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Nobody's Fool: The Life and Times of Schlitzie the Pinhead
Nobody’s Fool follows the story of Schlitzie’s long career—from Coney Island and the Ringling Bros. Circus to small-town carnivals and big-city sideshows—which is one of legend. Today, Schlitzie is most well-known for his appearance in the cult classic Freaks . The making of Freaks and Schlitzie’s role in the film is a centerpiece of the book. In researching Schlitzie’s life (1901–1971), Griffith has tracked down primary sources and archives throughout the country, including conducting interviews with those who worked with him and had intimate knowledge of his personality, his likes and dislikes, how he responded to being a sideshow “freak,” and much more. This graphic novel biography provides never-before-revealed details of his life, offering a unique look into his world and restoring dignity to his life by recognizing his contributions to popular culture.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2019
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1221 people want to read
About the author
Bill Griffith
112 books45 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 107 reviews
April 20, 2019
Nobody’s Fool is an impressive biography of a disabled man who was labeled as a “freak,” sold to the carnival by his parents more than a century ago, traveled in carnival “Freak Shows” (that I think have been banned since the sixties?) all over the country and appeared in films for many decades. He went by various names associated with several crazy fictional identities: Schlitzie, Last of the Aztecs, The Missing Link (between apes and humans), The Monkey Girl, Schlitzie the Pinhead. P. T. Barnum said the American people "like to be conned," and carnies worked on this assumption; they fictionalized his life to showcase him all his life. He was (in part) the inspiration for a character that Bill Griffith did and continues to do in comic strips, Zippy the Pinhead, who lives in a surreal and satirical alternate American universe, set in Dingburg, US, where zippies play 24-hour Skeeball and worship at the feet of the giant Muffler Man.
But Nobody’s Fool is a serious, not at all satirical, and loving portrait of one character he had first seen (in 1963) in the controversial 1932 film Freaks. The book is a sad testimony to a time in which differences were ridiculed openly, though most of the survivors of the freak shows Schlitzie was in attest to being proud that they could earn a living and gain fame if not fortune. The drawing and story of this 240 page book is amazing, a love letter to Schlitzie, deeply researched for decades.
As a father of two sons with autism, as an adolescent loner, as a lifelong teacher of and advocate for kids, some of whom have disabilities, I was profoundly uncomfortable and often sad reading almost every single page of this book. So it was personal for me, which is in part why I am ultimately glad I read it. It raises uncomfortable truths about how we humans view each other, especially regarding our differences. And in it you love and care for Schlitzie.
One of my favorite pages was Griffith imagining the kind of “freak show” Schlitizie might have wanted to see, featuring people who play golf on weekends, people who hold puppies for hours on end, people who collect stamps, people who look like Barbra Stanwyck. Griffiths is an alt comix classic cartoonist who is himself admirably weird and hilarious. But in this book is depth and heart are on display.
My take on all this is highly informed by Katherine Dunn’s brilliantly strange and darkly satirical Geek Love, which sees the universe from the perspective of “geeks” whose value only increases the geekier (and more “deformed” they are).
A trailer for Freaks (1932, Tod Browning, a film featuring Schlitzie);
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJVXT...
For over a decade, starting in 1957, Griffith's mother Barbara had an affair with then famous cartoonist Lawrence Lariar; this formed the basis of Bill Griffith's also serious and deeply researched 2015 graphic novel Invisible Ink: My Mother’s Secret Love Affair With a Famous Cartoonist.
But Nobody’s Fool is a serious, not at all satirical, and loving portrait of one character he had first seen (in 1963) in the controversial 1932 film Freaks. The book is a sad testimony to a time in which differences were ridiculed openly, though most of the survivors of the freak shows Schlitzie was in attest to being proud that they could earn a living and gain fame if not fortune. The drawing and story of this 240 page book is amazing, a love letter to Schlitzie, deeply researched for decades.
As a father of two sons with autism, as an adolescent loner, as a lifelong teacher of and advocate for kids, some of whom have disabilities, I was profoundly uncomfortable and often sad reading almost every single page of this book. So it was personal for me, which is in part why I am ultimately glad I read it. It raises uncomfortable truths about how we humans view each other, especially regarding our differences. And in it you love and care for Schlitzie.
One of my favorite pages was Griffith imagining the kind of “freak show” Schlitizie might have wanted to see, featuring people who play golf on weekends, people who hold puppies for hours on end, people who collect stamps, people who look like Barbra Stanwyck. Griffiths is an alt comix classic cartoonist who is himself admirably weird and hilarious. But in this book is depth and heart are on display.
My take on all this is highly informed by Katherine Dunn’s brilliantly strange and darkly satirical Geek Love, which sees the universe from the perspective of “geeks” whose value only increases the geekier (and more “deformed” they are).
A trailer for Freaks (1932, Tod Browning, a film featuring Schlitzie);
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJVXT...
For over a decade, starting in 1957, Griffith's mother Barbara had an affair with then famous cartoonist Lawrence Lariar; this formed the basis of Bill Griffith's also serious and deeply researched 2015 graphic novel Invisible Ink: My Mother’s Secret Love Affair With a Famous Cartoonist.
June 18, 2019
The life and times of Schlitzie the Pinhead tells us as much about ourselves as it does about Schlitzie: the parade of people that lined up to take advantage of a gentle soul who was just looking for a family really made me feel sick. Bill Griffith has done a fantastic job of making Schlitzie a real person - not a freak to be gawked at. The story within this story is also how Griffith came up with Zippy the Pinhead - highest recommendation.
December 17, 2018
Honestly, this could have been edited down to about 50 pages. There's so much time spent with the various sideshows Schlitzie worked at that they just blur into the same few pages on repeat. I know Griffith decided to do this because his character Zippie the Pinhead is based on Schlitzie. But a better story would have been to give us the history of all the people to have appeared in Tom Browning's Freaks. This was the most interesting part of the book and what I was interested in most. Unfortunately, it was only a small subset of the 250 page story.
