich died in 1952 at the age of 46 in El Paso. To the left of Jake Erlich in the middle is Hope M. Smith - who was owner of Magnolia Coke Cola Company in El Paso, Texas.

Area: Central / Downtown

Source: El Paso County Historical Society

Reference ID: Tall Man.jpeg

Uploaded by: El Paso Museum of History

Comments

Add a comment
Thank you for your comment

Report this entry

Choose the most important reason for this report

Your name

Your email address

Optional detail

Thank you for your report

More from the same community-collection

First time at Digital Wall

Exploring through the eyes of a vibrant butterfly

Lorenzo Luna Honored - Company E

Lorenzo Luna honored at the Paso Del Norte Hotel with dinner for ...

Roof Garden of Hotel Paso del Norte - 1915

The only hotel in the world offering its guest a safe, ...

Capri Theater - 1962

Street Scene - 107 S. El Paso Street, El Paso, TX 79901 The ...

El Paso Scottish Rite - 2017

El Paso Scottish Rite - 2017 - photograph taken inside the ...

El Paso Scottish Rite - 2017

El Paso Scottish Rite - 2017 - band playing during open house.

El Paso Scottish Rite - 2017

Designated in the original blue prints as the "Degree Room", for ...

El Paso Scottish Rite - 2017

Designated in the original blue prints as the "Degree Room", for ...

El Paso Scottish Rite - 2017

Designated in the original blue prints as the "Degree Room", for ...

El Paso Scottish Rite - 2017

Designated in the original blue prints as the "Degree Room", for ...

El Paso Scottish Rite - 2017

El Paso Scottish Rite - hallway inside the building.

El Paso Scottish Rite - Mural - 2017

On Loan from Hal Marcus, Owner - 2001 Artist: Bill Rakocy - ...

El Paso Scottish Rite - 2017

El Paso Scottish Rite - 2017 - Furniture in the basement of the ...

El Paso Scottish Rite - 2017

El Paso Scottish Rite - 2017 - Furniture in the basement of the ...

National Society of the Colonial Dames of America - 2017

El Paso Town Committee – of the National Society of the ...

National Society of the Colonial Dames of America -2017

National Society of the Colonial Dames of America - 2017 El ...

National Society of the Colonial Dames of America - 2017

El Paso Town Committee – of the National Society of the ...

Primera Iglesia Bautista Mexicana - 1950's

This is the Primera Iglesia Bautista Mexicana, located in Quinta ...

Primera Iglesia Bautista Mexicana 1950's

Santuary of the Primera Iglesia Bautista Mexicana, in Quinta & ...

Carl Robinson: Northeast City Representative - District 4

Carl Robinson is a member of the El Paso City Council in Texas, ...

Black El Paso Democrats along with Deidra Pratt

Black El Paso Democtrats celebrating our Embassador.

El Paso Chihuahuas PCL championship rings

The El Paso Chihuahuas give out replica championship rings ...

Susie Azar, Mayor - 1991

Susie Azar, Mayor - El Paso, Texas, March, National Women's ...

home.search_collection