Jakob "Jackie" Gerlich

Jakob "Jackie" Gerlich (September 21, 1925 – December 27, 1960) was an American actor and circus entertainer most notable for his appearance in the 1939 American film The Wizard of Oz.

Jakob "Jackie" Gerlich
Born
Leo Gerlich (Jakob ‘Jackie’ Gerlich)

(1925-09-21)September 21, 1925
Vienna, Austria
DiedDecember 27, 1960(1960-12-27) (aged 35)
Sarasota, Florida, United States
OccupationActor, circus entertainer
Years active1939, 1943–1948
Notable work
The Wizard of Oz;
East Side of Heaven Terror Of Tiny Town
AwardsHollywood Walk of Fame Star

Gerlich was born in Vienna, Austria by parents Abraham Fox (Abram) and Regina Fox (Ryfka),[1] who both had a Polish nationality. They weren’t legally married until 1936, which is why Jackie and his brothers, David and Jakob, where recorded under their mothers ‘Gerlich’ family name. According to brother David, Leo’s birth complications left him underdeveloped.[2] He emigrated to America when he arrived in New York City on the S.S. President Roosevelt ocean liner on March 3rd, 1936 [3] at the age of 11 to work with the traveling circus.

There is often confusion about his birth year, this is because when he came to the United States from Vienna in 1936 he used his older brother Jakobs information on the passport. According to brother David Fox, Leo used his older brothers 1917 birth certificate, rather than his own 1925 birth certificate, to get employed as a midget.[4] His parents wanted him to work for Leo Singer, proving Singer with his older brothers birth certificate.[5] He used the name ‘Jackie’ from then on. He was born Leo but all of his life his other identity as Jakob was heavily used. Even in other online sources today, he is credited with the name Jakob Gerlich. [6]

Wizard of Oz

Gerlich is most notable for being in The Wizard of Oz, where he played the red member of the Lollipop Guild.[7] Jerry Maren and Harry Doll were the other two members of the Lollipop Guild in the film.[8] He was only 14 years old when he made his acting break in The Wizard of Oz, three years after arriving in the United States.

Leopold von Singer was the manager of an entertainment troupe called The Singer Midgets and signed a contract with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer to provide 124 proportionately-sized little people to play Munchkins in Oz.[9] Gerlich was recruited because of his dwarfism and was paid $125 a week for his work.[10] Though Gerlich is uncredited in the film, his name appears in Oz trivia articles and books.[8][11]

In 2007, all 124 Munchkin actors in Oz were honored with a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.[12] For Gerlich this was a posthumous honor. Seven surviving Munchkin actors attended the ceremony, including Mickey Carroll, Ruth Duccini, Jerry Maren, Margaret Pellegrini, Meinhardt Raabe, Karl Slover and Clarence Swensen.[13]

Maren said that due to previous engagements, the three members of the Lollipop guild did not stay in contact after Oz. In 2013 he stated "We pretty much separated because they all had previous engagements. Somebody had to go to Milwaukee, somebody had to go to Boston, New York, etc."[14]

Other Roles

Gerlich’s first acting experience was in the 1938 American Western Jed Buells The Terror Of Tiny Town, the world's only Western with an all-midget cast. Jakob was a part of the troupe of actors formerly called the Singer Midgets that Buell renamed Jed Buells Midgets.[15]

Another acting experience was also an uncredited role when he played Bobby in the 1939 film East Side of Heaven.[7]

Besides his small movie roles, Gerlich was a circus performer in the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus.[16]

Gerlich was interviewed by Mike Wallace on May 1, 1959.[17]

On December 27, 1960, Gerlich died at the age of 35 in Sarasota, Florida from ‘natural causes’ although brother David insists his brother died after being given a doctored drink in a Sarasota bar.[18]

References
  1. https://www.geni.com/people/Leo-Jackie-Gerlich/6000000017626048591
  2. https://www.geni.com/documents/view?doc_id=6000000111453440870
  3. https://www.geni.com/documents/view?doc_id=6000000017917252005
  4. https://www.geni.com/documents/view?doc_id=6000000111453440870
  5. https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=PuYMBAAAQBAJ&pg=PT143&lpg=PT143&dq=jackie+gerlich+1960&source=bl&ots=OpmIabAS1v&sig=ITehnbXp3hvAWxhoJ5KAhhTcJ6w&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjmvtHOk7_bAhWDF8AKHfQRASEQ6AEIaDAN#v=onepage&q=jackie%20gerlich%201960&f=false
  6. https://www.facebook.com/lbi.newyork/posts/2891807917509335
  7. "The Wizard of Oz". TV Guide. Retrieved 7 Aug 2013.
  8. Scarfone, Jay (2004). The Wizardry of Oz: The Artistry and Magic of the 1939 M-G-M Classic. Hal Leonard Corporation. p. 240. ISBN 1557836248.
  9. Harmetz, ljean. The Making of the Wizard of Oz. Hyperion, 1998.
  10. "Mickey Carroll, A Munchkin From The 1939 Classic Film ‘The Wizard Of Oz,’ Dies At 89". Access Hollywood. Retrieved 08/07/2013.
  11. Cox, Stephen (2002). The Munchkins of Oz. Cumberland House Publishing. pp. 11, 37–41, 77. ISBN 1581822693.
  12. "Munchkins of 'Oz' get a star on Walk of Fame". USA Today. 2007-11-21. Retrieved 8 Aug 2013.
  13. Serjeant, Jill (2007-11-21). ""Oz" Munchkins get Hollywood star". Reuters. Retrieved 8 Aug 2013.
  14. bryanenk (18 September 2013). "'Wizard of Oz' Munchkin Star, 93, Still Singing 'Lollipop Guild'". Yahoo. Retrieved 10 April 2014.
  15. "THE TERROR OF TINY TOWN". www.b-westerns.com. Retrieved 2020-09-21.
  16. "Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Route Book, 1948". Retrieved 9 April 2014.
  17. Wallace, Mike. "Mike Wallace Papers". Syracuse University Library. Retrieved 7 Aug 2013.
  18. Hogan, D. J., The Wizard of Oz FAQ: All That's Left to Know About Life, According to Oz
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