Received a review copy from Abrams and Edelweiss. All thoughts are my own and in no way influenced by the aforementioned.
Received a review copy from Abrams and Edelweiss. All thoughts are my own and in no way influenced by the aforementioned.
November 25, 2023
A biography of Schlitzie the Pinhead, an American sideshow performer with a unique appearance who influenced components of Griffith's long-running comicbook character Zippy the Pinhead. Griffith shows Schlitzie a ton of respect and this was a thorough and well-researched book for a person who not much is really known about.
Schlitzie spent decades from 1920 onwards in the touring carnival scene. He stood at just 4 feet tall with a very small head. By many account he could talk but was intellectually disabled. He was often portrayed as a "missing link" in the evolutionary chain, or a female Aztec and was normally wearing a muumuu dress.
His big claim to fame came when he was a character in the now cult-classic film Freaks (1932). That's actually where Griffith first saw Schlitzie and later drew a comicbook character from Schlitzie's photo on a postcard.
I have to watch that movie now - some of the best scenes in this book were just adaptations of the movie.
I really liked the part of the book where it shows Griffith finding out about Schlitzie. It doesn't take up a ton of pages, but I like the narrative.
Most of the book is simply, Schlitzie did this, then his manager did this etc. It paints a picture of Schlitzie but its not a very engaging narrative. Schlitzie needed a guardian which was mostly the money-making showman of the age and he swaps hands numerous times. It seems most treated him fairly.
Later in life Schlitzie's manager dies, he ends up with the manager's daughter as caretaker who bascially abandons him. He ends up in a state hospital in the 60s and developed depression by being away from the public until by chance an old sword-swallower Bill "Frenchy" Unks happened to be working at the hospital and made contact.
Schlitzie spent decades from 1920 onwards in the touring carnival scene. He stood at just 4 feet tall with a very small head. By many account he could talk but was intellectually disabled. He was often portrayed as a "missing link" in the evolutionary chain, or a female Aztec and was normally wearing a muumuu dress.
His big claim to fame came when he was a character in the now cult-classic film Freaks (1932). That's actually where Griffith first saw Schlitzie and later drew a comicbook character from Schlitzie's photo on a postcard.
I have to watch that movie now - some of the best scenes in this book were just adaptations of the movie.
I really liked the part of the book where it shows Griffith finding out about Schlitzie. It doesn't take up a ton of pages, but I like the narrative.
Most of the book is simply, Schlitzie did this, then his manager did this etc. It paints a picture of Schlitzie but its not a very engaging narrative. Schlitzie needed a guardian which was mostly the money-making showman of the age and he swaps hands numerous times. It seems most treated him fairly.
Later in life Schlitzie's manager dies, he ends up with the manager's daughter as caretaker who bascially abandons him. He ends up in a state hospital in the 60s and developed depression by being away from the public until by chance an old sword-swallower Bill "Frenchy" Unks happened to be working at the hospital and made contact.
April 16, 2019
Aww I loved this. Wish I could buy Schlitzie a big hat with a long feather in it.
April 6, 2019
I would give this graphic novel 7 stars if I could because of how wonderful this true story was. The biography of Schlitzie-who was actually a sideshow freak-but was born disabled-and disfigured-and sold by his family to a circus performer. That he triumphed, and even thrived after this ordeal shows what an amazing personality that he had. Griffith's art is ingenious and stylistically resembles R. Crumb's artwork-and as R. Crumb states in his review of this novel, "The work is Boffo!"
October 21, 2023
2.5|5
Even if this is a graphic novel, it was really hard for me to go through it. I think the novel being in black and white was not helping in keeping my interest especially when the story is a bit of a drag. I’m happy the life of Schlitzie was reconstituted and told to the best of author’s abilities, but I can’t keep thinking… this could have been an email.
Even if this is a graphic novel, it was really hard for me to go through it. I think the novel being in black and white was not helping in keeping my interest especially when the story is a bit of a drag. I’m happy the life of Schlitzie was reconstituted and told to the best of author’s abilities, but I can’t keep thinking… this could have been an email.
April 30, 2019
My dad loves Zippy the Pinhead. I think it's... fine. When I'm in the mood for wacky non-sequiturs and overly intellectualized comic musings on American, it hits the spot, but mostly it feels like a bit of a relic to me. Although certainly I think it's closer to something important than the majority of the funny-pages pabulum of my childhood. Regardless, I am no student of the strip, so I'm not attempting to judge its four-decade tenure on the basis of some very sporadic attention.
Anyway. Because I do respect Bill Griffith, I was excited to read Nobody's Fool. And it is indeed very good—it's a robust, pretty fully realized biography of Schlitzie the Pinhead, a developmentally disabled circus freak from the early 20th century. (On whom Zippy was, of course, based, despite Griffith having only seen Schlitzie for a few tantalizing minutes in the movie Freaks.)
It's an impressive book particularly given that there is an extremely limited amount of source material available. Schlitzie was naturally not his real name, and it will surprise no one that ringmasters weren't exactly keeping close biographical records of their carnies, particularly those who couldn't use the bathroom on their own and could be counted on to evince the same bland, doddering visage and nonsensical mutterings whether they were being billed as male or female, Aztec or gorilla.
It's a sad book, in a complicated way. Of course it's devastating that Schlitzie's parents sold him to the circus when he was just a little boy, but what other options did she have, living in a Bronx tenement at the turn of the century? She certainly couldn't have cared well for him, and what kind of medical attention may have awaited him if he'd been institutionalized? Lobotomies, electroshock therapy, and surely worse. And of course the cameraderie of the freaks is beautiful to behold, a chosen family looking after their own in ways that no one else would have been able or willing to do.
