Schlitzie
Encyclopedia
Schlitzie possibly born Simon Metz, and legally Schlitze Surtees, was an American
sideshow
performer and occasional actor
, best known for his role in the 1932 movie Freaks
and his life-long career on the outdoor entertainment circuit as a major sideshow attraction with Barnum and Bailey, among others.
and gravesite, that he was born on September 10, 1901, in The Bronx
, New York City
, New York
, though 1892 has also been considered as a possibility. Additionally, some sources have claimed that he was born in Santa Fe
, New Mexico
. Claims that he was born in Yucatán
, Mexico
, are mistaken reflections of Schlitzie's occasional fanciful billing as "The Last of the Aztecs". Schlitzie's born identity may never be known, the information having been lost as he was handed off to various carnivals in a long line of mostly informal guardianship throughout his career.
Schlitzie was born with microcephaly
, a neurodevelopmental disorder that left him with an unusually small brain and skull, a small stature (he stood about four feet tall (122 cm)), myopia
and moderate to severe mental retardation
. It was said Schlitzie had the cognizance of a three year-old: he was unable to fully care for himself and he could only speak in monosyllabic words and form a few simple phrases. However, he was still able to perform simple tasks and it is believed that he could understand most of what was said to him, as he had a very quick reaction time and the ability to mimic. Those who knew Schlitzie described him as an affectionate, exuberant, sociable person who loved dancing, singing and being the center of attention, performing for anyone he could stop and talk to.
In accordance with the common practices of the carnival
business of the time, it can be assumed that Schlitzie was either given to or purchased by a sideshow
from his (thus far unknown or unidentified) birth parents. His guardians were usually his employers, sometimes by law and sometimes simply de facto. Responsibility for him tended to change hands as shows traded attractions. Most accounts tell that he was widely known, well cared for and treated affectionately throughout his carnival years.
Schlitzie was often dressed in a muumuu
and either presented as a female or left androgynous
to add to the mystique of his odd appearance. Those who knew him alternately referred to him as "he" and "she". Most sources say the choice to dress him like this was also due to his incontinence
, as Schlitzie had to wear diapers and such clothing made it easier to care for him. However, even this is debatable, as most pictures show that Schlitzie was in fact wearing pants under his dress and some who knew him have said that he did not develop incontinence until later in life.
The sideshow circuit was a tremendous success for Schlitzie, and throughout the 1920s and 1930s, he was employed by many upscale circuses, including Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus
, Clyde Beatty Circus
, Tom Mix Circus
, Crafts 20 Big Shows and Foley & Burke Carnival. In 1928, Schlitzie made his film debut in the The Sideshow, a drama that took place at a circus, featuring a variety of actual sideshow performers including himself.
's iconic horror film Freaks
. Not unlike The Sideshow, Freaks also took place at a carnival and featured a number of genuine sideshow performers, among them conjoined twins
Daisy and Violet Hilton
and Prince Randian
, "The Living Torso". Two other "pinheads" appear throughout the film, and Schlitzie (who is referred to in the feminine sense) has a scene of unintelligible dialogue opposite actor Wallace Ford
.
The appearance of Freaks cast proved extremely controversial on its original release, and the film was ultimately a financial failure. Additionally, it was banned for thirty years in the United Kingdom
and Browning struggled to find work following its release, his last with a major studio. Schlitzie appeared in bit roles in various movies, and is credited with a role in the 1934 exploitation film
Tomorrow's Children, in a brief role as a mentally defective criminal who undergoes forced sterilization
. He is often widely cited as appearing in 1933's Island of Lost Souls
, in a seconds-long role as "Furry Mammal", However, there have been some doubts about whether or not the performer in these two films is actually Schlitzie or just a look-alike.
In 1935, while Schlitzie was performing with the Tom Mix Circus, George Surtees, a chimpanzee
trainer also appearing at the show with a trained chimp act, adopted him, becoming Schlitzie's legal guardian. In 1941, Schlitzie appeared in his final film role as "Princess Bibi", a sideshow attraction, in Meet Boston Blackie
.
county hospital.
