slit see the pinhead was one of the most
slit see the pinhead was one of the most

famous circus sideshow acts ever his
famous circus sideshow acts ever his

unusual appearance attracted swarms of
unusual appearance attracted swarms of

audiences but his life was incredibly
audiences but his life was incredibly

hard behind the scenes slit sees most
hard behind the scenes slit sees most

recognizable feature was his small head
recognizable feature was his small head

the result of a disorder called
the result of a disorder called

microcephaly people with this condition
microcephaly people with this condition

have skulls that are far smaller than a
have skulls that are far smaller than a

typical skull
typical skull

they're often conical toward the crown
they're often conical toward the crown

of the head how much is clear truth is
of the head how much is clear truth is

that microcephaly can be a symptom of
that microcephaly can be a symptom of

several other issues it can be due to
several other issues it can be due to

genetics it'll alcohol syndrome Zika
genetics it'll alcohol syndrome Zika

virus were a number of other problems
virus were a number of other problems

while sources say that Schlitz II was
while sources say that Schlitz II was

born with microcephaly others say that
born with microcephaly others say that

he developed a condition later on body
he developed a condition later on body

grew but his head didn't each of these
grew but his head didn't each of these

possibilities can indicate different
possibilities can indicate different

causes so it's unclear exactly how slit
causes so it's unclear exactly how slit

C came to be microcephalic it doesn't
C came to be microcephalic it doesn't

seem that he was ever seriously examined
seem that he was ever seriously examined

by any doctor and medicine in the early
by any doctor and medicine in the early

20th century was far more rudimentary
20th century was far more rudimentary

than it is now so it's likely that
than it is now so it's likely that

doctors wouldn't have been able to find
doctors wouldn't have been able to find

out anything anyway especially without a
out anything anyway especially without a

family or medical history or any other
family or medical history or any other

information to go on since we know next
information to go on since we know next

to nothing about Schlitz E's birth we
to nothing about Schlitz E's birth we

also don't know much about his childhood
also don't know much about his childhood

other than his last name was probably
other than his last name was probably

surtees some sources say that his
surtees some sources say that his

parents kept him either in an attic or
parents kept him either in an attic or

basement but one thing we can be pretty
basement but one thing we can be pretty

sure of is that Schlitz C's parents
sure of is that Schlitz C's parents

probably sold him to the circus decades
probably sold him to the circus decades

after slavery was outlawed selling a
after slavery was outlawed selling a

child with a disability was not exactly
child with a disability was not exactly

legal
legal

but people certainly looked the other
but people certainly looked the other

way slits II went on to work for just
way slits II went on to work for just

about every popular circus that existed
about every popular circus that existed

during his lifetime including big names
during his lifetime including big names

like Barnum and Bailey and Ringling
like Barnum and Bailey and Ringling

Brothers as he was traded sold and lent
Brothers as he was traded sold and lent

to various circus owners this was
to various circus owners this was

actually common practice at the time
actually common practice at the time

despite how horrifying it sounds because
despite how horrifying it sounds because

circuses typically followed a specific
circuses typically followed a specific

route of cities each year the owners
route of cities each year the owners

wanted to keep things fresh and so they
wanted to keep things fresh and so they

would frequently swap out attractions in
would frequently swap out attractions in

hopes of bringing new customers to
hopes of bringing new customers to

cities they had been to before
cities they had been to before

this meant that sideshow performers
this meant that sideshow performers

often move between circuses and
often move between circuses and

constantly visited new cities while
constantly visited new cities while

performers who were more able minded
performers who were more able minded

might have had some say in this those
might have had some say in this those

with intellectual disabilities like
with intellectual disabilities like

Schlitz II likely had no
Schlitz II likely had no

choice whatsoever because of Schlitz
choice whatsoever because of Schlitz

ease cognitive difficulties it's said
ease cognitive difficulties it's said

that he behaved a lot like an excitable
that he behaved a lot like an excitable

child he had a sense of wonder and joy
child he had a sense of wonder and joy

that audiences loved and kept them
that audiences loved and kept them

coming back to see him he could sing
coming back to see him he could sing

dance and even parrot people and
dance and even parrot people and

audiences ate it all up one of his most
audiences ate it all up one of his most

popular acts was quite simple he would
popular acts was quite simple he would

count from one to ten though it's said
count from one to ten though it's said

that he would often skip the number
that he would often skip the number

seven it's not certain if Schlitz E had
seven it's not certain if Schlitz E had

trouble remembering it or if it was part
trouble remembering it or if it was part