That's mostly my reactions, although the smarties in my book club pointed out a lot more shortcomings. The book is surely longer than it needed to be, and it doesn't do a great job of emphasizing how much Griffith must have invented. He also writes himself into the story, as well as drawing out entire scenes of the movies Schlitzie acted in, which seems like a waste of space. He also doesn't touch much on the major questions a book like this brings up, like the central issue of putting disabled people on display for money, or the social ramifications of our voyeuristic culture, or all sorts of things like that.
But it's a worthwhile book for sure. And here's what we ate at club:
Anyway. Because I do respect Bill Griffith, I was excited to read Nobody's Fool. And it is indeed very good—it's a robust, pretty fully realized biography of Schlitzie the Pinhead, a developmentally disabled circus freak from the early 20th century. (On whom Zippy was, of course, based, despite Griffith having only seen Schlitzie for a few tantalizing minutes in the movie Freaks.)
It's an impressive book particularly given that there is an extremely limited amount of source material available. Schlitzie was naturally not his real name, and it will surprise no one that ringmasters weren't exactly keeping close biographical records of their carnies, particularly those who couldn't use the bathroom on their own and could be counted on to evince the same bland, doddering visage and nonsensical mutterings whether they were being billed as male or female, Aztec or gorilla.
It's a sad book, in a complicated way. Of course it's devastating that Schlitzie's parents sold him to the circus when he was just a little boy, but what other options did she have, living in a Bronx tenement at the turn of the century? She certainly couldn't have cared well for him, and what kind of medical attention may have awaited him if he'd been institutionalized? Lobotomies, electroshock therapy, and surely worse. And of course the cameraderie of the freaks is beautiful to behold, a chosen family looking after their own in ways that no one else would have been able or willing to do.
That's mostly my reactions, although the smarties in my book club pointed out a lot more shortcomings. The book is surely longer than it needed to be, and it doesn't do a great job of emphasizing how much Griffith must have invented. He also writes himself into the story, as well as drawing out entire scenes of the movies Schlitzie acted in, which seems like a waste of space. He also doesn't touch much on the major questions a book like this brings up, like the central issue of putting disabled people on display for money, or the social ramifications of our voyeuristic culture, or all sorts of things like that.
But it's a worthwhile book for sure. And here's what we ate at club:
July 8, 2022
Shortly after finally being able to watch the cult classic Freaks, I randomly came across this graphic novel and I knew I had to have it! Schlitzie was one of my favourite parts of the movie Freaks, their presence just shone through the camera and completely captured my full attention every time they were on screen. My favourite was the bit about the hat with the feather and I was delighted to see it reacted while reading this. I really had no idea Schlitzie had such a long and prolific career outside of Freaks and getting to learn about it all was so interesting. Seeing how Schlitzie got into the sideshow circuit and their beginnings as one of the most famous “pinheads” was really special and I’m so glad I was able to learn more about them and their life as a performer. The graphic novel format really suited this story so well, it felt like I was watching a biographical movie about Schlitzie and it was the perfect way to bring their fascinating story to life!
August 31, 2023
This is such a compassionate graphic novel.
Really cool snapshot of the entertainment industry of the first half of the 20th century, and a greatly heartfelt telling of Schlitzie’s life.
This seems like a project that Bill Griffith has had in his head and heart for a very long time, and I think he nailed it.
Now go watch Freaks (1932)!
Really cool snapshot of the entertainment industry of the first half of the 20th century, and a greatly heartfelt telling of Schlitzie’s life.
This seems like a project that Bill Griffith has had in his head and heart for a very long time, and I think he nailed it.
Now go watch Freaks (1932)!
March 26, 2019
As a fan of the movie “Freaks,” this offered an inside look at Schlitzie the person and character. Compassionate, sweet, and just a fun, informative graphic novel.
April 6, 2023
A pretty decent look at the life of Schlitzie - an interesting curio of a Graphic Novel
April 9, 2019
I received this book from Goodreads.
Nobody's Fool: The Life and Times of Schlitzie the Pinhead is a graphic novel that needed to be written.
Despite being sold to the circus at a young age, Schlitzie lived a remarkably colorful and lively life.
Originally named Simon, he was born September 10, 1901 to a poor, working class family that didn't understand his microcephaly, a neurodevelopmental disorder that left him with an unusually small brain and skull.
Because of this physical characteristic, he was bought by a sideshow manager for The Dreamland Circus Sideshow. It wasn't an uncommon occurrence for Circuses to take advantage of vulnerable families like that, but in Simon's case it may have been his saving grace.
He started his new life surrounded by other "freaks". People that understood what it meant to be different, outcaste and misunderstood. People that stuck up for him.
Throughout his long career, Schlitzie was in many different sideshows and circuses, such as Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, Clyde Beatty Circus, Tom Mix Circus, Crafts 20 Big Shows and Foley & Burke Carnival. With his iconic muumuu and a bow in his hair, Schlitzie became as famous as some of his more notable sideshow performers like conjoined twins Daisy and Violet Hilton, "The Living Torso" Prince Randian, and dwarf siblings Harry and Daisy Earles. He even hit the big screen in a few films, one of the most famous being Freaks produced and directed by Tod Browning.
In 1935, while performing with the Tom Mix Circus in 1935, George Surtees, a chimpanzee trainer with a trained-chimpanzee act in the show, adopted him, becoming his legal guardian. This was a real happy time for Schlitzie because George Surtees genuinely cared for him like he was his actual son, often sending his own biological daughter into a disgusted, jealous rage.
Unfortunately, George Surtees died in 1965 and guardianship went to his daughter, who wasted no time in getting rid of Schlitzie. She committed him to a Los Angeles county hospital, where he was subjected to the often torturous treatment for his intellectual disability. He remained hospitalized until he was recognized by sword swallower Bill "Frenchy" Unks, who happened to be working at the hospital during the off-season. Bill called Schlitzie's last sideshow employer, Sam Alexander, and told him about his near catatonic and declining condition.
