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

City Hall - 1909

Part of the El Paso Mayors exhibit in the El Paso Museum of ...

Wells Fargo Stagecoach

The Museum of History staff loading in an official Wells Fargo ...

Butterfield ---El Paso Museum of History

The Butterfield Trail exhibit at the Museum of History. ...

Latham Family

Family of William (Bill) I. Latham former editor of the El Paso ...

William Michie Coldwell

Author of How Civilization Came to El Paso which was published ...

Patrick Floyd "Pat" Garrett

Left, Pat Garrett; right, John W. Poe, who succeeded Garrett; ...

Judge W. D. Howe

Walter D. Howe moved to El Paso in 1893. He served as a justice ...

Mowad Family

Pictured from left to right are Babia Mowad, Matil Mowad, and ...

First Mayor of El Paso, Benjamin Dowell

First mayor of El Paso Benjamin Shacklett Dowell came to El Paso ...

Sun Carnival Art Show

Dr. Schuessler (left), Judson Williams (right) and Gilbert ...

Sun Bowl

A young lady putting a sticker on the back of her automobile.

Sun Carnival Coronation 1965

Sun Carnival Coronation of Queen Pamela MacQuire

Sun Carnival Court - 1966

Center Couple: Sun Queen Pamela Ann Macquire and escort Charles ...

Distributing Gifts at Sun Carnival Event

Dr. Schuessler, Dean Miller, Sun Queen Pamela Ann MacGuire.

Sun Carnival Association

Dr. Schuessler, Deane Miller and George Broderson-Sun Carnival ...

Sun Carnival Coronation and Sun Court Committee

Left to right are :Dean C. Miller, V. P, Mrs. Hidler, Mrs. ...

Annual Sun Bowl Parade - State National Bank - 1941

The Sun Bowl was chartered in 1934 making it the second oldest ...

Queen Phyllis Deter - Sun Bowl Queen - 1970

Queen Phyllis with her court -1970.

Sun Bowl - 1970

Left- Pam Pitchford---rear-Debbie Dixon---Front--John Douglas ...

Phyllis Dieter -Sun Bowl Queen - 1970

Sun Carnival Queen and Family -1970.

Annual Sun Bowl Parade - 1992

62nd Army Band march in the downtown parade.

El Paso County Medical Society Exhibit

The El Paso County Medical Society (EPCMS) was established in ...

El Paso County Medical Society Exhibit

Doctor's table with tool bag, microscope, blood pressure ...

home.search_collection