El Paso’s Giant: Jake Erlich, film and circus star, stood 8 feet, 6 1/2 inches tall: Trish Long

Trish Long, El Paso Times
·5 min read

Known as “The Texas Giant” in the circus world and Jack Earle on the silver screen, El Paso’s Giant stood 8 feet, 6½ inches tall and, for a time, held the Guinness Book of Records for the “world’s tallest man.” Born Jacob Reuben Erlich in Denver in 1906, he moved to El Paso with his parents in 1912.

As a child Erlich had wanted to be a motion picture actor. He went from El Paso High to Hollywood, where from the age of 13 to 17 he appeared in nearly 50 silent movies. A fall from scaffolding ended his movie career and he returned to El Paso.

In October 1925, Ehrlich and some friends attended the Ringling Brothers circus when it came to town. Erlich was surprised to find out that he was taller than the circus’ tallest man. The Times reported the following on Oct. 8, 1925:

Jack Erlich in front of the Buick Motor Co., El Paso.
Jack Erlich in front of the Buick Motor Co., El Paso.

El Paso Giant In High School To Join Circus

“Ladees and gentlemen, I will now introduce the tallest –"

The announcer in Ringling Brothers circus looked out in the crowd and saw Jake Erlich, young El Paso giant, and went no further. Jake, 8 feet, 2½ inches tall, had his world beater beaten.

But after the performance the announcer began negotiations with Jake to travel under the big tent and next March he will join the show, Jake said Thursday. The salary will be more than $100 a week.

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Travels the world with circus

Ehrlich spent 14 years traveling the world with the Ringling Brothers circus, but in a May 16, 1950, interview with the Times he said, “it was only to make a living.”

E.P. giant goes over big in new career

The thing that Jake Erlich of El Paso hated most about being a circus giant was having people ask, "How's the weather up there?"

"I figure I was asked that question at least 10,000 times," recalled Erlich.

At 44 and still standing 8 feet, 6½ inches, he is happy in his new career as "the world's tallest traveling salesman."

You must remember Jake, probably the most famous and certainly the most talented of a long line of Ringling Brothers Circus giants.

11/07/1926 Jake Erlich, Flowing Gold and L. Hamilton, Juarez Mexico. Jacob Reuben Erlich, the son of Jewish immigrants, was better known as Jack Earle, a stage name he took as a teenager when he appeared in nearly 50 Hollywood silent movies in the 1920s.
11/07/1926 Jake Erlich, Flowing Gold and L. Hamilton, Juarez Mexico. Jacob Reuben Erlich, the son of Jewish immigrants, was better known as Jack Earle, a stage name he took as a teenager when he appeared in nearly 50 Hollywood silent movies in the 1920s.

Lucky rings for a quarter

"I used to sell my giant's lucky rings for a quarter," he grinned.

"I sold thousands upon thousands of them. Every once in a while I still bump into someone who pulls out one of those rings, tarnished with age. I always offer to give them their quarter back if it hasn't brought them good luck."

One afternoon he went with some other boys to see the Ringling Brothers sideshow. He was amazed to find he was taller than "the world's tallest man." So was the circus. It promptly offered the youth a contract.

"I didn't want to be a sideshow freak," Jake said. "But I did want to earn a living. I traveled with the circus for 14 years. And by then all its glamor and color had ended for me."

Jake Erlich, Hope M. Smith - owner of Magnolia Coke Cola Company, unidentified man at left, El Paso, Texas.
Jake Erlich, Hope M. Smith - owner of Magnolia Coke Cola Company, unidentified man at left, El Paso, Texas.

World’s tallest salesman

After a trip to Australia, Jake returned and looked up an old friend who was working with the wine division of Schenley Industries. The company hired Jake to make a three-month goodwill tour — and he's been with it ever since.

He has graduated at that time from being an oddity to becoming one of the ablest merchandising specialists in the wine business.

Jake only met one man taller than himself in his life — Robert Wadlow, the late Alton, Ill., giant.

"He stood 8 feet, 9 1/2 inches," Jake said. "I was so flabbergasted when I saw him the only thing I could think to say was, 'How's the weather up there?'

"He didn't like it either."

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Retires, returns to El Paso

In January 1952, Ehrlich retired and returned to El Paso for health reasons. Erlich had planned to work with his father, Isadore Erlich, at the Geneva Loan & Jewelry Co., but periods of ill health allowed him little time there. He was hospitalized for a checkup early in June and returned to the hospital July 5. He died July 18 at Hotel Dieu at the age of 46. He is buried in the B'Nai Zion section of Concordia Cemetery in the Erlich family plot.

Erlich's July 19, 1952, obituary read:

Jake Erlich, El Paso’s Biggest Citizen

City’s Giant Was 8 feet, 6 Inches Tall

Jake Erlich, one of El Paso’s most famous citizens, died Friday afternoon in a local hospital. He was 46.

Mr. Erlich attracted nationwide attention for his unusual height of 8 feet, 6 ½ inches.

After a career as tall man with the Ringling Brothers Circus which took him all over the world, Mr. Erlich became a sales executive for a wine firm in California 12 years ago. In January, he decided to return to his boyhood home, El Paso, for health reasons.

A special casket for Mr. Erlich’s body was ordered from Dallas. It was made last night and was to arrive here tonight.

There will be eight pallbearers instead of the usual six.

Mr. Erlich didn’t like the glamor of the circus world. He spent 14 years with the circus, but he said “it was only to make a living,”

“I didn’t want to be a sideshow freak,” he said in later years.

Trish Long may be reached at tlong@elpasotimes.com or 915-546-6179.

This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: El Paso’s Giant, Jake Ehrlich, stood 8 feet 6 ½ inches tall