Incredibly, the hospital released Schlitzie into Alexander's care, and he was back to doing sideshows. Back to the kinds of people the public readily loathed, but also the only ones with the heart to love him as he is.
During his twilight years, Schlitzie was well taken care of, with a live in caretaker and visits by fellow performers. He liked going to MacArthur Park at Alvarado Street and Wilshire Boulevard, where he would visit the lake with his guardian, feeding the pigeons and ducks.
For the most part, his life was boffo.
Nobody's Fool: The Life and Times of Schlitzie the Pinhead is a graphic novel that needed to be written.
Despite being sold to the circus at a young age, Schlitzie lived a remarkably colorful and lively life.
Originally named Simon, he was born September 10, 1901 to a poor, working class family that didn't understand his microcephaly, a neurodevelopmental disorder that left him with an unusually small brain and skull.
Because of this physical characteristic, he was bought by a sideshow manager for The Dreamland Circus Sideshow. It wasn't an uncommon occurrence for Circuses to take advantage of vulnerable families like that, but in Simon's case it may have been his saving grace.
He started his new life surrounded by other "freaks". People that understood what it meant to be different, outcaste and misunderstood. People that stuck up for him.
Throughout his long career, Schlitzie was in many different sideshows and circuses, such as Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, Clyde Beatty Circus, Tom Mix Circus, Crafts 20 Big Shows and Foley & Burke Carnival. With his iconic muumuu and a bow in his hair, Schlitzie became as famous as some of his more notable sideshow performers like conjoined twins Daisy and Violet Hilton, "The Living Torso" Prince Randian, and dwarf siblings Harry and Daisy Earles. He even hit the big screen in a few films, one of the most famous being Freaks produced and directed by Tod Browning.
In 1935, while performing with the Tom Mix Circus in 1935, George Surtees, a chimpanzee trainer with a trained-chimpanzee act in the show, adopted him, becoming his legal guardian. This was a real happy time for Schlitzie because George Surtees genuinely cared for him like he was his actual son, often sending his own biological daughter into a disgusted, jealous rage.
Unfortunately, George Surtees died in 1965 and guardianship went to his daughter, who wasted no time in getting rid of Schlitzie. She committed him to a Los Angeles county hospital, where he was subjected to the often torturous treatment for his intellectual disability. He remained hospitalized until he was recognized by sword swallower Bill "Frenchy" Unks, who happened to be working at the hospital during the off-season. Bill called Schlitzie's last sideshow employer, Sam Alexander, and told him about his near catatonic and declining condition.
Incredibly, the hospital released Schlitzie into Alexander's care, and he was back to doing sideshows. Back to the kinds of people the public readily loathed, but also the only ones with the heart to love him as he is.
During his twilight years, Schlitzie was well taken care of, with a live in caretaker and visits by fellow performers. He liked going to MacArthur Park at Alvarado Street and Wilshire Boulevard, where he would visit the lake with his guardian, feeding the pigeons and ducks.
For the most part, his life was boffo.
February 24, 2019
I can honestly say I did not think I was going to cry while reading the biography of a pinhead, but Bill Griffith's masterful storytelling and the tragic turns in Schlitzie's life did me in. Phenomenal book, even though I'd have liked more interspersion of Griffith's own story vis-a-vis Schlitzie, instead of the concentrated sections in the second half of the book. Not enough for me to knock off a star or anything.
May 20, 2019
“Is it a he? Or a she? Some say Schlitzie is the missing link sought by scientists the world over! Or is he a creature from the reaches of outer space?”
This is one of those stories that could easily come under the 'stranger than fiction' category. I actually had no idea it was based on a true story when I picked it up and I have never heard of the main subject. It charts the life and times, or at least what is known about, the life and times of Schlitzie ‘Pinhead’ Surtees.
After being sold to the circus he spends most of his adult life travelling across the United States, with some truly bizarre results. At one particular venue in California in 1962, he found himself working alongside a 3 legged man, the Siamese twins and the Beach Boys. But he is perhaps best known for dabbling in Hollywood, in particular his appearance in the notorious “Freaks” movie in 1932, which was banned for many decades in many places.
The art work is fairly detailed and expansive, this is a peculiar biography filled with ventriloquists, lion tamers and bearded ladies, showing the fetid underbelly of the lower end of the entertainment industry of a bygone era, and of course this book makes us examine our own relationship with modern day ideas of freaks. The platform and venues may have changed but the audience and its appetite remains stronger than ever.
March 18, 2024
This is what a graphic novel should be! In realistic black and white line drawings with cross hatching and less often solid fill, Bill Griffith, the creator of the Zippy the Pinhead underground comic (Which I do not care for) delivers a well-researched biography of Schlitzie, the microcephalic sideshow star (who I first saw in the eye-popping movie "Freaks"). Griffith draws and humanistically describes other sideshow acts and their lives on the circuit. A traditional narrative might have included more (irrelevant?) Facts, but the realistic drawings show the reader this world, and the word balloons bring out pathos and humor that would be lost in a traditional publication.
July 13, 2019
A little repetitive, but it is hard not to be when so much of the biography is made up of hearsay, foofaraw and gossip in variation. Melancholy in a way, both for some things done and some things not; all the more so since it's arguable if any of the choices were wrong on ill-motivated.
November 28, 2018
In 1980, during a hazy week-long visit to Amsterdam, in addition to Van Gogh and the Dutch Masters, we discovered a comic book featuring Zippy the Pinhead. Now he's a nationally syndicated strip in many daily papers, running for decades, but at that time he was unknown beyond the narrow world of underground comics. Once we stumbled upon him, we had a new hero, quoting Zippy for the rest of the trip and for many years to come.
