Monday, May 04, 2009

"Schlitzie"





Let artist Drew Friedman introduce you:

This is a just completed privately commissioned portrait of "Schlitzie, the Pin Head", AKA Schlitzie Surtees, and born (possibly) Simon Metz, in the Bronx in 1901. Schlitzie had microlephaly, a disorder that gave him a small brain and skull, and the cognizance of a three year old. he stood about four feet and wore dresses (due to his incontinence), leading many people to speculate he was a woman.


Comics connoisseurs likely recognize "Schlitzie" as the real-life inspiration for Bill Griffith's legendary "Zippy the Pinhead."

3 comments:

Nick Redfern said...

Gabba, gabba, we accept you, we accept you, one of us...

Brian James said...

I love your blog, follow it assiduously; however, it's "microcephaly", not "microlephaly" (don't blame me; I was over-toilet-trained as a child)!

Cheers,

Brian James

Mac said...

@Brian

Don't blame me either; the misspelling is the artist's. Good catch, though!