Schlitzie remained hospitalized for some time until he was recognized by sword swallower Bill Unks, who happened to be working at the hospital during the off-season. According to Unks, Schlitzie seemed to miss the carnival dearly, and being away from the public eye had made him very sad and depressed. Hospital authorities determined that the best care for Schlitzie would be to make him a ward of Unks' employer, showman Sam Alexander, and return him to the sideshow.
In his later years, Schlitzie lived in Los Angeles, California
, occasionally performing on various sideshow circuits both locally and internationally (he frequently performed in Hawaii
and London
, and his last major appearance was at the 1968 Dobritch International Circus held at the Los Angeles Sports Arena). Schlitzie also became a notable attraction performing on the streets of Hollywood
, his caretakers selling his stock carnival souvenir pictures. Schlitzie spent time in his final days visiting MacArthur Park
, feeding the pigeons and ducks with his guardian and performing for people as they passed by.
On September 24, 1971, at the age of 70, Schlitzie died from bronchial pneumonia
at Fountain View Convalescent Home. His death certificate
listed his official name as "Shlitze Surtees" and his birth date as 1901.
Schlitzie was initially interred in an unmarked grave at Queen of Heaven Cemetery
in Rowland Heights
. In 2008, a group of concerned persons at findadeath.com pooled their funds and purchased a headstone for his gravesite.
was rediscovered and enjoyed a long run as one of the first midnight movies, becoming a cult classic
, and in 1994, it was selected by the National Film Registry
as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant". The film became the public's major exposure to Schlitzie, who remains one of the more memorable characters in the film.
Schlitzie's iconic image has lent itself to many products, including masks, hats, shirts, models, clocks, snow globes and dolls. Additionally, Schlitzie has been cited as the inspiration for Bill Griffith's cult comic strip
Zippy the Pinhead
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
sideshow
Sideshow
In America, a sideshow is an extra, secondary production associated with a circus, carnival, fair or other such attraction.- Types of attractions :There are four main types of classic sideshow attractions:...
performer and occasional actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
, best known for his role in the 1932 movie Freaks
Freaks
Freaks is a 1932 American Pre-Code horror film about sideshow performers, directed and produced by Tod Browning and released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, with a cast mostly composed of actual carnival performers. The film was based on Tod Robbins' 1923 short story "Spurs"...
and his life-long career on the outdoor entertainment circuit as a major sideshow attraction with Barnum and Bailey, among others.
Biography
Schlitzie's true birth date, name, and location are unknown; it is commonly accepted, at least by what was inscribed on his death certificateDeath certificate
The phrase death certificate can describe either a document issued by a medical practitioner certifying the deceased state of a person or popularly to a document issued by a person such as a registrar of vital statistics that declares the date, location and cause of a person's death as later...
and gravesite, that he was born on September 10, 1901, in The Bronx
The Bronx
The Bronx is the northernmost of the five boroughs of New York City. It is also known as Bronx County, the last of the 62 counties of New York State to be incorporated...
, New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, though 1892 has also been considered as a possibility. Additionally, some sources have claimed that he was born in Santa Fe
Santa Fe, New Mexico
Santa Fe is the capital of the U.S. state of New Mexico. It is the fourth-largest city in the state and is the seat of . Santa Fe had a population of 67,947 in the 2010 census...
, New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
. Claims that he was born in Yucatán
Yucatán
Yucatán officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Yucatán is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 106 municipalities and its capital city is Mérida....
, Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, are mistaken reflections of Schlitzie's occasional fanciful billing as "The Last of the Aztecs". Schlitzie's born identity may never be known, the information having been lost as he was handed off to various carnivals in a long line of mostly informal guardianship throughout his career.
Schlitzie was born with microcephaly
Microcephaly
Microcephaly is a neurodevelopmental disorder in which the circumference of the head is more than two standard deviations smaller than average for the person's age and sex. Microcephaly may be congenital or it may develop in the first few years of life...
, a neurodevelopmental disorder that left him with an unusually small brain and skull, a small stature (he stood about four feet tall (122 cm)), myopia
Myopia
Myopia , "shortsightedness" ) is a refractive defect of the eye in which collimated light produces image focus in front of the retina under conditions of accommodation. In simpler terms, myopia is a condition of the eye where the light that comes in does not directly focus on the retina but in...
and moderate to severe mental retardation
Mental retardation
Mental retardation is a generalized disorder appearing before adulthood, characterized by significantly impaired cognitive functioning and deficits in two or more adaptive behaviors...