Bill Griffith was a student at Pratt in Brooklyn in 1963 when he went to see a screening of Freaks, the cult film made in 1932 by Tod Browning, best known for directing the Bela Lugosi version of Dracula. Although it would be some years before Griffith started writing and drawing Zippy, he remembers that screening as the inspiration for the character who would become the cornerstone of his career.
This graphic, er, biography, let's say, because it's not a graphic novel, is the story of the real life inspiration for Zippy -- Schlitzie Surtees, possibly born Simon Metz in the Bronx, one of the most endearing title characters of Freaks and a lifelong denizen of traveling circus and carnival side shows. The bow in his hair, the muu-muu, the five o'clock shadow, the non-sequiturs, and the endearing personality -- Zippy got them all from Schlitzie.
One of the many revelations in Nobody's Fool, assuming Griffith is presenting the best possible real life research into Schlitzie, is that Zippy's manner of speaking is in fact based on how Schlitzie spoke. In Freaks, his speech is garbled beyond recognition, but elsewhere in life, according to this book, he made himself understood, even if he what he said didn't make sense. Zippy is gifted with a broader vocabulary, but he basically talks like Schlitzie.
The artwork is stunning. I am not by any means, despite my youthful fascination with Zippy, a reader of graphic literature or comics. Within my limited exposure to the form, I remain amazed this many years later with Griffith's ability to communicate through his drawings. The written portion is, as I know from Zippy, straightforward and matter of fact, rarely if ever betraying any condescension or judgement.
My only criticism is that a significant portion of this fairly lengthy (for a graphic work) book is a compendium of Schlitzie's side show appearances, especially during his latter years. I get that this is the best documented portion of his life (maybe the only reliably documented portion of his life), but even the artwork starts to grow repetitive with each new show he appears in.
The other side of that coin is that we get only rare glimpses into Griffith's own life, even the moments that inspired Zippy. He does depict his initial exposure to Freaks (including a few "boffo" pages replicating scenes from the movie), and he also shows his initial creation of Zippy. But rather than show us every Schlitzie side show, it would have been nice to see the progress of Zippy's development in subsequent years.
Worth singling out, especially in the context of the artwork and the overemphasis on his career, is the section about the one time Schlitzie did not perform. When his guardians, the Surtees, died, their daughter had him committed to a psychiatric hospital. For a number of pages, Griffith depicts Schlitzie's nine month stay through a series of panels that are all drawing, no words. The dark and despairing circumstances of life in the pysch ward are just perfect, and devastating.
If you're a fan of Zippy and his creator Griffy, or a fan of Freaks, or a fan of graphic novels, this is totally in your wheelhouse. If you're not in one of those categories, you may yet like this one-of-a-kind look into a world gone by.
Bill Griffith was a student at Pratt in Brooklyn in 1963 when he went to see a screening of Freaks, the cult film made in 1932 by Tod Browning, best known for directing the Bela Lugosi version of Dracula. Although it would be some years before Griffith started writing and drawing Zippy, he remembers that screening as the inspiration for the character who would become the cornerstone of his career.
This graphic, er, biography, let's say, because it's not a graphic novel, is the story of the real life inspiration for Zippy -- Schlitzie Surtees, possibly born Simon Metz in the Bronx, one of the most endearing title characters of Freaks and a lifelong denizen of traveling circus and carnival side shows. The bow in his hair, the muu-muu, the five o'clock shadow, the non-sequiturs, and the endearing personality -- Zippy got them all from Schlitzie.
One of the many revelations in Nobody's Fool, assuming Griffith is presenting the best possible real life research into Schlitzie, is that Zippy's manner of speaking is in fact based on how Schlitzie spoke. In Freaks, his speech is garbled beyond recognition, but elsewhere in life, according to this book, he made himself understood, even if he what he said didn't make sense. Zippy is gifted with a broader vocabulary, but he basically talks like Schlitzie.
The artwork is stunning. I am not by any means, despite my youthful fascination with Zippy, a reader of graphic literature or comics. Within my limited exposure to the form, I remain amazed this many years later with Griffith's ability to communicate through his drawings. The written portion is, as I know from Zippy, straightforward and matter of fact, rarely if ever betraying any condescension or judgement.
My only criticism is that a significant portion of this fairly lengthy (for a graphic work) book is a compendium of Schlitzie's side show appearances, especially during his latter years. I get that this is the best documented portion of his life (maybe the only reliably documented portion of his life), but even the artwork starts to grow repetitive with each new show he appears in.
The other side of that coin is that we get only rare glimpses into Griffith's own life, even the moments that inspired Zippy. He does depict his initial exposure to Freaks (including a few "boffo" pages replicating scenes from the movie), and he also shows his initial creation of Zippy. But rather than show us every Schlitzie side show, it would have been nice to see the progress of Zippy's development in subsequent years.
Worth singling out, especially in the context of the artwork and the overemphasis on his career, is the section about the one time Schlitzie did not perform. When his guardians, the Surtees, died, their daughter had him committed to a psychiatric hospital. For a number of pages, Griffith depicts Schlitzie's nine month stay through a series of panels that are all drawing, no words. The dark and despairing circumstances of life in the pysch ward are just perfect, and devastating.
If you're a fan of Zippy and his creator Griffy, or a fan of Freaks, or a fan of graphic novels, this is totally in your wheelhouse. If you're not in one of those categories, you may yet like this one-of-a-kind look into a world gone by.
November 4, 2018
A strong four stars for this serious, but entertaining, graphic novel biography. The subject was microcephalic, and deemed a "pinhead" in the parlance of the carnie side-show. He was stuck with a career in a dress, with the simple act of standing on a stage and being gawped at as a "freak" – until he did become one of the most famous "Freaks" in history, in the film of that name which Tod Browning chose to follow 'Dracula' with. The awkward thing for some people was that he seemed to enjoy every minute, being perfectly happy scrubbing dishes, listening to music and eating (anything except salad, it seems).
