The Facebook group "On This Day In Horror" (OTDIH) recently posted a terrific tribute to the late sideshow performer and actor Schlitzie, who was born September 10, 1901. OTDIH explains that Schlitzie is most famous for playing "Pin Head" in Tod Browning's movie Freaks (1932) and also had roles in The Sideshow (1928), Island of Lost Souls (1932), Tomorrow's Children (1934), and Meet Boston Blackie (1941). OTDIH also describes the endearing actor:
Those who knew Schlitzie described him as an affectionate, exuberant, sociable person who loved dancing, singing, and being the center of attention, performing for anyone he could stop and talk with.
When reading through the post's comments, I saw that documentary filmmaker Steve Belgard wrote: "Look for my upcoming documentary, Schlitzie: One of Us coming out soon." I investigated, and found out that the film has been in the works since at least 2015. IMDb provides this description of the film:
Schlitzie: One of Us is a love letter to the 4-foot-tall performer, who was born with microcephaly, and made his most notable cultural impact via the 1932 classic film Freaks. The Ramones immortalized him with a song; the FX series "American Horror Story: Freakshow" featured a character based on him, as well as in the comic strip "Zippy the Pinhead." The documentary examines how he touched the hearts of many and made an impact on pop culture, while imparting a hopeful message of acceptance and tolerance. In addition to Schlitzie, the film features those born different, who have made an impact and thrived despite their obstacles. Artists on the Autism Spectrum have created the film's animation and musical score.
Back in 2017, Dread Central interviewed Schlitzie: One of Us director Steve Belgard:
"There is a fan base out there," says Belgard. "But others will appreciate the tone of acceptance and tolerance, and that everyone deserves a chance to live and be a part of society, no matter how different you look, talk or act. Not only will the documentary be entertaining, it should appeal to those who are different: those with Autism, Down Syndrome, the LGBT community, children who are bullied, those body shamed, etc."
Belgard tells us, "This will be a doc about tolerance, acceptance, love and we could certainly use that now…" Amen, sir.
I'm not sure when the documentary will be available to watch, but on Belgard's Facebook page, he says he's completed production on the film. I contacted him to ask for more details and he told me that he'll be screening the film for cast, crew, family, and friends next month, and then will be looking for a distributor. I sure hope it gets picked up and released soon–it sounds terrific!