. It was said Schlitzie had the cognizance of a three year-old: he was unable to fully care for himself and he could only speak in monosyllabic words and form a few simple phrases. However, he was still able to perform simple tasks and it is believed that he could understand most of what was said to him, as he had a very quick reaction time and the ability to mimic. Those who knew Schlitzie described him as an affectionate, exuberant, sociable person who loved dancing, singing and being the center of attention, performing for anyone he could stop and talk to.
In accordance with the common practices of the carnival
Carnival
Carnaval is a festive season which occurs immediately before Lent; the main events are usually during February. Carnaval typically involves a public celebration or parade combining some elements of a circus, mask and public street party...
business of the time, it can be assumed that Schlitzie was either given to or purchased by a sideshow
Sideshow
In America, a sideshow is an extra, secondary production associated with a circus, carnival, fair or other such attraction.- Types of attractions :There are four main types of classic sideshow attractions:...
from his (thus far unknown or unidentified) birth parents. His guardians were usually his employers, sometimes by law and sometimes simply de facto. Responsibility for him tended to change hands as shows traded attractions. Most accounts tell that he was widely known, well cared for and treated affectionately throughout his carnival years.
Career
On the sideshow circuit, microcephalics were usually promoted as "pinheads" or "missing links", and Schlitzie was billed under such titles as "The Last of the Aztecs", "The Monkey Girl" or simply or was paired up with other microcephalics. One notable example of the latter was Schlitzie's possible pairing with a microcephalic woman named Athelia, exhibited together as "Aurora and Natalia, the Aztec sisters". This has led to claims that Aurora actually was Schlitzie's sister, but these claims are unsubstantiated.Schlitzie was often dressed in a muumuu
Muumuu
The muumuu or muumuu is a loose dress of Hawaiian origin that hangs from the shoulder. Like the Aloha shirt, muumuu exports are often brilliantly colored with floral patterns of generic Polynesian motifs. Muumuu for local Hawaiian residents are more subdued in tone...
and either presented as a female or left androgynous
Androgyny
Androgyny is a term derived from the Greek words ανήρ, stem ανδρ- and γυνή , referring to the combination of masculine and feminine characteristics...
to add to the mystique of his odd appearance. Those who knew him alternately referred to him as "he" and "she". Most sources say the choice to dress him like this was also due to his incontinence
Urinary incontinence
Urinary incontinence is any involuntary leakage of urine. It is a common and distressing problem, which may have a profound impact on quality of life. Urinary incontinence almost always results from an underlying treatable medical condition but is under-reported to medical practitioners...
, as Schlitzie had to wear diapers and such clothing made it easier to care for him. However, even this is debatable, as most pictures show that Schlitzie was in fact wearing pants under his dress and some who knew him have said that he did not develop incontinence until later in life.
The sideshow circuit was a tremendous success for Schlitzie, and throughout the 1920s and 1930s, he was employed by many upscale circuses, including Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus
Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus
Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus is an American circus company. The company was started when the circus created by James Anthony Bailey and P. T. Barnum was merged with the Ringling Brothers Circus. The Ringling brothers purchased the Barnum & Bailey Circus in 1907, but ran the circuses...
, Clyde Beatty Circus
Clyde Beatty
Clyde Beatty joined the circus as a cage cleaner as a teen and became famous as a lion tamer and animal trainer. He also became a circus impresario who owned his own show that later merged with the Cole Bros. Circus to form the Clyde Beatty-Cole Bros...
, Tom Mix Circus
Tom Mix
Thomas Edwin "Tom" Mix was an American film actor and the star of many early Western movies. He made a reported 336 films between 1910 and 1935, all but nine of which were silent features...
, Crafts 20 Big Shows and Foley & Burke Carnival. In 1928, Schlitzie made his film debut in the The Sideshow, a drama that took place at a circus, featuring a variety of actual sideshow performers including himself.
Freaks and later work
In 1932, Schlitzie landed his most known role as an actor in Tod BrowningTod Browning
Tod Browning was an American motion picture actor, director and screenwriter.Browning's career spanned the silent and talkie eras...