As is perfectly fitting, the creator never judges his subject, nor any of the many people that ultimately profited from him. To its detriment the book does get hung up on who his employers were at any particular time, and it does seem a little scattershot – the justification that some bits of the timeline and indeed even his origins are missing from knowledge goes only partway to excusing the jumpiness. The artwork is excellent throughout, with a lot of craft in every image, and the book can certainly be appreciated for conveying the humanity and story of the subject. This in no way borrows from the side-show approach, but gives us a view of our hero with the clarity and decency all of us would wish for.
As is perfectly fitting, the creator never judges his subject, nor any of the many people that ultimately profited from him. To its detriment the book does get hung up on who his employers were at any particular time, and it does seem a little scattershot – the justification that some bits of the timeline and indeed even his origins are missing from knowledge goes only partway to excusing the jumpiness. The artwork is excellent throughout, with a lot of craft in every image, and the book can certainly be appreciated for conveying the humanity and story of the subject. This in no way borrows from the side-show approach, but gives us a view of our hero with the clarity and decency all of us would wish for.
April 5, 2019
NOBODY’S FOOL: THE LIFE AND TIMES OF SCHLITZIE THE PINHEAD is a cartoon biography by Bill Griffith, who knows a thing or two about pinheads. His Zippy the Pinhead strip is inspired by Schlitzie, who most famously appeared in the movie that ended Tod Browning’s career, FREAKS. Griffith got the name from another pinhead who traveled the freak circuit at the time, Zip the What Is It, and tries to clear a path through the carny mythos to reach the real man (often exhibited as a woman). He beautifully renders the times of traveling freak shows with bearded women, limbless men, sword swallowers, et al., and captures as many facts about the greatest attraction of the era, the elusive Schlitzie. It’s a heartbreaking tale but there is no real villains other than the desire to make a buck, and Schlitzie, outside of a few dark detours, ends up okay and seemingly happy find affection when he can get it and wash dishes (something he loved). Well researched, skillfully drawn and emotionally powerful, I read it almost in a sitting on my birthday. It was the best present I got. Thanks, Mr. Griffith.
February 18, 2021
(Note: I received an ARC of this book courtesy of NetGalley)
Yes, the man known as Schilitze spent most of his life as an attraction in sideshows where he was paraded as an exotic spectacle. Yet at the same time, he enjoyed no small amount of success and in fact seemed to enjoy it very much. Also, it can't be denied that his character and spirit deeply touched those who knew him, especially in light of the lengths that many took to take care of him. This man's long career, to say the least, is a fascinatingly complex one, and it receives exactly the respectful and detailed coverage that it deserves in "Nobody's Fool." Bill Griffith has crafted a wonderfully exhaustive and absorbing biography that can be enjoyed by any reader regardless of whether they've heard of its unique cultural icon of a subject or not.
Yes, the man known as Schilitze spent most of his life as an attraction in sideshows where he was paraded as an exotic spectacle. Yet at the same time, he enjoyed no small amount of success and in fact seemed to enjoy it very much. Also, it can't be denied that his character and spirit deeply touched those who knew him, especially in light of the lengths that many took to take care of him. This man's long career, to say the least, is a fascinatingly complex one, and it receives exactly the respectful and detailed coverage that it deserves in "Nobody's Fool." Bill Griffith has crafted a wonderfully exhaustive and absorbing biography that can be enjoyed by any reader regardless of whether they've heard of its unique cultural icon of a subject or not.
January 12, 2019
Bill Griffith brings his talents to the story of Schlitzie Surtees, perhaps the best known "pinhead" in all of sideshow history -- you might recognize him from the Tod Browning film Freaks. Griffith draws on historical documents, interviews, and more to piece together a biography of Schlitzie that is at turns humorous, heartfelt, and downright harrowing - I didn't know that he was briefly (and miserably) confined to a county hospital before being returned to the care of Ward Hall and another sideshow manager. There aren't many details included regarding Schlitzie's passing, but it was touching to see that a group of fans got together to purchase a headstone for his grave some years afterward. A really fascinating and worthwhile read - and an essential one for folks interested in the history of sideshow exhibitions.
May 27, 2019
Masterful and humane.
June 25, 2019
Engaging, compassionately told story of "Schlitzie" a microcephalic person born in the early 1900s who spent a life appearing in circus sideshows. Griffith is straightforward about the uncertainties of Schlitzie's backstory, presents both kind and violent treatment by his "owners" and other members of the circus, and visually portrays Schlitzie's life in detailed and understated line art.
Recommended for teens and adults interested in sideshow people and life and of people who are significantly "different" from the average person.
Recommended for teens and adults interested in sideshow people and life and of people who are significantly "different" from the average person.
June 16, 2019
Nobody's Fool The Life and Times of Schlitzie The Pinhead
A biography by Bill Griffith is an enchanting graphic novel that I think you will find absolutely interesting. Released recently by ABRAMS this one is the story of an abnormal man born supposedly in Bronx in 1901. His name maybe was Simon. His family sold, without too much compassion this kid with evident big problems to a company. At the beginning of XX century, abnormal people, people with great health's problems, it could be a mental illness, it could be a physical problem, became of great attractions, exactly as animals, in American Circus, mainly. Schlitzie, as was soon baptized became a star in this sense. Who knows if he suffered of autism or there were also other more important complications, as reported in this graphic novel; this man didn't speak well at all and was limited in the understanding, although generally a sweet person.
Magistrally "pictured" if I can use this expression, Bill Griffith's first encounter on the big screen with Schlitzie in the production Freaks, a controvertial movie where real people, abormal ones, let show to everyone their existences. The movie was scaring under many ways and also the future cartoonist was heavily touched by what he saw that afternoon at the theater. Most of the time portrayed as a person born in an exotic place of the world, Schlitzie was introduced to the spectators as if he would have been a woman most of the times: he didn't miss a show. He was very requested in circuses and was one of the main attractions. He changed various tutors, of course he needed to be followed, and at the departure of one of them he also was put in a hospital. He lost most of enthusiasm for life in that place, because of the lack of humanity and the abrupt change of environment: from a colored, curious, strange one to a sad and distant place without love and excitment.
