Jakob "Jackie" Gerlich (September 21, 1925 â€" December 27, 1960) was
an American actor and circus entertainer most notable for his
appearance in the 1939 American film The Wizard of Oz.Gerlich was born
in Vienna, Austria by parents Abraham Fox (Abram) and Regina Fox
(Ryfka), 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. He emigrated to America when he arrived in New York
City on the S.S. President Roosevelt ocean liner on March 3rd, 1936
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. His parents wanted him
to work for Leo Singer, proving Singer with his older brothers birth
certificate . 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. Gerlich is most notable for being in The Wizard of Oz, where
he played the red member of the Lollipop Guild. Jerry Maren and Harry
Doll were the other two members of the Lollipop Guild in the film.. 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.
an American actor and circus entertainer most notable for his
appearance in the 1939 American film The Wizard of Oz.Gerlich was born
in Vienna, Austria by parents Abraham Fox (Abram) and Regina Fox
(Ryfka), 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. He emigrated to America when he arrived in New York
City on the S.S. President Roosevelt ocean liner on March 3rd, 1936
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. His parents wanted him
to work for Leo Singer, proving Singer with his older brothers birth
certificate . 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. Gerlich is most notable for being in The Wizard of Oz, where
he played the red member of the Lollipop Guild. Jerry Maren and Harry
Doll were the other two members of the Lollipop Guild in the film.. 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.
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