's iconic horror film Freaks
Freaks
Freaks is a 1932 American Pre-Code horror film about sideshow performers, directed and produced by Tod Browning and released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, with a cast mostly composed of actual carnival performers. The film was based on Tod Robbins' 1923 short story "Spurs"...
. Not unlike The Sideshow, Freaks also took place at a carnival and featured a number of genuine sideshow performers, among them conjoined twins
Conjoined twins
Conjoined twins are identical twins whose bodies are joined in utero. A rare phenomenon, the occurrence is estimated to range from 1 in 50,000 births to 1 in 100,000 births, with a somewhat higher incidence in Southwest Asia and Africa. Approximately half are stillborn, and a smaller fraction of...
Daisy and Violet Hilton
Daisy and Violet Hilton
Daisy Hilton and Violet Hilton were a pair of conjoined twins who toured in the U.S. sideshow and vaudeville circuit in the 1930s.-Early life:...
and Prince Randian
Prince Randian
Prince Randian or Prince Rardion , also known as The Snake Man, The Living Torso, The Human Caterpillar and a variety of other names was a famous limbless sideshow performer of the early 1900s, best known for his ability to roll cigarettes with his lips. He was reportedly brought to the United...
, "The Living Torso". Two other "pinheads" appear throughout the film, and Schlitzie (who is referred to in the feminine sense) has a scene of unintelligible dialogue opposite actor Wallace Ford
Wallace Ford
Wallace Ford was an English film and television actor who, with his friendly appearance and stocky build later in life, appeared in a number of film westerns and B-movies....
.
The appearance of Freaks cast proved extremely controversial on its original release, and the film was ultimately a financial failure. Additionally, it was banned for thirty years in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and Browning struggled to find work following its release, his last with a major studio. Schlitzie appeared in bit roles in various movies, and is credited with a role in the 1934 exploitation film
Exploitation film
Exploitation film is a type of film that is promoted by "exploiting" often lurid subject matter. The term "exploitation" is common in film marketing, used for all types of films to mean promotion or advertising. These films then need something to exploit, such as a big star, special effects, sex,...
Tomorrow's Children, in a brief role as a mentally defective criminal who undergoes forced sterilization
Compulsory sterilization
Compulsory sterilization also known as forced sterilization programs are government policies which attempt to force people to undergo surgical sterilization...
. He is often widely cited as appearing in 1933's Island of Lost Souls
Island of Lost Souls (1933 film)
Island of Lost Souls is an American science fiction horror film starring Charles Laughton, Richard Arlen, Leila Hyams, Bela Lugosi and Kathleen Burke as The Panther Woman. Produced by Paramount Pictures in 1933 from a script co-written by science fiction legend Philip Wylie, the movie was the...
, in a seconds-long role as "Furry Mammal", However, there have been some doubts about whether or not the performer in these two films is actually Schlitzie or just a look-alike.
In 1935, while Schlitzie was performing with the Tom Mix Circus, George Surtees, a chimpanzee
Chimpanzee
Chimpanzee, sometimes colloquially chimp, is the common name for the two extant species of ape in the genus Pan. The Congo River forms the boundary between the native habitat of the two species:...
trainer also appearing at the show with a trained chimp act, adopted him, becoming Schlitzie's legal guardian. In 1941, Schlitzie appeared in his final film role as "Princess Bibi", a sideshow attraction, in Meet Boston Blackie
Meet Boston Blackie
Meet Boston Blackie is a 1941 crime film starring Chester Morris as Boston Blackie, a notorious, but honorable jewel thief. Although the character had been the hero of a number of silent films, this was the first talking picture...
.
Hospitalization and final years
Under the care of Surtees, Schlitzie continued performing the sideshow circuit until Surtees' death in 1965, after which Surtees' daughter, who was not in show business, committed Schlitzie to a Los AngelesLos Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
county hospital.
Schlitzie remained hospitalized for some time until he was recognized by sword swallower Bill Unks, who happened to be working at the hospital during the off-season. According to Unks, Schlitzie seemed to miss the carnival dearly, and being away from the public eye had made him very sad and depressed. Hospital authorities determined that the best care for Schlitzie would be to make him a ward of Unks' employer, showman Sam Alexander, and return him to the sideshow.