The first appearance of Freaks at the beginning of 1930s wasn't saluted with great happiness. The New York Times wrote: "A Picture not to be Easily Forgotten" while Harrison's Report more hardly commented: "The movie is not fit to be shown anywhere."
The beginning of 1960s more lucky for this movie. MGM tried its best for passing this production reaching also the Venice Film Festival.
At the same time, time passed by but Griffith will re-meet along his way
Schlitzie.
You will see later that legislation changed a lot in many States regarding the shows that loved to use abnormal people with the consequences that followed.
What upset me a lot was that when this man died he was buried without any marked grave and considering all, maybe the treatment could have been different. But...There is a happy end! also in this sense and thanks to some of his friends. You can visit now Schlitzie The Pinhead's grave with all the dignity that this man deserves.
This book is about acceptance, about the "differents", abnornalities and inclusion when there was exclusion: we musn't forget that the family sold this kid as if he would have been a dog.
It speaks about what it means a reason for going on in life as well.
Schlitzie discovered that the world adopted him was beautiful and he loved to performing, although who knows if he knew what it meant.
He loved it, that one was his reason for living; what it gave him serenity, joy, happiness. That was why when he was put in that hospital lost a lot of joy and happiness. He wasn't anymore surrounded by the people he loved and the people who, for a reason or another, loved him and were affectionated to him. His world was the world of circus, exhibitions. He was happy close to that environment, his other weird and colored friends, and the people he could call family. As magistrally written in the book: "- These people - did not ask to be brought into the world but into the world they came."
A stunning graphic novel. I read it in a few hours. It is vivid, lucid, well constructed and thought, and it is a real historical gem, giving back a great portrait of the old America and Hollywood and the role experienced by Schlitzie and other so-called abnormal people in the American showbusiness's tissue.
I thank ABRAMS&Chronicles for the physical copy of this book.
Anna Maria Polidori
A biography by Bill Griffith is an enchanting graphic novel that I think you will find absolutely interesting. Released recently by ABRAMS this one is the story of an abnormal man born supposedly in Bronx in 1901. His name maybe was Simon. His family sold, without too much compassion this kid with evident big problems to a company. At the beginning of XX century, abnormal people, people with great health's problems, it could be a mental illness, it could be a physical problem, became of great attractions, exactly as animals, in American Circus, mainly. Schlitzie, as was soon baptized became a star in this sense. Who knows if he suffered of autism or there were also other more important complications, as reported in this graphic novel; this man didn't speak well at all and was limited in the understanding, although generally a sweet person.
Magistrally "pictured" if I can use this expression, Bill Griffith's first encounter on the big screen with Schlitzie in the production Freaks, a controvertial movie where real people, abormal ones, let show to everyone their existences. The movie was scaring under many ways and also the future cartoonist was heavily touched by what he saw that afternoon at the theater. Most of the time portrayed as a person born in an exotic place of the world, Schlitzie was introduced to the spectators as if he would have been a woman most of the times: he didn't miss a show. He was very requested in circuses and was one of the main attractions. He changed various tutors, of course he needed to be followed, and at the departure of one of them he also was put in a hospital. He lost most of enthusiasm for life in that place, because of the lack of humanity and the abrupt change of environment: from a colored, curious, strange one to a sad and distant place without love and excitment.
The first appearance of Freaks at the beginning of 1930s wasn't saluted with great happiness. The New York Times wrote: "A Picture not to be Easily Forgotten" while Harrison's Report more hardly commented: "The movie is not fit to be shown anywhere."
The beginning of 1960s more lucky for this movie. MGM tried its best for passing this production reaching also the Venice Film Festival.
At the same time, time passed by but Griffith will re-meet along his way
Schlitzie.
You will see later that legislation changed a lot in many States regarding the shows that loved to use abnormal people with the consequences that followed.
What upset me a lot was that when this man died he was buried without any marked grave and considering all, maybe the treatment could have been different. But...There is a happy end! also in this sense and thanks to some of his friends. You can visit now Schlitzie The Pinhead's grave with all the dignity that this man deserves.
This book is about acceptance, about the "differents", abnornalities and inclusion when there was exclusion: we musn't forget that the family sold this kid as if he would have been a dog.
It speaks about what it means a reason for going on in life as well.
Schlitzie discovered that the world adopted him was beautiful and he loved to performing, although who knows if he knew what it meant.
He loved it, that one was his reason for living; what it gave him serenity, joy, happiness. That was why when he was put in that hospital lost a lot of joy and happiness. He wasn't anymore surrounded by the people he loved and the people who, for a reason or another, loved him and were affectionated to him. His world was the world of circus, exhibitions. He was happy close to that environment, his other weird and colored friends, and the people he could call family. As magistrally written in the book: "- These people - did not ask to be brought into the world but into the world they came."
A stunning graphic novel. I read it in a few hours. It is vivid, lucid, well constructed and thought, and it is a real historical gem, giving back a great portrait of the old America and Hollywood and the role experienced by Schlitzie and other so-called abnormal people in the American showbusiness's tissue.
I thank ABRAMS&Chronicles for the physical copy of this book.
Anna Maria Polidori
February 8, 2021
Ultimately a sad story told in a sad manner. Bill Griffith documents the life of Schlitzie, a disabled/mentally challenged man who was in effect sold to the circus by his parents to be a sideshow exhibit. He worked in circuses for decades, and even appeared in films. He became somewhat famous. Griffith describes the many circus performers and operators that worked with Schlitzie over the years, as well as the few forays into life outside of the circus, including a stay at a mental hospital. Schlitzie was somewhat successful in life given his extreme limitations, living to what appeared to be his fullest while also having bad times and bad things happen along the way. What can anyone ask for? His story comes across as sad but enlightening. You get to see a very different perspective on life.