of the act and he skipped it on purpose
of the act and he skipped it on purpose

for laughs but audiences weren't the
for laughs but audiences weren't the

only ones upon whom Schlitz II left a
only ones upon whom Schlitz II left a

mark his nurses and caregivers are said
mark his nurses and caregivers are said

to have loved him and fellow performers
to have loved him and fellow performers

were also very fond of him and made sure
were also very fond of him and made sure

he was taken care of while I never had a
he was taken care of while I never had a

family per se the circus says he worked
family per se the circus says he worked

for made sure to treat him his family on
for made sure to treat him his family on

the occasions that audiences were cruel
the occasions that audiences were cruel

to Schlitz see the other circus workers
to Schlitz see the other circus workers

would quickly stop the abuse of audience
would quickly stop the abuse of audience

members and make them leave slit seas
members and make them leave slit seas

most famous acting appearance was in the
most famous acting appearance was in the

1932 horror film freaks in which he
1932 horror film freaks in which he

effectively played himself however the
effectively played himself however the

movie Schlitz II was female both on
movie Schlitz II was female both on

stage and off he gets a good amount of
stage and off he gets a good amount of

screen time as performance is a great
screen time as performance is a great

way for modern audiences to experience
way for modern audiences to experience

his personality and see his charm in
his personality and see his charm in

action and this wasn't Schlitz he's only
action and this wasn't Schlitz he's only

film role he played a sideshow performer
film role he played a sideshow performer

in 1928 to the sideshow and 1941 s meet
in 1928 to the sideshow and 1941 s meet

Boston Blackie and he appeared in 1932 s
Boston Blackie and he appeared in 1932 s

the island of lost souls early
the island of lost souls early

adaptation of HG Wells novel the island
adaptation of HG Wells novel the island

of dr. Moreau
of dr. Moreau

as one of the animals but his most
as one of the animals but his most

unusual role came in the exploitation
unusual role came in the exploitation

film tomorrow's children which was meant
film tomorrow's children which was meant

to showcase the evils of forced
to showcase the evils of forced

sterilization common practice at the
sterilization common practice at the

time for criminals are those with
time for criminals are those with

disabilities slit see has a brief role
disabilities slit see has a brief role

as a criminal sentence to sterilization
as a criminal sentence to sterilization

and unusually for him he appears with a
and unusually for him he appears with a

full head of hair and a beard one sad
full head of hair and a beard one sad

truth about sideshow performers is that
truth about sideshow performers is that

many of them had shorter than average
many of them had shorter than average

lives slit see was actually one of the
lives slit see was actually one of the

exceptions to this he died on September
exceptions to this he died on September

24th 1971 and according to his own death
24th 1971 and according to his own death

certificate lived to the age of seventy
certificate lived to the age of seventy

however that birth date is unconformity
however that birth date is unconformity

so it's possible that Schlitz II was
so it's possible that Schlitz II was

older possibly even in his 80s when he
older possibly even in his 80s when he

passed away his cause of death was
passed away his cause of death was

listed as bronchial pneumonia brought on
listed as bronchial pneumonia brought on

by meddler II depression slits II was
by meddler II depression slits II was

quite poor at the end of his life and
quite poor at the end of his life and

thus he wasn't able to afford a grave
thus he wasn't able to afford a grave

marker in 2007 a Schlitz II fan named
marker in 2007 a Schlitz II fan named

Scott Michaels visited Schlitz sees
Scott Michaels visited Schlitz sees

grave in California IRRI marked upon the
grave in California IRRI marked upon the

lack of a gravestone on his website so
lack of a gravestone on his website so

members of the site's message board
members of the site's message board

decided to see what they could do about
decided to see what they could do about

the situation one of them called up
the situation one of them called up

Queen of Heaven Cemetery and found out
Queen of Heaven Cemetery and found out

there was a balance that needed to be
there was a balance that needed to be

paid off and then a new marker could be
paid off and then a new marker could be

placed there so the site's members held
placed there so the site's members held

a little fundraiser and after raising a
a little fundraiser and after raising a

few hundred dollars she lit sees balance
few hundred dollars she lit sees balance

was paid and a small ground-level marker
was paid and a small ground-level marker

was added to the plot check out one of
was added to the plot check out one of

our newest videos right here plus even
our newest videos right here plus even

more grunge videos about your favorite
more grunge videos about your favorite

stuff are coming soon subscribe to our
stuff are coming soon subscribe to our

YouTube channel and hit the bell so you
YouTube channel and hit the bell so you

don't miss a single one
don't miss a single one