In his later years, Schlitzie lived in Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
, occasionally performing on various sideshow circuits both locally and internationally (he frequently performed in Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
and London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, and his last major appearance was at the 1968 Dobritch International Circus held at the Los Angeles Sports Arena). Schlitzie also became a notable attraction performing on the streets of Hollywood
Hollywood, Los Angeles, California
Hollywood is a famous district in Los Angeles, California, United States situated west-northwest of downtown Los Angeles. Due to its fame and cultural identity as the historical center of movie studios and movie stars, the word Hollywood is often used as a metonym of American cinema...
, his caretakers selling his stock carnival souvenir pictures. Schlitzie spent time in his final days visiting MacArthur Park
MacArthur Park
MacArthur Park is a park in the Westlake neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, named after General Douglas MacArthur and designated city of Los Angeles Historic Cultural Monument #100.- Geography :...
, feeding the pigeons and ducks with his guardian and performing for people as they passed by.
On September 24, 1971, at the age of 70, Schlitzie died from bronchial pneumonia
Bronchopneumonia
Bronchopneumonia or bronchial pneumonia or "Bronchogenic pneumonia" is the acute inflammation of the walls of the bronchioles...
at Fountain View Convalescent Home. His death certificate
Death certificate
The phrase death certificate can describe either a document issued by a medical practitioner certifying the deceased state of a person or popularly to a document issued by a person such as a registrar of vital statistics that declares the date, location and cause of a person's death as later...
listed his official name as "Shlitze Surtees" and his birth date as 1901.
Schlitzie was initially interred in an unmarked grave at Queen of Heaven Cemetery
Queen of Heaven Cemetery
Queen of Heaven Cemetery is a Roman Catholic cemetery in Hillside, Illinois, a suburban community near Chicago. The cemetery is operated by the Archdiocese of Chicago....
in Rowland Heights
Rowland Heights, California
Rowland Heights is an unincorporated community of , located in and below the Puente Hills in the San Gabriel Valley, in Los Angeles County, California. The population of the census-designated place was 48,993 at the 2010 census, up from 48,553 at the 2000 census...
. In 2008, a group of concerned persons at findadeath.com pooled their funds and purchased a headstone for his gravesite.
Cultural legacy
In the 1960s, FreaksFreaks
Freaks is a 1932 American Pre-Code horror film about sideshow performers, directed and produced by Tod Browning and released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, with a cast mostly composed of actual carnival performers. The film was based on Tod Robbins' 1923 short story "Spurs"...
was rediscovered and enjoyed a long run as one of the first midnight movies, becoming a cult classic
Cult Classic
Cult Classic is a Blue Öyster Cult studio recording released in 1994, containing remakes of many of the band's previous hits.-Track listing:# " The Reaper" - 5:05# "E.T.I...
, and in 1994, it was selected by the National Film Registry
National Film Registry
The National Film Registry is the United States National Film Preservation Board's selection of films for preservation in the Library of Congress. The Board, established by the National Film Preservation Act of 1988, was reauthorized by acts of Congress in 1992, 1996, 2005, and again in October 2008...
as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant". The film became the public's major exposure to Schlitzie, who remains one of the more memorable characters in the film.
Schlitzie's iconic image has lent itself to many products, including masks, hats, shirts, models, clocks, snow globes and dolls. Additionally, Schlitzie has been cited as the inspiration for Bill Griffith's cult comic strip
Comic strip
A comic strip is a sequence of drawings arranged in interrelated panels to display brief humor or form a narrative, often serialized, with text in balloons and captions....
Zippy the Pinhead
Zippy the Pinhead
Zippy is an American comic strip created by Bill Griffith. The character of Zippy the Pinhead initially appeared in underground publications during the 1970s...
.
External links
- Portrait (2009) of Schlitzie by noted illustrator Drew Friedman
- Schlitzie's big scene from 'Freaks' on YouTube
- 'There's Something About Schlitzie': A comprehensive website devoted to Schlitzie
- The Human Marvels Biography
- Schlitzie on Find-A-Grave
- The discussion that led to Schlitzie's new gravestone on the Find-A-Death forums
- Schlitze the Pinhead: One of Us! One of Us Pop Culture Addict Proflie on Schlitze
- Schlitze's remains are interred in a now-marked grave