Griffith is not trying to exploit Schiltzie, like the circus folks and the creators of the movie Freaks which included Schlitzie. Griiffith walks a fine line here, describing how Schlitzie is exploited by these people, but also presenting the alternative world where Schlitzie is not exploited for the entertainment of others, but becomes a ward of the state. In fact, this happens to him for a while later in life, and the experience is chilling. Again, Schlitzie appeared to live a good life given his situation and the times.
Schlitzie’s life is about 70% of the contents of this graphic non-fiction book. About 20% delves into the lives and backgrounds of a few other people in Schlitzie’s life - other sideshow entertainers and circus operators. I thought these vignettes added to the story, helping in my understanding of the circus environment during this time period, and illustrating that this was not considered “just a business” by many of those in the industry. And there were certainly strong personalities involved.
The remaining 10% or so was the story of how Bill Griffith heard of Schlitzie and created his cartoon character Zippy the Pinhead based on this sideshow circus entertainer. This part was interesting for me as a Zippy comics fan. I had always wondered about the way Zippy spoke, and it came in part from Schlitzie, as did his looks and even his outfit (Zippy’s clown costume was dress like, based on Schlitzie often being put in a dress and described as a woman). Griffith includes early drawings of Zippy that are identical to his drawings here of Schlitzie, including the 5 o’clock shadow that doesn’t appear in later Zippy comics. While interesting and explaining the basis for Zippy, this also feels a little sad, like Griffith is admitting to profiting on an unfortunate other, and is documenting the original because, well, no one else really is. He’s not asking forgiveness, he’s just telling the story. In the end, I believe that’s all we can hope as a person – that someone remembers our story and finds it worthwhile enough to tell. With Griffith’s help in this substantial book, Schlitzie fares better than most of us.
Griffith is not trying to exploit Schiltzie, like the circus folks and the creators of the movie Freaks which included Schlitzie. Griiffith walks a fine line here, describing how Schlitzie is exploited by these people, but also presenting the alternative world where Schlitzie is not exploited for the entertainment of others, but becomes a ward of the state. In fact, this happens to him for a while later in life, and the experience is chilling. Again, Schlitzie appeared to live a good life given his situation and the times.
Schlitzie’s life is about 70% of the contents of this graphic non-fiction book. About 20% delves into the lives and backgrounds of a few other people in Schlitzie’s life - other sideshow entertainers and circus operators. I thought these vignettes added to the story, helping in my understanding of the circus environment during this time period, and illustrating that this was not considered “just a business” by many of those in the industry. And there were certainly strong personalities involved.
The remaining 10% or so was the story of how Bill Griffith heard of Schlitzie and created his cartoon character Zippy the Pinhead based on this sideshow circus entertainer. This part was interesting for me as a Zippy comics fan. I had always wondered about the way Zippy spoke, and it came in part from Schlitzie, as did his looks and even his outfit (Zippy’s clown costume was dress like, based on Schlitzie often being put in a dress and described as a woman). Griffith includes early drawings of Zippy that are identical to his drawings here of Schlitzie, including the 5 o’clock shadow that doesn’t appear in later Zippy comics. While interesting and explaining the basis for Zippy, this also feels a little sad, like Griffith is admitting to profiting on an unfortunate other, and is documenting the original because, well, no one else really is. He’s not asking forgiveness, he’s just telling the story. In the end, I believe that’s all we can hope as a person – that someone remembers our story and finds it worthwhile enough to tell. With Griffith’s help in this substantial book, Schlitzie fares better than most of us.
Read
April 17, 2024This emotional rollercoaster of a book, Nobody's Fool by Bill Griffin makes you stop and think about the lives of others around you. This book represents mental illness, morals, and overall respect for mentally and physically challenged people. This book starts off talking about a showman wanting more acts for his carnival show, the show included many out-of-the-ordinary humans like a lady with a beard, a man who can swallow swords, and a handless knife thrower. The book goes on to show the mission of finding an extraordinary person for his act when he then comes across a boy named Schlitzie. Schlitzie had the disability otherwise known as Microcephaly, which made his brain 2 times smaller than the average head size and mental capacity level. With this disability, the showman thought Schlitzie was perfect for his new act, so he then made a deal with the Schlitzies family and wrote up a contract stating that Schlitzie was now a circus act for the next 5 years under the supervision of the showman. The book continues to show the life of Schlitzie and his circus career alongside the ending of it. This book demonstrated many ups and downs but was such a good read, towards the beginning the story was harder to follow but other than that the book was great and I 100% recommend this book for anyone interested in the circus side of things or just if you're intrigued by Microcephaly.
August 16, 2025
I'm going to be completely honest: I picked up this book because I enjoy reading stories of sideshow acts and classic films (and Schlitzie was famous for both of these things). I was not expecting the story to be anything fancy. But, in fact, I found myself drawn in completely. It was not the story so much as Schlitzie that really held my attention. I thought that the story would be dramatic and sensational, but it was Schlitzie's sweetness and genuine personality that really kept my attention. By the end, I just wanted to give this sweet, tender soul a huge hug. His story broke my heart, but I absolutely loved getting to know him.
If you're looking for something dramatic and sensational, this is not the book for you. But, if you want to learn more about an amazing person who never asked for the life that he was given, but managed to make the best of it all anyway, then this is the book for you.
If you're looking for something dramatic and sensational, this is not the book for you. But, if you want to learn more about an amazing person who never asked for the life that he was given, but managed to make the best of it all anyway, then this is the book for you.
January 13, 2020
I was excited to read this. A biography on Schlitzie The Pinhead sounds pretty fascinating. But this book is mostly just a recitation of facts, with pictures. Griffith definitely could have used some help from a writer, to give the book a narrative story.
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